I honestly expected more from Chris Cornell. His avid fans aren’t going to be happy with that interpretation I’m sure of his new album out this week. Entitled “Carry On” the 14 track album consists of mostly long power songs that, while well done, seem a bit repetitive.
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Chris Cornell
|  Entertainment
 Art
“Carry On”
(Interscope Records)
Released June 5, 2007
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Cornell performed recently at The Metro and it was one of the best concerts that I have seen in a long time. On stage Cornell and his band are a true force. In the studio on the other hand some of the magic is lost. This is not to stay that the album itself is a total disaster. For the most part each song flows nicely from track to track and as always Cornell’s singing is beautiful, that is not the problem. The problem is with Cornell himself and the style he has taken upon himself.
A long time ago Cornell used to be a part of one of the most significant bands of the 90’s called Soundgarden. Soundgarden had such a unique sound, one that pulsed with raw energy and a gritty sound. Coupled with Cornell’s amazing vocals they were a band that made its mark on the entire Generation-X era.
The same cannot be said of the current Cornell. As he has grown older so has his music and it shows. The album itself starts out with the rather mellow “Arms Around Your Love” a song with good lyrics but it doesn’t really move you. The song does set the standard for the rest of the album. There is no doubt in my mind that as good as the rest of the band is, and they are a very good band, Cornell’s voice is the main focus of the album. Cornell has a very powerful voice and it can be extremely moving. That unfortunately works against him in this album as it seems to overshadow the actual music being played. Everything else turns to background noise.
There are a few standout songs in the album, track two’s “Billie Jean” is a beautiful cover of the signature Michael Jackson song. In Cornell’s hands it becomes a powerful ballad filled with sadness and grief. He slows down the beat significantly and it becomes a real heartbreaker.
A lot of the songs felt a bit like filler to me. “Disappearing Act” really didn’t do it for me and “Finally Forever” was just too slow. The album didn’t really pick up pace till its halfway point with “No Such Thing”. That song has both creative, passionate lyrics and a hard rock background from the band. It is one of the few songs on the album that really invokes the head banging era of Cornell’s past.
Too often it seems like Cornell reverts back to the more soft rock style that he has being doing quite a bit in his solo career. Cornell and his band members are highly talented musicians and capable of rocking out with the best of them. In concert it was as if I was hearing a completely different Cornell as on his new album.
One good surprise that fans will appreciate is the song “You Know My Name” which Cornell was smart enough to save till the second to last song in the album. The song has most recently become famous as the theme song for the new James Bond Film “Casino Royale”. It is a well executed song that reeks of cool.
The album has a lot of potential and unfortunately does not deliver until it is too late. Cornell still seems to be in the process of finding himself and the direction he wants to go in his solo career. My guess is that his next album will have more of the Cornell that we all know and love.
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warriorwoman
Written by Guest on 2007-06-08 15:26:58
Cornell HAS found himself. He's located in "The Nation of Diversity" !! I thoroughly enjoy the changing styles of music he encompasses on this album. I think "Carry On" is a phenominal record !!
Cornell is too creative and talented to be limited by labels and critics/reviewers who bash him for not being the same person as he was 20 years ago.
We all grow up and change. Isn't it time for those people, who want to keep Cornell in a time warp, to grow up too?! |
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