Traffic Jams: Soundgarden – 'Hands All Over'

Soundgarden – Hands All Over (Official Music Video)

I don’t think I ever “got” Soundgarden the way plenty of other fans do. I had a significant grunge phase when I was in middle/high school, and I generally grouped the Seattle Four into two categories: my beloved (Alice in Chains, Nirvana) and the other stuff (Pearl Jam and Soundgarden).

That’s not intended to sound disparaging; I know Pearl Jam and Soundgarden are both exceptional bands, and I’ve done my fair share of listening to both of them. I just think I related to the other two on a much different level.

All that being said, I’m all here for Louder Than Love, which longtime Traffic Jams connoisseurs will note is one of my favorite things: An early album. Louder Than Love is just what it claims on the label. It’s loud and a little bit crass. It’s peak headbanger shit, and I spent an inordinate amount of time listening to this album specifically when I was in high school. I left Badmotorfinger and Superunknown to the other folks.