My flight out of Seattle is delayed, so I thought I’d take this time to review the Singles soundtrack song by song, as I listened to it most days I was here in the name of being festive. Please enjoy this visual of the dearly departed longbox.
1. “Would?” - Alice In Chains - Obviously one of the most kickass songs ever.
2. “Breath” - Pearl Jam - I feel that this is one of their better songs. For me, this band has always had the disadvantage of not being Nirvana, but I actually think the “Seattle sound” title is better suited to them, at least from a marketing perspective.
3. “Seasons” - Chris Cornell - I actually always preferred it when Chris Cornell sang lower, like a lot of the songs on Soundgarden’s “Superunknown” album. Other people disagree, but it’s honestly why I never liked Soundgarden, because it just sounds too much like 80’s metal to me.
4. “Dyslexic Heart” - Paul Westerberg - A lot of people shit on this era of Paul as it seems a million miles from The Replacements, but I associate both of his songs from the soundtrack so much with the movie that it doesn’t matter to me.
5. “The Battle of Evermore” - The Lovemongers - This band is essentially Heart, and they’re covering a Led Zeppelin song. I’m not really a fan of either band, but this song has a cool and mysterious feel to it.
6. “Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns” - Mother Love Bone - I don’t mean to speak ill of someone who died so young, but the people who thought Andrew Wood/MLB would be “it” were completely insane. Kurt was always going to lead the revolution. This band just sounds like a slightly artsier continuation of the hair metal that came before it, the kids would have never gone for it.
7. “Birth Ritual” - Soundgarden - You know how I feel about Soundgarden, and the chorus doesn’t sound like he’s saying “Ritual,” it sounds like he’s trying to say “Situation” but stops at “Situa.”
8. “State of Love and Trust” - Pearl Jam - Another banger, quite frankly. And it always makes me think of the part in the movie where Kyra Sedgwick finds out that exchange student guy is a dirty dog.
9. “Overblown” - Mudhoney - Before Nirvana retroactively bankrolled Sub Pop, they were counting on Mudhoney’s “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge” to be their salvation. Get real, Jon and Bruce.
10. “Waiting For Somebody” - Paul Westerberg - If you can’t manage to enjoy this song during the opening credits, there’s no hope for you.
11. “May This Be Love” - The Jimi Hendrix Experience - I always liked this song despite never having explored Jimi Hendrix in any serious manner.
12. “Nearly Lost You” - Screaming Trees - Hell yeah buddy.
13. “Drown” - Smashing Pumpkins - This band has no business being on this soundtrack and was likely included because Nirvana declined. Billy Corgan is a fartface.
Overall, I give the soundtrack a rating of 103.