CD Review: Chris Cornell's Carry On

Chris Cornell may have never become the rock God some predicted, but to assert him as anything short of one of the great American rock vocalists of our time is sacrilege. Equipped with the similar larger than life range of David Lee Roth, accompanied with the same embittered soul of Eddie Vedder, Cornell always finds a way to carry on, tackling music the best way he knows how--his way.

Some are writing off Carry On, the Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman’s second solo effort since 1999’s sexily titled Euphoria Morning, as a misfire of rock, fused with blues, fused with soul. While this may not be an album of jaw-dropping brilliance, it’s a positive step for an artist who has a lot to say and invites us along for the ride as he searches for his best way of saying it.

The curtain opens with “No Such Thing,” a track that feels as though it could have appeared on an Audioslave record. Its heavy riffs and blazing vocals are reminiscent of “Show Me How To Live,” and it exists here as the lone rock heavy melody.

“Poison Eye” doesn’t sound so catchy on the first listen, until you find yourself humming it minutes later. This could very well mean the album should be listened to more than once. Patience is always the key, folks.

Cornell nuzzles us into his spiritual side, a side he shows on a few of these songs, on “Safe And Sound”: “Think of a time when a morning will come and you will wake up without the feeling half the world has gone insane/I’ve never seen but I believe in a promised land.” This is the best track on the album, a true testament of his lyrical and vocal graces.

Cornell’s spiritual ponderings continue in impeccable fashion with “You Know My Name,” an affronted reflection on murder. “If you take a life/Do you know what you’ll give?/Odds are you won’t like what it is/I’ve seen angels fall from blinding heights/but you yourself are nothing so divine/Just next in line.”

Not to be outdone, “Silence The Voices” adds a sharp, raw edge to the ever persisting theme: “Where are the songs from the sane minds?/And where are the words from the sound mouths?/I can’t understand how they silence the voices.” This certifies Carry On as a relevant album of rock and soul caliber.

Carry On does, however, offer a minor assortment of filler songs, such as the quirky “She’ll Never Be Your Man” (in love with a tranny?), “Disappearing Act,” “Finally Forever” and “Scar On The Sky.” But the missteps can be forgiven due to the majority of correct steps taken.

Apart from future reunions with Soundgarden and Audioslave, all that can be requested of Cornell is that for his next solo piece, he should try and refine it into a more steadfast, solid ensemble of tunes. His voice has always been more suited for pure rock anyway, yet his propensity toward the soulful is welcome. Carry On, while not a perfect release, further establishes him as a man of unique talent and fury.

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