Hey- Just recorded my first CD- have a listen at http://www.myspace.com/thomasw lesq. Would really ...
Hey- Just recorded my first CD- have a listen at http://www.myspace.com/thomasw lesq. Would really appreciate any comments. The lyrics for 'Every Beat' can be found in my Ciao reviews section. Thanks, Thom
Member since:10.09.2004
Reviews:35
Members who trust:25
Audioslave formed out of the ashes of two legendary rock bands- the vocalist of grunge merchants Soundgarden and the musicians of the politically charged Rage Against the Machine. The union raised high expectations throughout the music media and from fans of the bands that had long since disbanded. The trouble with many 'supergroups' is that all this hype tends to lead to eventual disappointment if the band in the spotlight don't actually produce. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case here. Audioslave's debut is not a bad album......it's just not a patch on any of the work of their former bands.
Chris Cornell's distinguished voice sounds coarse and forced somewhat throughout the album. Tom Morello's guitar parts are certainly distinctive yet never stray far from the tried and tested Rage formula which is disappointing from a guitarist who prides himself on experimentation. There are good songs on this album, and newcomers to the band will probably find a solid rock album here. It's just that it's so hard to be objective in the light of what has been done before.
Track-Listing:
1. Cochise -
First single of the album. A good choice- the guitar riff is immediate if slightly generic. A rousing chorus and pleasant mid-song break-down rescues some slightly raspy vocals. Lyrically thought provoking. 8 out of 10
2. Show Me How To Live - Third single of the album. The best chorus on the album- powerful, dynamic and anthemic. Yet verses are musically weak and simplistic. Intriguing lyrics- 'Nail in my hand from my creator'. 8 out of 10
3. Gasoline - Driving start. Kind of off-beat drumming adds interest to the intro. Largely uninspiring verse once again saved by passionate chorus featuring cool key change. Boring bridge. 7 out of 10
4. What You Are - What first sounds like a mid-paced mellower song soon turns into a screaming chorus of 'Now I'm Free'. It certainly wakes you up from your slumber yet doesn't actually sound all that nice. 6 out of 10
5. Like A Stone - Second single off album. Although attempting to be the band's 'chill-out' song, after a few listens it soon becomes tiresome and empty. A suprising choice for a single, sounds like a filler to me. Tom Morello's unique solo gives the song some credibility. 5 out of 10
6. Set It Off - The 'balls-out' rocker of the album. Straight-forward and effective if completely unoriginal. Chris Cornell sounds like he is being strangled. 7 out of 10
7. Shadow On The Sun - The second mellow offering of the album. Very inward-looking and introspective, down-beat in tune and lyrical content. Fantastically zany solo. 7 out of 10
8. I Am The Highway - Sounds remarkably like Cornell's solo material, yet not as good. Very slow and slightly dull. There is also a hint of cheesy country rock about the chorus....and that’s not good. 4 out of 10
9. Exploder - Funky bass riff and nice bit of bendy-note guitar action on the chorus. Annoying 'Batta-bat-dadat' vocal ending which just sounds plain silly. Finally a decent verse melody. 6 out of 10
10. Hypnotize - Very different sound- complex, quick drumming. Pretty fast paced. Electronic sounds and echoing vocals give the song an 80s sound. The oddity of the album. Certainly interesting. The solo sounds like a DJ scratching a record with a helicopter flying overhead. Yes....its weird. Cornell begs us not to 'keep our love to ourselves'; sorry Chris, on this form, I think we might. 5 out of 10
11. Bring Em Back Alive - Gentle guitar beginning builds to promising climax with big, fat, dirty riff. Unfortunately, the chorus consists of vocals that merely sing the guitar tune, which isn't clever. Interesting 'underwater gargle' effect on verse vocals. 5 out of 10
12. Light My Way - I like this! One of the strongest tracks on the album. Good loud/soft dynamics between verse and chorus and a huge guitar hook. The only song that truly shows off Cornell's vocal talent as he repeats the invitational chorus line- 'Won't you light my way?'. Stunning bridge. 8 out of 10
13. Getaway Car - Very, very slow. Good to chill out to but not much else. The song sounds so old-fashioned and scarily like that whole country-western style that I was banging on about earlier. To be honest, it just sounds like they couldn't be bothered here. 4 out of 10
14. The Last Remaining Light - Dreary, ear-bleeding, excruciatingly painful are all terms that could be used to describe the chorus here. Another slow-paced durge going nowhere. A terrible end to the album. 4 out of 10
In conclusion, there is nothing dreadfully wrong with this album. Its ok, its not too bad. Yet for these guys, ok is simply not good enough. The latter songs on the album are particularly uninspiring. Hopefully, given a bit more time for the band to gel, Audioslave will produce something special on their forthcoming second album; something to rival the glory days of the past. As previously mentioned, I would generally recommend the album to those who know little of either of the previous bands. To those who do however, I would check out Velvet Revolver if you want a 'supergroup' that justifies the hype.
I expected this album to be much better than it actually was, but I still liked it. ~Liz
Bitter-Sweet 09.11.2004 08:54
I just can't bring myself to buy this album, I know I would be thinking, hmm this isn't as good as Rage, I don't want to spoil Rage's music for myself by listening to this, sure that sounds loopy. Great review.
The debut of thundering supergroup Audioslave--featuring members of Rage Against the ... more
Machine post-Zack de la Rocha with ex-Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell--is as much curio as fascinating blend of visions. Cornell might be outnumbered, but his unmista...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The debut of thundering supergroup Audioslave--featuring members of Rage Against the ... more
Machine post-Zack de la Rocha with ex-Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell--is as much curio as fascinating blend of visions. Cornell might be outnumbered, but his unmista...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: A decent alternative to the now demised Soundgarden and Rage Against The Machine. Cornell's vocals Disadvantages: If your looking for a direct replacement for RATM or Soundgarden this isn't it
Andy.mack 28.11.2006 (28.11.2006)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Audioslave - Audioslave
Sep 15th, 2004
(Oct 2nd, 2004)
very helpful by (89%):
helpful by (11%):
![Greatest Hits Vol.1 (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Korn](http://imagesb.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/605/prod_small-5878605.jpg)
![Poison, The [ECD] - Bullet For My Valentine](http://imagesb.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/771/prod_small-6344771.jpg)
![Meteora [Digipak] [ECD] - Linkin Park](http://imagesb.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/small/745/prod_small-5332745.jpg)
