Chris Cornell: Scream

The controversy surrounding Chris Cornell's decision to collaborate with uber-producer Timbaland has set the rock world's teeth on edge. But what's really shocking is how lazy, bland and humourless Cornell's third solo album is. Timbaland, who has sprinkled his hip-hop fairy dust on weaker voices, rinses away Cornell's inherent dirt and power, and compresses the godfather of grunge until he squawks. Part of Me is old-fashioned and repetitive; tired synths and strings wash over the uninspiring Time and Ground Zero. Guitars are all too rare, and when they do emerge, they're far too polite to fight against Timbaland's box of neo-soul tricks and arbitrary rhythms. Cornell wrestles back control with Enemy and the cosy pop of Other Side of Town. Never Far Away, meanwhile, ironically recalls Aerosmith's Dream On, sampled so succinctly on Eminem's Sing for the Moment, where hip-hop and rock nourished each other. Here, they both starve.