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Soundgarden VS Alice in Chains, your preference?

Soundgarden VS Alice in Chains, your preference?

  • SoundGarden

    Votes: 28 29.5%
  • Alice In Chains

    Votes: 56 58.9%
  • Alternative Carrot Grunge

    Votes: 11 11.6%

  • Total voters
    95
  • Poll closed .
Dude, it's not even a question. ALICE IN CHAINS!!!
Staley's vocal range is incredible, one of the most unique vocalists of that era,very different than soundgarden's "yarl"on some songs (not all) which IMO was way overused by grunge bands back then. It's really tragic what happened to him (R.I.P.) if you read the interviews, you might cry. Cantrell and Staley's lyrics were unreal, they were some of the first lyrics I ever heard that really jumped out and grabbed me, you know? I really like Cantrell's playing, and his attitude is gold, still one of my role models today. And come on dude, Mike Starr KILLS on facelift and Dirt. Probably my 2nd biggest influence in playing, plus he used Spector+Ampeg. Sean Kinney does a great job, him and Mike have a great sense of groove.

I gotta say AIC, theynjustopened up a whole new world of music for me. Before unheard them and Pantera I was really closed minded musically (only listened to Metallica and slayer) but there's just these feelings you get when you hear some of their songs. "Dam That River" just hits you in the face when you first hear it. "Nutshell" is just...Well....life in a nutshell.

AIC just gets me, man. They do their thing and they do it well.
 
It's funny, I never had the idea that so many people think the way this thread is showing. Don't get me wrong, back in the '90's I had my share of both of these bands and I still respect and love them both, but to me comparing AIC to Soundgarden is like comparing Bay City Rollers or any later boy band attraction to The Beatles or like comparing Bob Dylan as a guitarist to John McLaughlin!
 
Good man :)

To justify my choice...no doubt Chris Cornell had some killer vocal chops, and I also dug his work with Audioslave, but the truth is, the Staley/Cantrell songwriting and vocal partnership was peerless. I've yet to hear any rock vocals come close to consistently giving me chills, album after album.

Superunknown V Dirt? It's not a fair fight :)

Heaven Beside You
Rooster
No Excuses
Man In A Box
Rain When I Die
Angry Chair
Would
So Close
Rotten Apple
Right Turn (which Cornell guested on)

...10 songs off the top of my head that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and make me smile inside, all these years later.

And I could easily name you another 10, then another 10.

Can anyone do the same for Soundgarden? Don't get me wrong, I'm not a hater, I love Soundgarden, just nowhere near as much as AIC.

Well said.
 
I remember where I was when I first heard Superunknown -- nearly two decades ago. I was hooked from the opening guitar riff of Let Me Drown and it held me completely, right through Like Suicide.

If you can listen to the track Slaves And Bulldozers and not hear Chris Cornell breaking down subatomic particles with his vocal performance, you're missing out.
 
I'm not voting, because I can't put one above the other. And the Alternative Carrots weren't really grunge.

I love Soundgarden, for all of the reasons others have given. I've seen them three times, and have one of their drumsticks.

Facelift is one of the very few albums I can listen to from start to finish without skipping anything. Hearing We Die Young on the radio was my introduction, and it led to much happiness. Dirt is close behind. I've seen them live, but post-Staley. :(

I bought Soundgarden's new cd two weeks ago. I'll have to give it a listen, going by the comments about it so far. :D

These two bands are exactly what I was looking for in music when I was younger. I will not choose between them, and if I had to, I wouldn't be happy with my decision.
 
These bands were just getting popular in my High School. Of course, I was ahead of all geeks and loved these bands before 95% of the people. I used to wear a Badmotorfinger shirt my senior year. But, LouderThan Love is also a favorite. All in all, Soundgarden has better and more unique stuff. Like most bands, they were better in their early yrs. I also love AIC and wore the Facelift and Dirt EP's out. I voted for Soundgarden though as I think their stuff stands the test of time better. AIC was pretty heavy and in your facce though. Before Layne got too doped up. His work on Mad Season is killer too.
 
For my own tastes, I'll go with Soundgarden. I really dug both bands the first time I heard them. But looking at both acts, I felt like Soundgarden went through more of an arc of artistic growth. Just the progression from Badmotorfinger to Down on the upside saw a remarkable level of growth in their performances as well as the songwriting.

Alice in Chains certainly went through an artistic growing period. But it really came across more as them perfecting a sound, rather than going through progressive stages of in their career.
 
I grew up on AIC Dirt. IMHO; there is no better album from my teenage years than that. It was the soundtrack for many of the nights. Jar of Flies was another one that was in constant play in my stereo. Soundgarden got very little play on my CD player back then. It's no contest for me.

I did however participate in a 90's tribute night at the Temple Club in Lansing, and my band The Death Cheaters (+ Friends) played all Soundgarden tracks.