“#1 Zero” finds someone (God perhaps?) pledging faithfulness despite rejection. A woman’s love pulls a man out of lonely exile on the title track. On “The Worm” a victim of poor choices turns a corner, claiming “I’m reborn.” It is noble to love with abandon (“The Curse,” “Man or Animal”), bear others’ burdens (“Heaven’s Dead”) and live with integrity, not weighed down by unrealistic expectations (“Be Yourself,” “Drown Me Slowly,” “Doesn’t Remind Me”). With a spirit of hope, “Dandelion” describes the simple wonders of our world to a newborn baby, promising, “I will ride by your side/Wherever you go I won’t run or hide.” The band denounces senseless social ills that prematurely end young lives (“Your Time Has Come”).
Isolated lines include “Even when wrong, we’re right” (“Yesterday and Tomorrow”) and “I like driving backwards in the fog” (“Doesn’t Remind Me”).
Kudos to Audioslave for keeping the lyrical waters from getting choppy this time. These veteran rockers are sailing in an increasingly positive direction.
