Scream
by Chris Cornell
Metascore
42

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 19
  3. Negative: 6 out of 19
  1. The New York Times
    60
    The new environment rejuvenates Mr. Cornell for good and bad: he sounds shallower than he was before but pithier too.
  2. Urb
    60
    Scream may be the most compelling train wreck of an album in recent memory.
  3. Mojo
    60
    Scream has balls, Cornell vacating his comfort zone with admirable readiness. [Apr 2009, p.98]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. Billboard
    50
    Sometimes it's good bizarre. Other times it's bad bizarre.
  6. Spin
    50
    Produced with a heavy hand by Timbaland, the third solo album from ex-Soundgarden and Audioslave singer Chris Cornell is strangely appealing in its elaborately empty efficiency.
  7. Boston Globe
    50
    The resulting dynamic is two distinct flowers from the sound garden that produce an only occasionally sweet-smelling bouquet.
  8. The A.V. Club
    42
    The problem with Scream isn’t that Cornell is too much of an artist to go pop, it’s that the fit is so unbecoming.
  9. Blender
    40
    Their collaboration suggests a nice philosophical dissonance, but only in theory. In practice, Scream is nearly awful.
  10. The Guardian
    40
    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.
  11. New Musical Express (NME)
    40
    There are flickers of funky light on the lush old school soul of ‘Ground Zero’ and the Motown-esque ‘Other Side Of Town’, but for the most part it’s all depressingly castrated.

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Most Discussed Album of 2009
87
#87 Most Shared Album of 2009

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
4.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 151 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 63 out of 151
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 151
  3. Negative: 82 out of 151
  1. ST33L3RZ
    Oct 17, 2020
    10
    Chris Cornell's voice does work well with Timbaland's production. This album has aged well.
  2. vitordmendes
    Aug 25, 2019
    10
    If you can just analyze this album outside the perspective of a rock fan, you will love it. It's 2019 and sounds good even now, and I couldIf you can just analyze this album outside the perspective of a rock fan, you will love it. It's 2019 and sounds good even now, and I could say sounds better than when it was released.… Full Review »
  3. theSplund
    Dec 9, 2014
    8
    Nothing like his great first album, or his excellent Soundgarden or Temple of the Dog work, but this is soo much better than Carry On. AfterNothing like his great first album, or his excellent Soundgarden or Temple of the Dog work, but this is soo much better than Carry On. After hearing that this was a Timbaland album, and what with Carry On being rather uninspiring, I avoided buying Scream until last month - a good first impression and it continues to grow on me. Well worth it… Full Review »
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