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Rating:
First of all, I reiterate my respect for Chris Cornell and what he represented, even though the star rating might suggest that this review is not entirely positive. An extraordinary singer, charismatic frontman, and highly gifted composer, during his years with Soundgarden, he was the driving force behind masterpieces like "Louder Than Love" and "Superunknown." Not to mention his eclecticism: think of the fact that he was also the leader of the spontaneous and legendary supergroup Temple Of The Dog (with him the trusty Matt Cameron and three-fifths of the then-emerging Pearl Jam), as well as the principal author of the excellent self-titled album. Thanks to his versatile and prolific talent, he rightly became an icon of American rock over the past twenty years. But unfortunately, with time, creativity runs out, and he is no exception to the rule. On the other hand, the initial symptoms of his artistic decline were already evident in "Down On The Upside" (1996), the last and modest episode of the Soundgarden saga. The confirmation of this decline arrives promptly with his solo debut, "Euphoria Morning," released in 1999.
The opener "Can't Change Me", a catchy single but certainly not outstanding, leaves no doubt: Chris has abandoned the lush and murky hard rock textures that characterized the works of the band from which he hails. You might say, "What's wrong with that?" Nothing, I say. After all, it's understandable that after many years of an esteemed career, an artist feels the need to change, to explore new horizons... So why be so harsh? Simple: because the results do not measure up. Except for "Preaching The End Of The World", an unplugged ballad that is a bit tearful but ultimately appreciable, the prized pieces are those most tied to Cornell's past: a "Flutter Girl" that was not included in "Superunknown" and whose roots are clearly recognizable, despite an arrangement more suited to the subdued and intimate tones of the album, and the absolutely splendid "Follow My Way", a powerful midtempo halfway between the third LP of the Zeppelin and robust rock with the essence of Sound Garden. A bit paradoxically, the credits for these last two tracks include friends and colleagues Natasha Shneider (author of "Pillow Of Your Bones", another noteworthy piece) and Alain Johannes, who also participate in the album's production: it's as if they mediate between the old Chris, the one of glory and fame, and the new one, too hasty in wanting to prove to the whole world that he can walk on his own. And indeed, elsewhere in the work, the falls are frequent.
As the main source of inspiration, Jeff Buckley has often been cited, a personal friend of the author, moreover, honored in the album (the song dedicated to him is "Wave Goodbye", a torpid funk where it's almost like hearing narcoleptic Red Hot Chili Peppers). Indeed, it seems that his spirit hovers over certain rarefied and airy sounds ("Steel Rain" is an example of this), but what the solo Chris Cornell lacks compared to his reference is class and credibility. Jeff Buckley knew how to enchant, move, and thrill, while Our Artist does not convince and often bores. Elsewhere, he unsuccessfully attempts to revive the ancient glories of the Temple Of The Dog, especially in "When I'm Down" and "Mission": the first is an exhausting soul-blues lament that crudely imitates precious ballads like "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Call Me A Dog", the second is a pale and brief imitation of "Reach Down", for which, however, joint responsibility applies, since it was conceived together with his two collaborators.
