Nearly a year-and-a-half after Chris Cornell's death, a career-spanning retrospective collection captured the breadth of his varied career as a solo artist and vocalist of Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog. That massive vinyl box set was pared down into a tight greatest hits simply titled Chris Cornell. Arranged in chronological order as a highlight reel of his iconic career, this self-titled compilation offers a bittersweet reminder of just how much Cornell accomplished in roughly 30 years on the scene, from a '90s Seattle grunge icon to a fearless late-era singer/songwriter. Front-loaded with his mainstream alt-rock touchstones, Chris Cornell starts close to the beginning with "Loud Love" from Soundgarden's 1989 sophomore effort, Louder Than Love. While his signature vocal delivery was still in its nascent stage, hints of his inimitable howl can be heard percolating beneath the towering, metal-influenced attack of his bandmates. Yet once "Outshined" (from 1991's Badmotorfinger) kicks in, the power of Cornell's growls and wails are properly cemented. From here, it's a play-by-play of all of his major eras. Temple of the Dog's singular 1991 hit, "Hunger Strike," is paired with a soaring rendition of that band's "Call Me a Dog," which was recorded in 2011 for Cornell's live album, Songbook. Respectfully, the collection doesn't lean too much upon his time with Soundgarden: aside from 1994's Grammy-winning classic "Black Hole Sun" and 2012's swan song "Been Away Too Long," debut Ultramega OK and 1996's platinum-certified Down on the Upside are ignored. A pair of Audioslave's early-2000s alternative chart-toppers -- which have aged well in retrospect -- also appear, but the collection mostly sticks to his solo work. From his first solo song ("Seasons" from 1992's Singles soundtrack) to his very last recordings, these offerings are the true attractions on Chris Cornell. Additional soundtrack selections include his 2006 Bond theme, "You Know My Name," and the Grammy-nominated 2017 single from the film of the same name, "The Promise." Each of his albums is granted at least one inclusion, even 2009's oft-misunderstood collaboration with Timbaland, Scream, whose "Long Gone" is featured here as a "rock version" stripped of the hip-hop producer's signature sound. In addition to that deep cut, other highlights include a searing cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" (from 2007's Carry On); the folksy plucking of "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart" (from his fourth and final solo album, 2015's Higher Truth); and a heartbreaking acoustic cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U," which delivers the biggest gut punch on the album. The grand finale, previously unreleased song "When Bad Does Good," is a mournful dirge wherein Cornell sings with a weary rasp, "Standing beside an open grave/Your fate decided, your life erased." It's an all-too-real end to the collection, both cathartic for mourners and an unfair taunt to those still processing this heavy loss. Chris Cornell is a reverential capstone that charts the tortured artist's highs and lows, providing an ideal first step for anyone wishing to dive deeper into the impressive catalog of one of rock's loudest and most emotive voices.© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

As it turns out, it's rather telling that not far into their career, Placebo made a memorable appearance in Todd Haynes' 1998 David Bowie roman a clef/glam rock homage Velvet Goldmine as a sinewy band clearly invented as a stand-in for T. Rex. In the years since, the members have shown little interest in branching out into broader areas of pop, and have instead focused largely on the passionate goth niche they originally carved for themselves, relishing Marc Bolan-esque cult status rather than pursuing radio-friendly superstardom. And indeed, this single-mindedness has rewarded the band with a devoted fan base -- one that went so far as to start a viral campaign to celebrate lead singer/songwriter Brian Molko's 40th birthday in 2012. Thus, it should come as no surprise that Placebo's seventh studio album, 2013's Loud Like Love, will certainly appeal to the band's longtime fans more than to casual listeners. That being said, the release is among the group's most accessible material, even if their tendency toward goth romance and arch fantasy are still very much intact. Produced by Adam Noble, who has worked with a variety of artists including Haley Westenra, the Guillemots, and Paul McCartney, Loud Like Love has a sonic warmth that helps buoy Placebo's often melancholy songs. Along with the warmer production, there is a maturity and long-form dramatic tension to many of the songs on Loud Like Love. To these ends, we get the jangly, R.E.M.-sounding title track, the anthemic moodiness of "Too Many Friends," and the slow-burn power ballad "Hold on to Me." Many of these songs play like less-alienated, if no less paranoid, OK Computer-era Radiohead cuts. However, the songs here are still laden with Molko's high-pitched vocals, which he characteristically uses to play the eternally angst-ridden and alienated teenager -- something the band's fans will surely appreciate.© Matt Collar /TiVo

