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Avg: 4.5 (122 ratings)
- Date Released: June 30, 1992
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Label: Epic Soundtrax
- Copyright: (P) 1992 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
A major part of grunge's enduring mythology
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We Say...
Cameron Crowe began his career as a music journalist, so it's not very surprising that he makes a point of showcasing music in his films, to the point where his plots often seem specifically designed to highlight his favorite tunes. His second film, Singles, is essentially a standard-issue romantic comedy, but it is set in the unmistakable context of Seattle in the very early '90s, and features cameo appearances from members of Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Though the movie is fictional and disconnected from the reality of the Seattle scene in that period, the film and its hit soundtrack are a major part of grunge's enduring mythology, presenting an amazing slacker fantasy world in which every scuzzy local band happens to have the talent and ambition of a world-class arena act.
Though the soundtrack is not entirely comprised of Seattle-based artists, the album is very much a love letter to the city and its music. Along with tracks by scene staples such as Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone and Screaming Trees, the set includes contributions from more old-school Seattle rockers such as Jimi Hendrix and the Wilson sisters of Heart. Non-Seattle acts the Smashing Pumpkins and ex-Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg deliver strong, stylistically simpatico cuts, but the main draw here are radio smashes like Alice In Chains' "Would?" and Pearl Jam's double shot of grunge intensity. Of the two Pearl Jam cuts, "State of Love and Trust" was the bigger hit, but "Breath" is the true gem, foregrounding the band's epic earnestness and their gift for blending subtle elements of athletic funk into their heavy, world-shattering riffs. -
They Say...
The romantic comedy Singles, in part a homage to director Cameron Crowe's hometown of Seattle, was released at exactly the right time (summer 1992). Nirvana's Nevermind had symbolically knocked Michael Jackson off the top of the album charts at the beginning of the year, and the underground buzz about Seattle bands like Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam was beginning to find its way past circles of indie aficionados and open-minded hard rock fans and into the mainstream. Singles helped crystallize the idea of the "Seattle scene" in the mainstream public's mind, and it was also one of the first big-selling '90s movie soundtracks (it went platinum and reached the Top Ten) to feature largely new work from contemporary artists. The soundtrack's strength was the way it was so firmly rooted in place -- where future soundtrack extravaganzas simply contrived to gather as many big-name acts as possible, Singles focused specifically on Seattle-area music (quite logically, given the film's plot and setting), which gave the album the feel of a cohesive document. It didn't hurt that nearly all the bands involved contributed high-quality material -- although Nirvana is absent, scene stalwarts Soundgarden, their lead singer Chris Cornell (the haunting acoustic ballad "Seasons"), Alice in Chains ("Would?," which showed up on their subsequent album, Dirt), Mudhoney, Pearl Jam (two tracks), and Screaming Trees all weigh in with strong new cuts, as well as stylistic compatriots Smashing Pumpkins (Chicago) and Minneapolis alt-rock god Paul Westerberg (his first two charmingly playful solo songs). The vaults are mined for chestnuts by Mother Love Bone (the epic "Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns," perhaps their strongest moment) and Seattle native Jimi Hendrix (the shimmering "May This Be Love," which fits the mood of the album perfectly), and Seattle sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, leaders of Heart, appear as the Lovemongers on a stellar acoustic cover of Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore." Despite Mudhoney's gripe that the whole early-'90s Seattle scene was "Overblown," Singles illustrates through its marvelous consistency the richness and wealth of the city's musical talent, as well as the alternative scene in general; meanwhile, the Lovemongers and Hendrix cuts demonstrate the city's past musical heritage, and along with the Westerberg numbers, provide a handy template of several major (albeit more mainstream) grunge-scene influences -- Hendrix's guitar-heavy psychedelia, Led Zeppelin's epic hard rock, the Replacements' post-hardcore power pop -- that sit very well next to their followers. So Singles isn't just an entertaining sampler of Seattle grunge in its prime; it's a milestone in the breakthrough of alternative rock into mainstream popular culture, neatly and effectively packaging the Seattle phenomenon for the wider national consciousness.
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| 01. |
Would?
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3:26 |
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| 02. |  |
Breath And A Scream
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5:25 |
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| 03. |
Seasons
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5:45 |
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| 04. |
Dyslexic Heart
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4:28 |
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| 05. |
Battle Of Evermore
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5:40 |
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| 06. |
Chloe Dancer/Crown Of Thorns
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8:15 |
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| 07. |
BIRTH RITUAL
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6:05 |
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| 08. | |
State Of Love And Trust
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3:47 |
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| 09. |
OVERBLOWN
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2:58 |
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| 10. |
WAITING FOR SOMEBODY
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3:25 |
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| 11. |
May This Be Love
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3:09 |
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| 12. | |
Nearly Lost You
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4:06 |
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| 13. |
Drown
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8:16 |
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13 Total Tracks, 64:45 Total Length
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Credits
- Alice in Chains - Producer // Alice in Chains - Performer // Mother Love Bone - Producer // Mother Love Bone - Performer // Mudhoney - Performer // Mudhoney - Mixing // Pearl Jam - Producer // Pearl Jam - Performer // Screaming Trees - Performer // The Smashing Pumpkins - Performer // Soundgarden - Performer // Lovemongers - Performer // Paul Westerberg - Producer // Paul Westerberg - Performer // Jerry Cantrell - Mixing // David Coleman - Art Direction // Billy Corgan - Producer // Billy Corgan - Mixing // Chris Cornell - Producer // Chris Cornell - Performer // Terry Date - Producer // Mark Dearnley - Producer // Brett Eliason - Producer // Brett Eliason - Mixing // Don Fleming - Producer // Ron Saint Germain - Mixing // Jimi Hendrix - Performer // Tod Lemkuhl - Mixing // Scott Litt - Producer // Scott Litt - Mixing // Brian Malouf - Mixing // Clif Norrell - Mixing // Brendan O'Brien - Mixing // Rick Parashar - Producer // Rick Parashar - Mixing // Susan Rogers - Mixing // Steve Smith - Producer // Steve Smith - Mixing // Conrad Uno - Producer // Butch Vig - Producer // Butch Vig - Mixing // Andy Wallace - Mixing // Cameron Crowe - Producer // Danny Bramson - Producer // Nancy Donald - Art Direction // Karen Moskowitz - Photography
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Performers
Pearl Jam // Paul Westerberg // Smashing Pumpkins // Soundgarden // Mudhoney // Jimi Hendrix // Screaming Trees // Alice In Chains // MOTHER LOVE BONE // Chris Cornell // The Lovemongers
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