Temple Of The Dog
Temple Of The Dog
A&M

γγγγ Four Daggers

γγγγγ Lethal!
γγγγ Call the Paramedics
γγγ Heart Flutters
γγ Mild Abrasion
γ No Damage

The first time I heard Temple Of The Dog on record (having witnessed incendiary live shows long before), I wasn’t terribly impressed. With each successive listen, tho, it began to grow on me. It’s now at the point that it gets four daggers. Next week and several more spins from now, who knows?
What began as an outlet for the pain of a close friend’s death (Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone) comes to you now as a musical offering from a non-band with no touring plans. It’s a collaborative effort featuring Matt Cameron and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard (moving on after Mother Love Bone) with Mike McCready sharing guitar duties both here and in their project Mookie Blaylock.
A while back, when they were considered Seattle’s two most charismatic frontmen, Chris Cornell and Andrew Wood were roommates. In the days following Wood’s overdose, Cornell put down his observations and feelings in the songs, Say Hello To Heaven and Reach Down. Altho these are the specific tunes written for Andy, references to him and his addiction permeate the record. The guys have a lot on their minds, like prison life (Four Walled World), organized religion (Wooden Jesus) and conspicuous consumption (Hunger Strike).
Side one, with the strongest cut of all (Hunger Strike) following the two songs about Wood, and the records hardest tune (Pushin’ Forward Back) following that, is reason enough to own it. Also Cornell’s vocals on the piano driven ballad, Call Me A Dog, and the slow groovin’ All Night Thing display a style and range much different from those on his Soundgarden efforts.
As you might expect from two thirds of the axemen who cut the mighty Apple, TOTD does have its Bone-esque passages but the record still stands on its’ own. Things get a little pretentious at times but, with perhaps a more accessible vibe? than the members’ other projects, Temple reveals a side of these musicians you may not hear again for a while.