Carry On
**1/2
Having a spectacular voice is great, but it doesn’t mean a whole lot without the musical accompaniment and songs to back it up; just ask any number of former American Idol contestants. Alt-rock superstar Chris Cornell has had a hell of a run of luck over his nearly two-decade career; as frontman for Soundgarden, Audioslave and even the one-off side project Temple of the Dog, he’s worked with some of the finest musicians and most distinctive guitar players in rock.
Now that Audioslave has disbanded, Cornell is on his own again, and his second solo album (and first since 1999’s Euphoria Morning) proves that he really needs those strong collaborators to bring out his full musical potential. Cornell’s voice is as strong as ever, but the songs on Carry On are almost universally bland and forgettable; they sound like every other generic rock band on the radio right now. Even the best tunes, the R&B-tinged “Safe and Sound” (complete with horn section) and the energetic “Your Soul Today,” can’t compare to Cornell’s past work.
Cornell’s the sole songwriter on every track except the dirge-like cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” (an interesting experiment that doesn’t quite work) and his God-awful Casino Royale theme, “You Know My Name” (co-written by the film’s composer). His songcraft instincts are mostly intact; you may find yourself humming one of these tunes a few days later without remembering what it was. But, then, that’s probably happened with Nickelback songs, too. - Josh Bell