CD Review
This review was originally written by Jose Bernardo for www.theweeklyriff.com between 2008 and 2010.
These were Jose’s first impressions of the songs and were not written after multiple spins.
Artist: Chris Cornell
Album: Scream (2009 Mosley/Interscope/Universal)
Tracks: 13 + 1
Artist website: http://www.chriscornell.com/
OVERVIEW
Chris Cornell is definitely one of the best voices in rock of all time! He made a name for himself as the frontman of Seatle grunge group Soundgarden in the 1990’s. He is the man who has penned some of the most memorable rock anthems of all time. What is he doing putting out an album of pop songs!?! Has he lost it?
I understand that Audioslave wasn’t perhaps as groudbreaking as Soundgarden was, but anyone expecting it to be should have known they weren’t going to be pleased. However, Audioslave’s music fit Cornell’s vocal style.
I feel that Scream was a labored effort on Cornell’s part. He’s a great singer, but this kind of material is not in his blood. That suspicion is only further confirmed by the long list of co-writers on this album. The songs aren’t even good or catchy! This is subpar material. We’re not asking for Cornell to get back together with his Soundgarden buddies to do a reunion, but we want him to put out a solid rock album. This was just the wrong kind of image reinvention.
The only defense I will offer Cornell is that these tracks might work a little better on stage. C’mon Mr. Cornell, please just stick to making music that requires live musicians in the studio to play drums, bass, and guitar around your powerful voice!
UPDATE 2016:
In the years since this album was released, Soundgarden reformed and put out a solid album “King Animal” (2013). They are supposedly working on a new album in 2016 with no release date rumours as of this update.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Two Drink Minimum and Never Far Away
PLAY BY PLAY
Track 1 – Part Of Me
This isn’t even a great pop song. This is the kind of material I’d expect out of a new teen pop starlet and not something from one of the most powerful voices in rock!
Track 2 – Time
This track is just as mediocre as the previous one.
Track 3 – Sweet Revenge
See previous track remarks.
Track 4 – Get Up
See track #2 remark.
Track 5 – Ground Zero
See track #2 remark.
Track 6 – Never Far Away
This has a pretty melody. I can see this working well in a live setting. Why this hasn’t been released as a single is beyond me.
Track 7 – Take Me Alive
This has pretty strong melodic themes. I just wish the song had been produced as a rock song and not a pop song with weak rock elements. What I mean by that is that the chorus and prechorus sections didn’t do that thing that really good rock songs do.
Track 8 – Long Gone
I’m gonna guess that this is as close to gospel music as Mr. Cornell is gonna get.
Track 9 – Scream
Here’s the title track. This has some very strong melodic content. We’re not crazy about the stuff around the melodies though.
Track 10 – Enemy
This is what I would expect to hear if I was listening to Madonna.
Track 11 – Other Side Of Town
This has some very pretty moments, but we’re still not being won over.
Track 12 – Climbing Up The Walls
I forget which hip/hop act I was listening to, but this kinda sounds like it. It’s catchy by being overly repetitive.
Track 13 – Watch Out
meh – this could have been on the Batman sound track – the very first one.
Track 14 – Two Drink Minimum (Hidden Track)
Wow! Why did I have to wait to get through all of the last 13 tracks to get to this track? This is the strongest track on the whole album! Mr. Cornell, more of this please. We would have gladly taken a whole album of this rather than the other stuff that was on this album. The vocals were just soulful. Awesome, awesome, awesome!