INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 16: Peter Frampton and Brandi Carlile perform with Soundgarden onstage during I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell at The Forum on January 16, 2019 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Chris Cornell Estate)
Whew, glad that’s over.
With 2020 behind us many are optimistic for the year ahead. What a better way to reaffirm that hope that to hear some creative reimaginations of some Soundgarden classics.
Brandi Carlile, the five-time Grammy-winning country-folk singer, was flagged to work on a set of covers to remember the late Chris Cornell after a live performance for I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell in early 2019 wowed the surviving members of the group.
The result is a 12-inch vinyl called A Rooster Says where Carlile lead a pair of Soundgarden covers: “Searching With My Good Eye Closed” and “Black Hole Sun”
“That was Brandi’s choice and it was a good one,” drummer Matt Cameron told the Rolling Stone in an interview. “‘Searching With My Good Eye Closed’ is one of Chris’ greatest songs, it has so much depth. It’s a colossus. Hearing Brandi and the twins completely rock the fuck out on that tune was amazing. I love how it turned out. Kim’s solo is pretty incredible too.”
Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil of the legendary Seattle grunge band also praised Carlile’s choices.
“I’m really happy that she chose this song, because her interpretation is absolutely amazing,” said Thayil. “It’s beautifully emotive, floating, and trippy. Her version sent shivers down my spine.”
The two singles are available to stream now. Listen below: