Carry On, Chris Cornell, CD

On "Carry On", Chris Cornell (former Audioslave and Soundgarden frontman) shines brighter than ever by ditching the watered-down sound of modern rock and giving the nod to something a little more accessible, and a lot more interesting. "She'll Never Be Your Man" is a pleasantly confusing love-torn tale that proves to be indicative of Cornell's choice to pop things up throughout his latest effort. Then, songs like "Finally Forever" and "Killing Birds" showcase the man's powerful vocal ability in front of the lackadaisical guitar work that made Cornell's first band so popular. But "Carry On" is at it's absolute best when Cornell visibly sheds any aforementioned desire to continue as a hard-rock artist. "Arms Around Your Love", the best piece of songwriting Cornell has ever been a part of, is a pop-rock single that needs to be everybody's favorite guilty pleasure. This album was produced by Steve Lillywhite and includes a cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean."