The right kindling is there - Chris Cornell's first-rate powerhouse voice and Tom Morello's unique, masterful guitarwork. So why does Audioslave never seem to catch fire? Like last year's "Out of Exile" (Interscope), the band's latest "Revelations" (Epic) is filled with better-than-average rock songs that sound good enough for casual listening, but rarely rise to the level of "Like a Stone," let alone Cornell's Soundgarden or Rage Against the Machine. "Original Fire," the first single, breaks away from the usual Audioslave sound, starting like a '60s rock rave-up and settling into a mix of Badfinger and Cream. "Jewel of the Summertime" is another standout, with a bit of Rage Against the Machine swaggering groove and some guitar heroics from Morello matching up nicely with Cornell's bluesy yowl. Unfortunately, the rest of "Revelations" doesn't unveil much more, smothering the few sparks of creativity and keeping the fire from starting once again.
("Revelations," in stores today; grade: B-)
Listen to "Revelations" here