 | Tracklist:
1. No Such Thing
2. Poison Eye
3. Arms Around Your Love
4. Safe And Sound
5. She'll Never Be Your Man
6. Ghosts
7. Killing Birds
8. Billie Jean
9. Scar On The Sky
10. Your Soul Today
11. Finally Forever
12. Silence
13. Disappearing Act
14. You Know My Name
Today [bonus track]
Roads We Choose [bonus track]
| Ranking: #174 for 2007 | |
| | other reviews | grungekicksmetalsass (3)
Chris Cornellhas been in the music industry for quite some time.His latest solo record Carry On is b... |
On 4 Lists
|
| Summary: Chris Cornell knows how to sing and he does a lot of it on his second solo album, Carry On. And on and on and on he goes....ad nauseam |
Poor Chris Cornell. He of the golden pipes and the bands that don't give a damn. Springing from Seattle among a bunch of plaid wearing depressives, Chris was the singer for one Soundgarden. If the “grunge” movement had it's own Led Zeppelin, it was Soundgarden. And Chris was out front as it's Robert Plant. My how times change.
Fast forward a decade and Chris has seen a new band come and go and put a solo project behind him. No longer a grungy dude from the great northwest but rather a 40 something living in France with his family, it seems Chris has decided he is a singer. Not that he hasn't always known it, but on his second solo effort Carry On, he is clearly taking the lead to show us. Sometimes all too clearly, Chris Cornell wants you to know he is not just a singer, but a vocalist. Mixed results ensue.
The lacking part of this mix it seems is Chris and producer Steve Lillywhite have decided to toss focus and fluidity out the window in favor of riding on those aforementioned golden pipes of Cornell's. From the opening track of this 14 song showcase for Chris's vocal chops, the album lacks cohesion and direction. The blast of modern rock that is the opening No Such Thing sits next to the quirky, pop infused Poison Eye, with Cornall over singing accordingly on the latter track. And this is followed by the made for radio cut Arms Around Your Love and Black Crowes style southern rock of Safe And Sound. “I've never seen but I believe / In the promised land!.” Chris sings, out front of some true blue gospel horns. It's enough to make me want to go wash my sins in the dirty 'ol river of truth. Meh, maybe not.....
And that's just the first four songs. The next ten are no picnic to rummage through, either. Cornell seems very much a fish out of water on this album, traversing Robert Palmer style white boy funk on tracks such as She'll Never Be Your Man, and taking on an ill advised cover of Micheal Jackson's Billie Jean, turning the old dance hit into a slow, bombastic blues number. And even on softer cuts such as Scar On The Sky and the lovely roots rock inspired Finally Forever, Chris seems to not understand the meaning of the word subtlety.
Which is not a bad thing, necessarily. But a voice like Cornell's needs an outlet even Soundgarden and Audioslave never gave him, although more appropriate then what we find here. Chris has a size 14 voice, and on Carry On he's trying to stuff it into a size 10 shoe. It just doesn't fit. Nothing is wrong with it, but this collection of modern rock, ballads, and the occasional change up manages to miss the mark altogether and not showcase Cornell's talents, but rather make less of them. He sounds trapped in these songs, not part of them. And that disconnect is more then this album can overcome.
Carry On is not a bad album, nor is it a good one. Straight down the middle, playing all sides against one another, that is it's calling card. And all sides are designed to show that Chris Cornell is worthy of being placed among rocks great howlers. And while that is debatable, Chris's vocal work on Carry On is certainly nothing to be scoffed at, but nor is it any better then many other hard rock wailers that have come down the line. Maybe one day Cornell will find a band that can hold its own against his enormous pipes, but until then I suppose old Soundgarden albums will have to do. Chris Cornell, vocalist. Nice, but better luck next time.
|
| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
My how times change.....
Mixed results ensue....
Meh, maybe not.....
Digging: Superchunk - No Pocky For Kitty
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
uh oh 
Digging: Rancid - Let The Dominoes Fall | | |
Yeah, you know the rules.
We only let you do that once a review.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
its a thing with me. especially in the forums...i appreciate you pointing that out. i'll try to refrain from now on....
oops
| | |
chris cornell is still alive? fuck
Digging: A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head
| | |
Nah, Not really.
| | |
Nice job. I didn't really expect more than an average release from him. His voice isn't that great anymore.
| | |
Nice review. I liked "You Know My Name" from the 007 S.T. but that's all I've heard.
| | |
You Know My Name isn't really good at all.
Digging: Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind
| | |
My newspaper gave this is a pretty amusing review, but I liked this one more. The 007 song was hard to sit through, much like the movie itself.
Digging: Electric Wizard - Dopethrone
| | |
^Well that's just wrong. The movie was awesome.
| | |
But everytime you thought it was going to end it just trudged on.
Plus that poker scene....excitement.
| | |
I was a little riveted if you must know.
Plus Eva Green is very hot.This Message Edited On 06.12.07
| | |
I'm still probably going to check this out even though Cornell lost it years ago.
Digging: Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
| | |
I was hoping this would be another Euphoria Morning. My brother told me not to even bother listening to it.
Digging: Charles Mingus - Cornell 1964 with Eric Dolphy
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
It isn't terrible, but it is by no means another "Euphoria Morning."
| | |
damn, Damn, DAMN! Euphoria Morning was sooo good. Maybe the moral of the story is...don't move to france?
Digging: A Wilhelm Scream - A Wilhelm Scream
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Something close to or building on Euphoria Morning would have been ok. Some of these songs sound like Taylor Hicks should be singing them...or actually is :eek:. Chris sounds like an American Idol winner (or loser) on some of these tracks, showing his stuff.
Meh, songs are for the most part uninspired, performances of said songs solid. However none of it sticks, stands out, or is memorable. Shame....This Message Edited On 06.13.07
| | |
Good review John :thumb:
| | |
I didn't think his other album was supposed to be good
| | | |
|
|
Stumble
Digg
Twitter
Del.icio.us