With
Down on the Upside, it was clear that
Soundgarden, while still strong, was no longer the ideal vehicle for its frontman
Chris Cornell. He sounded much more comfortable on
Superunknown, the first
Soundgarden album that broke free from the
Sab-
Zep restraints, allowing him to indulge in psychedelia. That, along with his stellar contribution to the
Singles soundtrack, suggested that
Cornell had aspirations of being a singer/songwriter, so it's not a surprise at all that he decided to tie those two loose ends together to provide the foundation for his solo debut album,
Euphoria Morning. Those expecting a slab of metal from
Euphoria Morning will be disappointed, but it's hard to feel sorry for them, since they were evidently not really listening to the last few
Soundgarden records. There's no question that it's a rock album, but it's a shaded, textured rock album, lacking the grinding sludge and furious rock that were his previous band's stock-in-trade, yet it's undeniably of a piece with
Superunknown. Thankfully,
Euphoria Morning doesn't have the shiny arena rock gloss that
Michael Beinhorn gave
Soundgarden's masterpiece. True, it is a clean, big production, but it's organic, which means that it doesn't sound unnatural when
Cornell dives into blues ("When I'm Down") or when he suggests
Radiohead with the beginning of "Preaching the End of the World." That kind of flexibility is what was missing from
Down on the Upside, and it keeps
Euphoria Morning fascinating, since it's unclear what's coming next, even if it all sounds of a piece. It's a mature album without being overly somber. It could be argued that it sounds a little too mature and possibly a little self-conscious, but that just emphasizes the real craft behind
Euphoria Morning.
Cornell knew exactly where he wanted to go as a solo artist, and he's achieved it. If it doesn't satisfy some dyed-in-the-wool
Soundgarden fans, that's too bad, since it will undoubtedly win the affections of open-minded listeners who haven't before considered him a serious songwriter or musician. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine