Corey Taylor – “CMFT” Album Review

Image courtesy of Roadrunner Records

What do you do when you are the front man and lyricist of not one, but two Grammy nominated and award winning hard rock bands? If you are Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour fame, you take advantage of a Covid-19 enforced industry lockdown and dive into the studio; then pour your heart out into your very first solo album titled CMFT (a nod to his nickname “Corey Mother F*cking Taylor”) on Roadrunner/Elektra Records. Without having to collaborate with the band mates of his two mega-groups, Corey has given the world a 45 minute, 13 track, unabashed, unadulterated, 100% pure Corey Taylor rock ‘n roll experience.

If you want to put together a ripping great rock album, there is no better way than to kick things off with a rocking, rollicking , roadhouse kind of song peppered with some Johnny Cash undertones, and that is exactly what “HWY 666” is. With boot stomping beats, and killer guitar riffs, this song lets you know that this isn’t the angst ridden and angry Corey Taylor of Slipknot or Stone Sour. He is here to have a great time, and with this level of enthusiasm you have no choice but to go along for the ride.

“Black Eyes Blue”, the first single, may be the most accessible song Corey Taylor has ever written. It is a completely engaging song that is not only radio ready, but it is arena ready. It’s the perfect song to sing along with, or to your girlfriend when you are driving to one of his shows. While this is one of the best songs on the album, there are plenty of other gems that are almost its equal. “Samantha’s Gone” and “Kansas” are straight up classic up-tempo American rockers that would put a smile on Tom Petty’s face.

In a nod to his background with Slipknot and Stone Sour, Taylor has dropped a gem in “Culture Head”. On top of the fiery guitar work and thundering bass, Taylor drops f bombs throughout the song. Somehow there is more attitude packed into this song than 3:59 could normally ever hold. In a complete opposite turn, there is also “Home”. Seemingly every great rock album has a ballad on it, and on CMFT “Home” is it. For a guy that delivered the classic lyrics “ I pushed my fingers into my eyes”, you wouldn’t think he would ever go this route. With just a piano and violin accompanying him, Taylor shows he is more than capable of conveying all the emotion that the song has.

Fans of Slipknot know that Corey Taylor can rap and “CMFT Must Be Stopped” lets him showcase his skills. With guest rappers Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie this trio is obviously having fun with this guitar over driven tune. The fun continues right to the very last song which is titled “European Tour Bus Bathroom Song”. This blazing two minute, highly punk influenced romp will certainly get the circle pits going when live shows come back.

Corey Taylor could have easily went down the path he has walked with Stone Sour and Slipknot and made all of his fans happy. Instead of going down that road or bowing to a highly pidgeon holed, genre specific music industry, Corey decided to do things his way. This album was all about him having fun. With all the enthusiasm and joy he infused into this release, he has brought back the art of the rock record. Full of swagger, bravado, infectious fun, and nods to his influences, CMFT is chock full of everything you could ever want in a rock n’ roll album. The enthusiasm that Corey Taylor delivers in his solo debut will make you crank this one up and enjoy every second of the party

Track List:

1 – HWY666

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