Chris Cornell: Carry On (2LP)

On "Carry On", Chris Cornell shone brighter than ever, leaving behind the watered-down sound of modern rock for something more accessible and far more interesting. "She'll Never Be Your Man" is a pleasantly confusing love story that proved indicative of Cornell's decision to always serve up something new. And then songs like "Finally Forever" and "Killing Birds" showcase the man's powerful vocal abilities against the laid-back guitar work that made Cornell's first band so popular. But "Carry On" is at its best when Cornell visibly felt the desire to continue as a hard rock artist. "Arms Around Your Love," the best piece of songwriting Cornell ever contributed to, is a pop-rock single that has to be everyone's favorite secret pleasure. The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite and includes a cover version of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean". Chris Cornell's second solo studio album is being released on vinyl for the first time. It includes the first ever vinyl edition of the two bonus tracks "Today" and "Roads We Choose" as well as an unreleased extended intro for "Billie Jean", the cover version of the iconic Michael Jackson song. The album also includes the title track "You Know My Name" from the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, remastered by Levi Seitz at Blackbelt Mastering.