Out of Exile (by Audioslave, Rock)

Audioslave, that group made up of most of Rage Against the Machine along with Soundgarden's former singer/songwriter Chris Cornell, has kept the promises made on 2002's Debut. OUT OF EXILE features strong singing and songwriting, spectacular guitar work, and a tight, energetic rhythm section -- these guys sound like a real band this time around.

Most teenagers will identify with the depressing nature of the lyrics on some of these tracks -- "The Worm" has been described as an anthem for self-loathing, and a couple of the tracks dwell on poetically dramatic death references ("One took some bullets in the chest in a deal gone wrong/One got a little too depressed and went and jumped the gun/One got shot right in the face and somehow he survived/But he doesn't know my name or who I am/And I'm not surprised" on "Your Time Has Come," for example).

Parents may have a harder time with the heavy-handed arrangements and the death stuff. But there are some cheerful moments, on "Dandelion" and "Be Yourself," and the real star is the band's apparent interpersonal and musical chemistry. Chris Cornell's soulful, expressive vocals and Tom Morello's incredible guitar work are guaranteed to inspire young rockers, and that seems like a pretty good deal all around.