We Say :- Chris Cornell needs little introduction. Whether you like his voice or not, you have to respect him. With a career spanning over twenty years, encompassing styles from grunge/alt. rock to dance-pop, Cornell seems to be a man who isn’t fazed by trends, genres, sub-genres or any of that nonsense. At least that’s the impression he gives us.
As the artist on the album title suggests, this is a Chris Cornell record and not a Soundgarden offering. For those annoyed by this fact, I would like to point out that this is not the vocalists first solo project. It strikes me as ignorant to assume that an artist can’t – or rather shouldn’t – release a solo album whilst being part of a band where there are huge expectations for an impending release. With that out of the way let’s get on with the review;
As a long time fan, I was a little worried giving this a first listen. I wanted it to be great, but I also remember how I felt when listening to Scream. Appreciative that one man in such a creative business needs to spread his wings and experiment, I was disappointed with what seemingly felt like a lack of Cornell’s influence. I also held concerns for his vocal ability. Would the years of damage from cigarettes and the rock and roll lifestyle be evident with a lesser quality vocal?
I needn’t have worried at all.
Songbook is Chris Cornell in his purest form yet. It’s a very raw and simplistic live album, which relies solely on one acoustic guitar and a voice. And what an amazingly powerful voice that is. There is little room for mistake with so few instruments. Thankfully, Cornell doesn’t seem to put a foot wrong throughout the entire album.
Recorded entirely on what was dubbed ‘The Songbook Tour’ in April of this year, the 16-track album showcases every element of Cornell’s talent, from his now legendary vocal range, to his song writing ability. What is harder to make note of is the powerful and atmospheric mood his music creates. Songbook is calming, captivating and an outstanding showcase for music in general.
Fans of previous work will already be familiar with many of the songs on the album. However the opener, As Hope and Promise Fade, is a brand new song which immediately throws you head first into Cornell’s vocal acrobatics! If there ever was a song to make the most out of his range, this is it. The sound is completely stripped down, the lyrics are enchanting and his voice really does send a tingle up your spine. Scar on the sky (originally on Cornell’s second solo record, Carry On) breeds familiarity into the record; as does Temple of the Dog classic, Call me a Dog.
Ground Zero interests me. As I said, I wasn’t a fan of Scream… so how would an urban pop record translate acoustically? Stripped down this song is magnificent. The lyrics and melody seem stronger without the addition of the electronic samples. I, for one, would be happy to hear Scream entirely reproduced because underneath the dance beats I think it could be a gem of a record.
Cant Change Me, taken from 1999’s Euphoria Morning is introduced as a song the vocalist wrote after trying to change, then realizing fuck it! This is who he is.. Deal with it! The crowd applauds in agreement. It’s nice to hear these snippets of Cornell’s crowd interaction, which seems as engaging as his music.
Audioslave’s I Am the Highway is another reminder of a career that has been nothing short of amazing. That is followed by Thank You. A Led Zeppelin classic which treats the original with respect, but which the vocalist makes his own. The same can be said for the second cover on this album, Imagine by John Lennon which features later on.
We are also treated to a song that was written for legendary Country artist, Johnny Cash. Unfortunately Cash died before this was ever recorded, but Cleaning My Gun makes its recorded debut appearance here with unrivaled soft beauty.
Renditions of Audioslave (Like a Stone, Wide Awake, Doesn’t Remind Me), Soundgarden (Fell on Black Days, Black Hole Sun), Temple of the Dog (All Night Thing) lead us to the last song on the album, The Keeper.
The final song on the album is The Keeper, an original song written for the movie Machine Gun Preacher. However as this is a studio-recorded track I feel it’s a little out of place here on a live acoustic album. That said, it is a beautiful song and as always is nice to hear something completely new from Cornell.
What you get with Songbook is an anthology of one mans career in music. And what a remarkable career that has been – Through fronting two Grammy Award winning bands, One super group in Temple of the Dog, as well as his own solo career, of which this is his fourth recorded release.
Still all those songs sit very well next to each other, proving that Chris Cornell has unparalleled and timeless song writing ability. Vocally, he remains one of the most emotionally fueled, soulful voices in music today. His ability to control his voice as an instrument is inspirational, knowing when to soar into falsetto, and when to relax and let the lyrical content come through. His tone, pitch, technique and phrasing are all flawless on this release. This album is already one of my favourites. Well done, Mr. Cornell. Here’s to the next twenty years!
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