Scott Stapp Album IV HIGHER POWER

[Mr. Slash]

Generic and inoffensive. Yeah, that's a perfect description in my opinion. Yiannis' parts give here and there some colour to this album. I also appreciate Dorothy's guest appereance. But that's actually it. Overall, it's just post 2000 Bon Jovi with louder guitars. 5/10

[fudish123]

I've literally listened to every Scott album 10 times to write this. I'll post a detailed review later in the week at Rate Your Music but basically, I ranked Scott's albums like this:
1)TSBTS
2)TGD
3)POL
4)HP

But POL scored quite close to TGD. I rated it as a 7.9/10 while POL as 7.2/10. I didn't decide on TSBTS yet but I guess it'll be at least 8.5? Dunno. Higher Power definitely will be under 7. I dunno if I'll score it as a 5, tho, maybe it's too harsh? I'll let it sink in first, I'm a slow taker kind of guy

[maximzub]

Overall, it's just post 2000 Bon Jovi with louder guitars.

The first three post-2000 Bon Jovi albums were decent in my opinion, especially Have A Nice Day.

[Dan Dando]

I've always had a soft spot for Scott but even I find him puzzling sometimes. What's he doing with his shirt open during that 'If These Walls' music video? At his age, lol. It's only for one or two shots but it still makes me wonder about his ego.

[nagpo]

you can tell stapp has no clear direction for his solo music. Every album is tonally different from the other and so are the songs within. Look at the last record with Wake Up Call and Red clouds. And then that dub step song. And now he comes out with this new record and it's 4 radio friendly heavy songs and then it becomes a country inspired and acoustic blend with even a duet.

I actually would have preferred the more synthesized sound of Red clouds and the dub step sound if he continued with it. The guy just goes with what scott stevens tells him. stapp doesn't write his own music imo.

[creed009]

you can tell stapp has no clear direction for his solo music. Every album is tonally different from the other and so are the songs within. Look at the last record with Wake Up Call and Red clouds. And then that dub step song. And now he comes out with this new record and it's 4 radio friendly heavy songs and then it becomes a country inspired and acoustic blend with even a duet.

I actually would have preferred the more synthesized sound of Red clouds and the dub step sound if he continued with it. The guy just goes with what scott stevens tells him. stapp doesn't write his own music imo.

Having a wide variety of music in an album isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s better than every song sounding exactly the same.

[fudish123]

you can tell stapp has no clear direction for his solo music. Every album is tonally different from the other and so are the songs within. Look at the last record with Wake Up Call and Red clouds. And then that dub step song. And now he comes out with this new record and it's 4 radio friendly heavy songs and then it becomes a country inspired and acoustic blend with even a duet.

I actually would have preferred the more synthesized sound of Red clouds and the dub step sound if he continued with it. The guy just goes with what scott stevens tells him. stapp doesn't write his own music imo.

That's why I love TGD. It's just Stapp in there. We all know he is limited when it comes to writing music, but he, alone, managed to write at least half an album with 10/10 songs IMO.

You Will Soar, Sublime and Let Me Go kinda felt like fillers and needed further polishment or a complete rework, but Stapp did write it all by himself. Sometimes I think the man underestimates his music writing and just goes with whatever he is told to.

Proof of Life had other people involved, for better or worse. Phil X was a great addition and damn, Josh Effin Freese!! He killed on the title song and I wish he were the only drummer on that album.

I'm gonna agree with the review I posted few days ago: Scott is overtaken by positivity and because of it, he seems to be accepting every idea the producers throw at him.

[fudish123]

you can tell stapp has no clear direction for his solo music. Every album is tonally different from the other and so are the songs within. Look at the last record with Wake Up Call and Red clouds. And then that dub step song. And now he comes out with this new record and it's 4 radio friendly heavy songs and then it becomes a country inspired and acoustic blend with even a duet.

I actually would have preferred the more synthesized sound of Red clouds and the dub step sound if he continued with it. The guy just goes with what scott stevens tells him. stapp doesn't write his own music imo.

Having a wide variety of music in an album isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s better than every song sounding exactly the same.

True, but it didn't fit well with how it was done with Higher Power. It's tricky to manage it in a single album. It begins with a modern metal track, keeps on that line and suddenly changes to acoustic, then a mix of country and Eagles inspired ballads. Plus, the production sounds different for most songs.

Pearl Jam in their No Code album had a shitload variety of subgenres, but they managed to make them all fit together with a clever writing and the same production/mixing style for all songs. The same happened with Mr.Bungle in California.

[paisleyfan]

you can tell stapp has no clear direction for his solo music. Every album is tonally different from the other, and so are the songs within. Look at the last record with Wake Up Call and Red clouds. And then that dub step song. And now he comes out with this new record and it's 4 radio friendly heavy songs and then it becomes a country inspired and acoustic blend with even a duet.

I actually would have preferred the more synthesized sound of Red clouds and the dub step sound if he continued with it. The guy just goes with what scott stevens tells him. stapp doesn't write his own music imo.

Having a wide variety of music in an album isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s better than every song sounding exactly the same.

True, but it didn't fit well with how it was done with Higher Power. It's tricky to manage it in a single album. It begins with a modern metal track, keeps on that line and suddenly changes to acoustic, then a mix of country and Eagles inspired ballads. Plus, the production sounds different for most songs.

Pearl Jam in their No Code album had a shitload variety of subgenres, but they managed to make them all fit together with a clever writing and the same production/mixing style for all songs. The same happened with Mr.Bungle in California.

Stapp's new album notwithstanding. No Code is a terrible example because that album is absolutely awful along with everything else Peal Jam released after "Vitalogy'

[fudish123]

you can tell stapp has no clear direction for his solo music. Every album is tonally different from the other, and so are the songs within. Look at the last record with Wake Up Call and Red clouds. And then that dub step song. And now he comes out with this new record and it's 4 radio friendly heavy songs and then it becomes a country inspired and acoustic blend with even a duet.

