COREY TAYLOR – CMFT

The Backstory

Corey Taylor is the front man for two very different Rock bands. Taylor hit the music scene with the intense Heavy Metal act Slipknot. From 1998 though today, Slipknot has released six albums and was nominated for a Grammy Award 10 times, winning once. In 2000, Taylor reformed his earlier band Stone Sour to keep him busy between Slipknot commitments. Stone Sour was a more radio-friendly Modern Rock band that also released six albums before going on hiatus earlier this year. This month sees Corey Taylor stepping out on his own with his first solo album CMFT.

The Album

The beginning of “HWY 666” is a nod to Charlie Daniels with it’s echoed vocals and acoustic guitar picking. The track picks up the fuzz and intensity as it progresses. “Black Eyes Blue” is packed with clean melodies and a hell of a catchy chorus. “Samantha’s Gone” has a late ’80s Hair Metal vibe. You could easily picture this as a single from Poison or Faster Pussycat. “Meine Lux” is Taylor’s version of Punk Rock, but the chorus is quite annoying. “Silverfish” may have been inspired by an Alice In Chains listening session.

Jason Christopher’s deep bass lines dominate “Culture Head,” while Dustin Schoenhofer’s drum beats standout on “Everybody Dies on My Birthday.” The song’s chorus has a great hook and will probably lead to this track being released as a future single. “The Maria Fire” has sort of a Stray Cats strut to it. “Home” is a piano ballad that is reminiscent of Stone Sour’s “Bother,” but it’s not as good. Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie aren’t the only ones rapping on “CMFT Must Be Stopped.” Yes, Corey Taylor is rapping as well and he’s no Kid Rock. The song goes on for way too long. “European Tour Bus Bathroom Song” is a throwaway track. Completely useless except as an inside joke.

The Verdict

It’s not that CMFT is a bad album, it’s just not a memorable one. Corey Taylor shows that if you throw any Rock genre at him, he can perform it. Rap on the other hand is a different story. While CMFT is a mixed bag of styles, it is also a homogenized one. Each track appears to be written as a radio-friendly single. In addition, the album falls apart towards the end. This album could be put out by any number of Modern Rock radio bands and have the same result. You’ll dig some songs, but you won’t remember who put it out 5 years from now.

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Tracklist

1. HWY 666
2. Black Eyes Blue
3. Samantha’s Gone
4. Meine Lux
5. Halfway Down
6. Silverfish
7. Kansas
8. Culture HEad
9. Everybody Dies on My Birthday
10. The Maria Fire
11. Home
12. CMFT Must Be Stopped (feat. Tech N9ne & Kid Bookie)
13. European Tour Bus Bathroom Song

Corey Taylor (Backing Band)

Jason Christopher – Bass
Dustin Schoenhofer – Drums
Zach Throne – Gutar
Christian Martucci (Stone Sour) – Guitar