Click Click: Chris Cornell @ 9:30 Club
Can't say I've paid much attention to Chris Cornell since I got sick of seeing the video for "Black Hole Sun" on never-ending repeat on MTV in the late '90s. Audioslave had a few good tunes, but not enough to make me stop and take notice. So I was basically a blank slate heading into the 9:30 Club last night for Cornell's solo show. Sure, I had heard the (mostly negative) buzz about his new Timbaland-produced solo album, Scream, but I hadn't heard note one of the music, so for the first time in a long time, I went to a rock concert without any sort of expectations or idea as to what the night would bring. Would he play his older material? Would he have backup singers doing synchronized dance moves?
Cornell, to his credit, did not forsake his past at last night's show, even if the whole reason for the show was to showcase his present and future. In a live setting, the material from Scream had more of a rock sound due to his backing band, but it still stood out for mostly the wrong reasons. His genre-hopping career made the pacing of the set difficult. The R&B influenced "Ground Zero" and synth-heavy "Time" made for harsh transitions from hard rock classics like "Hunger Strike" and "Spoonman."
The highlight of the night was the short acoustic set in the latter half of the show. A stripped down version of "Fell On Black Days" not only brought on a huge crowd singalong, it also reminded that there is a songwriter of considerable merit buried underneath Cornell's monster vocals and all that extraneous production. "Seasons," Cornell's solo track from the Singles Soundtrack, followed and was an unexpected treat. As far as the Soundgarden material went, it was hit or miss. "Outshined," a song I had all but forgotten about, sounded gigantic and magnificent, while "Rusty Cage" was a murky and muddy sonic mess.
Ultimately Sunday's show highlighted Cornell's weaknesses instead of showcasing his strengths. The songs on Scream sound like Timbaland songs with Cornell vocals, not Cornell songs with Timbaland production. He deserves respect for not being content to simply rehash his past glories with his solo work, but it seems like he is unsure of what to do as a solo artist.