antiMusic.com: Chris Cornell

Chris Cornell - Carry On Review
by Zane Ewton

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Yawn. Chris Cornell, former lead singer of Soundgarden and newly former lead singer of Audioslave, released his second solo album, Carry On. With his voice in fine form and his songwriting skills still functional, why is this album so boring?

I will tell you why, because one of the greatest vocalists of the last 20 years is churning out middle of the road modern rock. I sat through 14 songs waiting for something good to happen, something that stands out. Nothing ever does.

The songs are fine. There are decent melodies, decent song structures, his lyrics are sufficient and there is even a solid riff here and there. The whole album is just fine. Most modern rock bands would not be able to record an album this consistent. For someone like Chris Cornell, this album is a reminder that rich rock stars must have nothing to fight. They just have their own self-indulgences that rarely translate into a fresh, exciting rock record. We should not have to settle for, just fine. Oh well, maybe next time around.

By the way, the "Billie Jean" cover could have been interesting but Cornell sucked all of the tense energy out of the original. One of the few missteps on an album that is otherwise bland but listenable.

CD Info and Links

Chris Cornell - Carry On
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