Sub Pop Records did everyone a favor and, at long last, re-released Soundgarden‘s debut EPs “Screaming Life” and “Fopp“. It wasn’t the first time they were recorded (they had singles on a few compilation albums before this), but it was the first time it was just them. These two EPs set the stage for one of the most popular bands of all-time.

If you are only familiar with Soundgarden from “Superunknown“, then these two EPs will be a much different sound than you are used to. They are must more straight-forward rock where “Superunknown” is a more brooding album. “Screaming Life” was produced by the “Godfather of Grunge” Jack Endino and “Fopp” was produced by another grunge veteran, Steve Fisk.

Screaming Life is very hard-hitting. It is as ‘in your face’ as the album cover suggests. One of the more fun tracks is “Sub Pop Rock City”. It was originally not on the EP and was only on the seminal Sup Pop 200 album, but they included it for the re-issue. The song features cameos from Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. The EP also has the first Soundgarden song ever recorded, Hunted Down.

Fopp provides a slightly different, more experimental sound. It shows signs of what would become “Ultramega OK” and the perennially underrated “Batmotorfinger”. It is a much shorter EP than “Screaming Life”, but it’s just as good. It really only has three songs as one of the songs is a “Fopp” remix. The title track provides a lot of fun and the remix is a great listen, as well.

These EP provide an early glimpse in to the early days of Sub Pop and the formation of what would be come to be known as “Grunge Rock.” Soundgarden played as big of a role, if not much bigger, as any other band and now we have a chance to listen to some of their earliest work and find out what helped shape their sound. It should’t be passed up.

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Tags: badmotorfinger, Bruce Pavitt, Chirs Cornell, fopp, jack endino, Jonathan Poneman, screaming life, soundgarden, steve fisk, sub pop, superunknown, ultramega OK