Chris Cornell, 'Scream' (Interscope/Mosley)
Flailing grunge icon submits to pop mastermind's odd whims.
By David Marchese 03.08.09 10:12 AM
Produced with a heavy hand by Timbaland, the third solo album from ex-Soundgarden and Audioslave singer Chris Cornell is strangely appealing in its elaborately empty efficiency. Gleaming ballads like "Long Gone" and the title track wring mild drama from a combination of Cornell's husky crooning and stacks of portentous Phil Collins–derived synths. As Akon knockoffs go, some of this stuff isn't bad, but the fast numbers ("Time," "Get Up"), with Cornell's angsty rock-god vocals ricocheting off Timbo's skittering beats, are fresher and more enjoyable, at least in a monkey-riding-a-tricycle sort of way.
I'm really disappointed with this album. I was open to the idea of this collaboration but I think it could have had better results. I hope this was just a trial/phase and that he doesn't do this again. He might as well done a duet with Britney Spears.
I know that musical progression can be important to an artist, and Chris Cornell probably believes that too. But personally i believe in this instance this change in style and genre was a mistake for Chris Cornell and that, while it is an interesting concept, an artist like Chris going into this genre of music will not produce good results.
I screamed when I heard Cornell's "Scream" - not out of pure joy and ecstacy but out of horror that Cornell has sold out on his rock roots and switched over to the pop world. He's singing the same genre as JLo, Britney and Timberlake. Totally shattered my image of him as a rock grunge icon, simply shocking. I hope this is an experimental phase, and not simply because he's changing genre because that is where the money trail is.
Post new comment