Described by the band alternately as "a fresh new perspective" and "the beginning of a new era of Pea world domination" and "what is actually happening in the world right now," The Beginning inevitably follows The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies), which boasted the number one single in America -- either "Boom Boom Pow" or "I Gotta Feeling" -- during fully half of 2009, including every single summer day (and then some). Although the lead single here prominently samples an '80s touchstone, and on the cover the Peas are displayed as pixelated preteens, Nintendo fashion, The Beginning isn’t a nostalgia trip. Barring a Slick Rick or Chic sample here and a Mr. Roboto reference there (plus buckets of hi-res synth driving the productions), nothing else directly evokes the '80s. As on their last two LPs, it's heavily reliant on nightclub sloganeering and will.i.am’s purposefully (?) lame throwback rapping, alongside Auto-Tune harmonies and waves of synth. David Guetta appears on only one track, but his production job for 2009's "I Gotta Feeling" casts a long shadow on this record of don’t-stop-the-party jams and half-baked club-life anthems. It leads off with a pumping first single, "The Time (Dirty Bit)," oddly built off "(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life," the inescapably treacly duet by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes from 1987's Dirty Dancing. The album was announced in July 2010 and released four months later, but it still sounds as though it was rush-recorded and rush-released, the results of a string of late-nighters by will.i.am and co-producer DJ Ammo. (Perhaps their latest date with destiny, aka the halftime show of Super Bowl XLV, had something to do with it.) There are plentiful will.i.am vocals and comparatively few features for Fergie and the others, and the songs don't burrow into your head, earworm-style, like "My Humps" or "Boom Boom Pow." Still, there are scattered moments of respectability, including that lone David Guetta production, "The Best One Yet (The Boy)," and "Don't Stop the Party."© John Bush /TiVo

Described by the band alternately as "a fresh new perspective" and "the beginning of a new era of Pea world domination" and "what is actually happening in the world right now," The Beginning inevitably follows The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies), which boasted the number one single in America -- either "Boom Boom Pow" or "I Gotta Feeling" -- during fully half of 2009, including every single summer day (and then some). Although the lead single here prominently samples an '80s touchstone, and on the cover the Peas are displayed as pixelated preteens, Nintendo fashion, The Beginning isn’t a nostalgia trip. Barring a Slick Rick or Chic sample here and a Mr. Roboto reference there (plus buckets of hi-res synth driving the productions), nothing else directly evokes the '80s. As on their last two LPs, it's heavily reliant on nightclub sloganeering and will.i.am’s purposefully (?) lame throwback rapping, alongside Auto-Tune harmonies and waves of synth. David Guetta appears on only one track, but his production job for 2009's "I Gotta Feeling" casts a long shadow on this record of don’t-stop-the-party jams and half-baked club-life anthems. It leads off with a pumping first single, "The Time (Dirty Bit)," oddly built off "(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life," the inescapably treacly duet by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes from 1987's Dirty Dancing. The album was announced in July 2010 and released four months later, but it still sounds as though it was rush-recorded and rush-released, the results of a string of late-nighters by will.i.am and co-producer DJ Ammo. (Perhaps their latest date with destiny, aka the halftime show of Super Bowl XLV, had something to do with it.) There are plentiful will.i.am vocals and comparatively few features for Fergie and the others, and the songs don't burrow into your head, earworm-style, like "My Humps" or "Boom Boom Pow." Still, there are scattered moments of respectability, including that lone David Guetta production, "The Best One Yet (The Boy)," and "Don't Stop the Party."© John Bush /TiVo

If there’s one Kiss album that deserves to celebrate its birthday with a bang, it’s definitely Creatures of the Night. Much heavier than the majority of the band’s discography, this opus has become a fan favourite over the years, and it’s no wonder: great tracks like ‘Rock and Roll Hell’ and ‘War Machine’, huge riffs, unparalleled heavy drums… What’s not to love? The 2022 remastering on the first CD in this box set is the perfect tribute to the nine songs on the original album, and each track is a masterpiece in its own right.By the second and third CDs, the birthday celebrations have come to an end… At this point, it feels more like Christmas. Listeners are gifted 34 recordings, often in the form of demos, and mostly unreleased. You’ll find the incredible ‘Feel Like Heaven’ sung by Gene Simmons, a fantastic bass and drum version of the rhythmic ‘Tell It to a Fool’, instrumental versions that are destined to liven up any karaoke night, an unreleased version of ‘Not for the Innocent’ (where Simmons and Paul Stanley share the vocals), as well as alternative takes on various tracks from the album. It’s a real treat for collectors and avid fans alike. It’s also a good opportunity to mourn the loss of the amazing Eric Carr–undoubtedly the best Kiss drummer.CDs 4 and 5 include live tracks recorded across several American cities during the Creatures of the Night tour. There’s an amusing little oddity tucked away in there too: the sound effects the band used on tour (wind, flames, sirens etc.). This isn’t really necessary, of course, but it’s definitely an interesting little snippet of music history. This anniversary edition is a real feast that will see you happily dive right back into this incredible album (which is on par with their 1992 release, Revenge). © Charlélie Arnaud/Qobuz

Download not available

It's easy to call Shannon Curfman the female equivalent of such hot-shot guitar-slingers as Johnny Lang, especially since Lang not only appears on her debut Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions, he co-wrote a few songs with her as well. And it is true that Curfman does play modern blues-rock that recalls Lang's, but it's not a direct copy, it's simply informed by the same influences. After all, Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions makes it clear that Curfman has her own voice, one that's a little bolder and gutsier than Lang's. Throughout the record, her singing is impassioned and playing is firey. She does take the occasional stumble, but that's usually because the material is a little weak or undistinguished. That doesn't happen too often, though, and even when it does, it's not enough to make Loud Guitars anything less than a top-notch debut. [Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions was initially released as an independent album. It was re-released by Arista in September 1999 with a different cover and mix, along with some new songs.]© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Download not available