Let's Rank the Supersonics

[KurtLeon]

What song qualifies as a Supersonic? It's that last punk-ish, heavy-ish song before the slow ending tracks on each album. And it is usually, not always, the least interesting or worst track of the reccord.
We got:

- Deep
- Leash (Blood is more of a Supersonic than Leash, but Leash is closer to the end of the reccord)
- Satan's Bed
- Mankind
- MFC
- Grivance (or Rival?)
- 1/2 Full (I'd say Green Disease qualifies more of a Supersonic than 1/2 Full, but 1/2 Full fulfils the function of a Supersonic)
- Big Wave
- Supersonic
- Let the Reccord Plays
- Take the Long Way
- Running.

[stip]

These songs are usually about 3/4 of the way through the record. Ten doesn’t have one. Binaural swapped in Soon Forget. And Yield has RedDot playing this function as well. Arguably leash doesn’t count either - there are usually at least 3-4 songs to go. Riot Act has Get Right or Green Disease. They are usually thematically lighter songs I’m not sure this really starts until mankind so I’ll go from there



Running
Get Right
Let the Records Play
Take the Long Way
Big Wave
Green Disease
Supersonic
Mankind

[McParadigm]

I believe Kurt’s list is largely correct. However, Green Disease’s status as Supersonic is self-evident, and any definitive rules set would have to reflect that. Stip is correct that Binaural’s Supersonic is Soon Forget, which further complicates things.

If you read modern Supersonic philosophy, you’ll see a general consistency of thought emerge which says that a Supersonic is both thematically and sonically spritzy (96583UP et al., 2023). Prior authors had tied the definition to specific genre types the band would ape (like punk), or perhaps even more specific lists of artists who had influenced the sound (like punk), but I believe most modern thinkers now reject this premise as too narrow.

[McParadigm]

Burt, if you would please start your philosophy meme PowerPoint slideshow, I believe we can reach some real conclusions here today.

[stip]

the question is, does Riot Act’s excessive run time justify two Supersonics? I think it probably does.

I suppose the non-standard Vitalogy tracks play that role, but if any track played that function it would be Bugs - a proto Supersonic

[Kevin Davis]

Both Vitalogy and Gigaton have longer run times than Riot Act

[RockPusher]

Can I rank the back half of Big Wave separately from the front?

[stip]

Gigaton, really? Vitalogy has pry, to and bugs etc to break up the action.

Running may be the first time this this track was truly needed AND successful. usually they seem to just derail momentum

[VinylGuy]

MFC works great as supersonic, Satan´s bed too. Both are awesome songs themselves.

Running might be the best of them in terms of how it works in the context of the album.

[oneway23]

I legit thought we were ranking the Kemp/Payton-era Sonics. I was ready to advocate for Detlef Schrempf.
This thread is weak in comparison to my expectations.

[VinylGuy]

In that case, for me on those 1996 finals...i was a Bull's guy but i liked Kemp a lot.

[oneway23]

In that case, for me on those 1996 finals...i was a Bull's guy but i liked Kemp a lot.

He was so much better than younger viewers of the NBA will ever realize by going back and watching highlights on Youtube... Such a undeniable beast.

[Thurman Murman]

Generally speaking my least favorite flavor of the band.

*** 1/2
Green Disease

***
Big Wave
Running
Get Right
Take The Long Way
Mankind

**1/2
Supersonic

**
Let the Records Play

[Jorge]

I really thought this was gonna be a Pearl Jam "Supersonic" vs. Oasis "Supersonic" thread

[Ms Harmless]

they started at Big Wave

god I hated that song for so many years

[stip]

Both Vitalogy and Gigaton have longer run times than Riot Act

hey, gigaton IS longer than Riot Act. who knew?!

[Ms Harmless]

it's WILD that Vitalogy is longer than Riot Act

it's Foxy Mop's fault isn't it

[Matters]

Yield’s Supersonic would have been Leatherman. Binaural’s would have been Hitchhiker.

[Bammer]

Leash is a great song, you dick.

[Teeeeeekay]

Shawn Kemp #1