Thursday Throwback is a weekly colour scheme inspired by an iconic album cover of yesteryear. This week’s throwback is the 1996 album “Down On The Upside” by Soundgarden. The colours are as follows:
| Colours | HEX | RGB | HSB | CMYK | LAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour 1 | #0F0526 | 15, 5, 38 | 258, 87, 15 | 60, 86, 0, 85 | 3, 10, -18 |
| Colour 2 | #F2DC6D | 242, 220, 109 | 50, 55, 95 | 0, 9, 54, 5 | 87, -5, 56 |
| Colour 3 | #BF8136 | 191, 129, 54 | 33, 72, 75 | 0, 32, 71, 25 | 59, 17, 48 |
| Colour 4 | #F2BF80 | 242, 191, 128 | 33, 47, 95 | 0, 21, 47, 5 | 80, 10, 38 |
| Colour 5 | #A65644 | 166, 86, 68 | 11, 59, 65 | 0, 48, 59, 34 | 45, 31, 25 |
“Down On The Upside” is the fifth studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on May 21, 1996 through A&M Records. The album was recorded between November 1995 and February 1996 at Studio Litho and Bad Animals Studio in Seattle, Washington. Unlike their previous albums, Soundgarden chose to self-produce “Down On The Upside” with Adam Kasper. The band took a more relaxed approach to recording, aiming for a more organic sound compared to the polished production of their previous album “Superunknown”.
During the recording process, tensions arose between band members, particularly between singer Chris Cornell and guitarist Kim Thayil, over the direction of the music. The album features a more diverse range of sounds, incorporating acoustic elements and psychedelic influences alongside their signature heavy rock style. “Down On The Upside” debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 175,500 copies in its first week. While not as commercially successful as its predecessor “Superunknown”, the album still achieved platinum status in the United States, selling over 1.6 million copies. The album spawned several successful singles, including “Pretty Noose”, “Burden in My Hand”, and “Blow Up the Outside World”, which all reached the top 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Despite its commercial success, the album marked the beginning of the end for Soundgarden, as the band broke up less than a year after its release due to internal tensions.
The album cover, photographed by Kevin Westenberg, features the members of Soundgarden in silhouette. This minimalist design contrasts with the more elaborate artwork of their previous albums. The cover reflects the album’s raw and stripped-down approach, aligning with the band’s desire to create a more organic sound. Interestingly, at one point, a photo of caterpillars eating a tomato (which was later used for the “Blow Up the Outside World” single) was considered for the album cover.
In conclusion, “Down On The Upside” represents a pivotal moment in Soundgarden’s career, showcasing their musical evolution while foreshadowing the band’s imminent breakup. Its diverse sound and commercial success solidify its place as a significant album in the band’s discography and in 1990s rock music.
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