Higher Truth

Higher Truth is the fourth studio album by American rock musician Chris Cornell, and the final album to be released during his lifetime and his final album of original material. It was released on September 18, 2015.^[2][3]

Higher Truth
Studio album by Chris Cornell
Released	September 18, 2015
Recorded	2014–2015
Genre	Rock, acoustic rock
Length	45:26
Label	UMe
Producer	Brendan O'Brien[1]
Chris Cornell chronology
Songbook (2011) Higher Truth (2015) Chris Cornell (2018)
Singles from Higher Truth
"Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart" Released: August 10, 2015

Recording

Cornell chose producer Brendan O'Brien as a collaborator to create a more intimate sound for the record.^[4] On recording drums for the album, Cornell has stated that "most of the songs with drums are either loops that I made electronically or that Brendan basically recorded just playing a little drum kit he had," Cornell says. "We just made loops, layered things and played some percussion stuff."^[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	68/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Consequence of Sound	C+[7]
Rolling Stone	[8]
Spin	5/10[9]

Upon its release, Higher Truth received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 68 based on 11 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".^[5] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said, "While Higher Truth never seems as self-consciously confessional as Euphoria Mourning, this mellow simplicity is an attribute: a relaxed Cornell creates a comforting mood piece that's enveloping in its warmth."^[6] Collin Brennan of Consequence of Sound stated, "Higher Truth ironically doesn't strive for anything higher. It stakes its claim in the rich soils of the middle ground, a place that values intimacy above innovation, quiet truths above the ones that scream. And it's all the better for it."^[7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Chris Cornell.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart"	3:54
2.	"Dead Wishes"	4:55
3.	"Worried Moon"	4:32
4.	"Before We Disappear"	3:51
5.	"Through the Window"	4:41
6.	"Josephine"	3:38
7.	"Murderer of Blue Skies"	3:42
8.	"Higher Truth"	5:06
9.	"Let Your Eyes Wander"	3:42
10.	"Only These Words"	3:29
11.	"Circling"	3:28
12.	"Our Time in the Universe"	4:19
Total length:		49:17

Deluxe edition bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Bend in the Road"	3:37
14.	"Wrong Side"	5:13
15.	"Misery Chain"	4:42
16.	"Our Time in the Universe" (Remix)	3:58
Total length:		66:47

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.^[10]

Musicians Chris Cornell – vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, percussion, programming Brendan O'Brien – guitar, bass, keyboards, hurdy-gurdy, drums, percussion, production, mixing Patrick Warren – piano Matt Chamberlain – drums Anne Marie Simpson – strings Production Billy Joe Bowers – engineering, mastering Kyle Stevens – engineering Tom Syrowski – engineering

Additional personnel Monique McGuffin – production management Jeff Fura – A&R Josh Graham – art direction Suspended in Light – art direction Liuba Shapiro – product management Jeff Lipsky – photography

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[11]	21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[12]	80
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[13]	49
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[14]	16
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[15]	77
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[16]	77
Irish Albums (IRMA)[17]	43
Italian Albums (FIMI)[18]	62
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[19]	13
Scottish Albums (OCC)[20]	26
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21]	26
UK Albums (OCC)[22]	37
US Billboard 200[23]	19
US Top Catalog Albums (Billboard)[24]	42
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[25]	4
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[26]	7