Chris Cornell: Ranking Every Album From Worst To Best

The ornate, Baroque pop stylings of lead-off single "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart" suggests that Chris Cornell has finally sunk into an easy confidence that lets him dive headlong into the warmer fringes of mainstream radio once again. 

Producer Brendan O'Brien appears to have been brought in for Cornell's newest venture, not to lend his expertise in making grunge records, or even to recapture the sound of later Audioslave albums, but rather to expand on his work with pop-rock artists such as The Fray and Train. And as bad as that may sound, don't worry, this collaboration is much more fruitful than the average Lifehouse album.

It's a subtle album, for sure, one that favors sparse melodies in favor of bombastic guitar riffs, but once again it's Cornell's voice to the rescue. He elevates pop-rock tunes that are so lightweight they may have otherwise been blown away by a slight breeze.

All in all, Higher Truth lacks a lot of the punch that even Cornell's first solo album, Euphoria Morning, packed. But the quieter songs grow on you after a few listens, and "Circling" is absolutely breathtaking no matter how many times you hear it.