Chris Cornell: No One Sings Like You Anymore (2020)
Chris Cornell will be remembered among the great singers in rock and roll. His 2017 passing happened far too soon and is still so hard to believe for so many, including me. I only had the privilege of seeing Chris once in concert. It wasn't with Soundgarden or Audioslave. It was a solo show in Sioux City, Iowa back in 2016 when he performed classics from all of his bands and his solo career, including one cover that ended up on this album. I'm certain this won't be the last thing released from the Cornell estate, but if it is, I think it's a fitting and appropriate final chapter to Chris' 30 year career.
5 Highlights:
Jump Into the Fire: Harry Nilsson was never really my cup of tea, but I always thought this was a pretty good song. Chris Cornell does a good job of bringing it up to date.
Patience: Cornell's version, in my opinion, sounds so much better than the original Guns N' Roses version, so for that, I give it a highlight. Still, I think I've heard this song too much in my life.
Nothing Compares to You: Unlike Patience, I'm not prepared to say that Chris' version of this classic sounds better than the Sinead O'Connor version, but it is really good.
Showdown: This applies to all the tracks on this album but I'll include it here. My favorite covers are the ones that keep the feel and magic of the original, but put the new artist's signature on it, as opposed to completely reworking and changing what made the original great. Cornell does that on this album, and particularly here. This is a really good, bluesy, soulful cover of this ELO classic.
Stay With Me Baby: This cover of a classic 1960s soul song is a beautiful and emotional way to close out this record. Chris' vocals are so powerful and heartfelt in this one.