In a semi-songwriter context, Cornell seems to have repeated the formula of "Down On The Upside": a handful of commendable songs, for the rest, convoluted and uninspired writing. A bit disappointing, for someone like him. That's why I opt for such a low rating, although the album honestly deserves at least half a star more. Mine is more of a judgment on the artist, who, as already mentioned, is not yet ready to venture into a solo career. It was legitimate for him to try, and it is equally legitimate for listeners to judge. And my opinion is that this Chris Cornell is decidedly subpar.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
04 Follow My Way (05:10)
Little one don't be a fool, I'm a wreck when I look mighty
In euphoria I'm bruised, in confusion next I'm lightning
In complacence I am small, through oblivion I charge
So follow my way
When I'm not leading anyone
Open and frayed
When you can see that I'm unsure
Out on my way I'm only pure when I get lost
And you're only needing, when you're finding that I'm not
You're just looking for a boy, bathed in infrared and sunlight
I'm all polish and reward, when I'm confident I'm hopeless
Just like everybody else, right before they fall apart
So follow my way
When I am falling from your heart
When I'm the pain
Fever and sweet relief in one
Out on my way
Though I'm not worthy of your trust, follow me down into a swan dive
All eyes closed tightly
Lowly, slowly now I know I like where you go when you're gone
Warm your hands inside my veins, I might be contagious
Through oblivion I charge
Follow my way
When I'm useless to your cause
When I derail
Calm in the patience of remorse
Out on my way
Out on my empty open nerves
When all you know
Is that I don't know where we are
When all you know
Is that I don't know
Follow my way
06 Mission (04:05)
Pulled through you and drowning in your swirl
Circling unfolding in your will
I'm going to glide on the winds of your breathing
And alight on your guarded heart
I'm gonna tear all our temples down
I'm on a mission now
Smouldering down inside your mood
Slithering and fanning in your eyes
I'm going to drive through your crying and sleep in your hair
Rise from your ashes and kneel in your prayers
Tear all your temples down
I'm on a mission now
And I have nothing, but then the have is not as good as the want
I'm going to glide on the winds of your breathing
Writhe in your calm and provide your release
Weave into your wanting and needing
And reside in the heart of your strongest beliefs
I'm gonna teat all our temples down
I'm on a mission now
And I have nothing, but then the have is not as good as the want
08 Moonchild (04:02)
Open your arms to the lonely shine
Lonesome as gold in a poor man's smile
See how the moon is full, follow the push and pull
Follow the ebb and flow in the breathing tide
Come on moonchild you're so far away tonight
The door is falling open and we're flying wild
Cat on the road, down in the living night
See how the black dog grins in the diamond light
We're dreaming and we're real, we're broken and we're healed
Give in to what you feel over what you see
Come on moonchild, you're so far away tonight
The door is falling open and we're flying wild
Come on moon flower, you're so far away from now
You could bloom forever in the hour
And when if is only yes and no, and now becomes too soon
I know you'll be alright if you only come away to the moon
In the blue shine
Come on moonchild you're so far away tonight
The door is falling open and we're flying wild
Come on moon flower you're so far away from now
You could bloom forever in the hour
09 Sweet Euphoria (03:08)
Sweet Euphoria mine is the heart you own
You lost the grace of the hands that harmed you
In the daze of a thousand yawns
Lost my love, as it is I'm truly gone
In your morning I will sleep
Fire on an open palm
Death for Jesus and plastic armies
Wouldn't bring me back again
Sweet as ether eyes I'm blind to them
And in your aching hour
Time wilts like flowers
Sleeping on land-mine pillows
Tired angels save my love for the lasting one
Sweet Euphoria mine is the heart you stole
Touched and broken are the things you love
Using stars to light your candles
Warms my face but I can't remember yours
Gone are your dandelions falling like mine
Falling like daydream mangos
Diving swallows
Save my love,
Save my love,
Save my love for the lasting one
Sweet euphoria
13 Sunshower (05:52)
Dark as roses, and fine as sand
I feel your healing and your sting again
I hear you laughing and my soul is saved
On forgotten graves you cry
Crawl like ivy up my spine
Through my nerves and into my eyes
Cuts like anguish or
Recollections of better days gone by
But it's alright
When you're all in pain
And you feel the rain come down
Oh, it's alright
When you find your way
Then you see it disappear
Oh, it's alright
Though your garden's grey
I know all your graces
Someday will flower
In a sweet sunshower
In a sweet sunshower
Eyes like oceans so far away
A feather trail to a better way
Worried mornings turn into days
Then into worried nights
But it's alright
When you're all in pain
And you feel the rain come down
Oh, it's alright
When you find your way
Then you see it disappear
It's alright
Though your garden's grey
I know all your graces
Someday will flower
Sweet sunshower
Oh, in a sweet sunshower
Oh, in a sweet sunshower
In a sweet, sweet, sweet sunshower
Oh, oh
I know all your graces
Someday will flower
In a sweet
In a sweet sunshower
It's alright
All you´ll be you are today, are today
It's alright
All you'll be you are today, are today
Are today
Are today
Are today
Are today
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Other reviews
By VxS
Chris Cornell’s great voice and above-average interpretative ability was something we already knew.
This guy knows his stuff... In this album, the not-so-old Chris masterfully mixes his ever-present rock influences and passions.