I actually would have preferred the more synthesized sound of Red clouds and the dub step sound if he continued with it. The guy just goes with what scott stevens tells him. stapp doesn't write his own music imo.

Having a wide variety of music in an album isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s better than every song sounding exactly the same.

True, but it didn't fit well with how it was done with Higher Power. It's tricky to manage it in a single album. It begins with a modern metal track, keeps on that line and suddenly changes to acoustic, then a mix of country and Eagles inspired ballads. Plus, the production sounds different for most songs.

Pearl Jam in their No Code album had a shitload variety of subgenres, but they managed to make them all fit together with a clever writing and the same production/mixing style for all songs. The same happened with Mr.Bungle in California.

Stapp's new album notwithstanding. No Code is a terrible example because that album is absolutely awful along with everything else Peal Jam released after "Vitalogy'

Let's not focus on value judging when it comes to producing, mixing and mastering. I get it, you don't like No Code, but that's it. Production and mixing wise, they manage to make all those different genres fit, that's my point.

The album doesn't sound inconsistent. The same, again, happens on Mr.Bungle California. Or to use Stapp for instance, TGD, although the guitars are too high up in the mix while the drums are too low, but overall it sounds consistent thru and thru.

[Shortman45]

It’s interesting hearing your thoughts.

My initial thoughts were somewhat more positive on the newly released songs. There are elements of the old Creed sound in the intro to When Love is Not Enough, a bit like Human Clay moody-ness - but the chorus is a little lacklustre. I like the aggressiveness and hook in Quicksand. While If These Walls Could Talk is simple and repetitive, Stapp wrote What If and Say I - cannot beat that repetition. I’m also liking Dancing in the Rain the more I hear it.

To each their own I guess.

[Schulzy]

Generic and inoffensive. Yeah, that's a perfect description in my opinion. Yiannis' parts give here and there some colour to this album. I also appreciate Dorothy's guest appereance. But that's actually it. Overall, it's just post 2000 Bon Jovi with louder guitars. 5/10

This was the first solo album from Scott that I listened to in full since The Great Divide. I'd heard a few songs from Proof of Life and The Space Between The Shadows but had never felt a strong desire to check out more.

In light of the Creed reunion this year I wanted to get a stronger sense of where he is at vocally. After 3-4 full playthroughs of Higher Power I went back and checked out the entirety of TSBTS. I agree with the reviews and thoughts of board members. He sounds good, even great on songs like Name. His sound varies from Hard Rock, to Southern Rock with a little Country. Lyrically it's all just kind of bland and safe for me. He's singing about battling demons and addictions, being lost and found, purpose, hope, love, and reflection on his past. I don't dislike any of it, but I'm not jumping out of my seat or making a strong effort to replay songs and memorize the lyrics.

After watching recent live performances he looks as good as ever and seems to be very grateful to be playing music. I don't know what else I would like to hear from him at this point. It seems like this is his lane now and without a complete overhaul of his creative, lyrical, and musical team we can expect the same output on the next go around.

[Devil Inside You]

I've listened to it three times since I got it, just like I did with The Space Between the Shadows. I feel like I have a pretty solid opinion at this point. I really really love this album. This is the most I've loved an album from the 2020s since Stone Temple Pilots released Perdida. Considering both Jerry Cantrell and Fuel drastically let me down with their new releases, I'm so grateful Stapp didn't on this one.

In Last Hallelujah Stapp sings a lyric that says "I watched the black of the midnight sky turning blood red right before my eyes." I thought of that line given how prevalent the color red is on the actual album cover and liner notes of Higher Power. Its a fitting premonition because Higher Power takes a lot of what made The Space Between the Shadows so good and expands upon it tremendously. In the same way Weathered was the natural follow up to Human Clay, so to is Higher Power to The Space Between the Shadows.

While there isn't as many ballads that show off Stapp's voice like Name or Ready to Love, he more than makes up for it for the ideas he commits to that he's never done before. The title track is literally unlike anything in Stapp's entire career. It is one of the most unique songs he's ever done, and shows how much he loves making hard rock. Deadman's Trigger is another example of Stapp just belting out catchy melodies to some obnoxiously aggressive rock riff. Quicksand and When Love is Not Enough show off that Post Grunge flare Creed helped establish in their heyday. I always thought it was interesting that Stapp was in a genre defining band like Creed, and proceeded to make music that fell in line with bands that succeeded Creed (Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Puddle of Mudd). But unlike those bands, Stapp has always maintained an authenticity to his work that makes it so much more memorable than whatever the latest material by any of those guys sounds like. When Love is Not Enough actually reminds me greatly of the music from the OG Days of the New/Tantric guys and is what I was expecting that Blisskrieg project to sound like. Quicksand is a reworked version of a leftover song from that abandoned double album, and I'm so grateful Stapp returned to it. Yiannis really gave it an identity that compliments Stapp's melodies.

Speaking of Yiannis, his playing as well as Kevin Gruft's and I'm assuming Zac Maloy and Scott Stevens' is absolutely stellar. Higher Power has the best guitar work of all of Stapp's solo records. Yiannis in particular really shines on this project. Dancing in the Rain, much like Red Clouds, could have totally been a Full Circle track. Yiannis has perfect synergy with Stapp on that song and Quicksand, and he more than carries Stapp on some of his weaker moments. I would honestly say that Yiannis is what saves What I Deserve from being a song that I could just ignore or forget.

The acoustic and atmospheric songs are unique for Stapp here also. I love the duet with Dorothy on If These Walls Could Talk. I appreciate Stapp using his platform to shine a spotlight on a newer rocker, and I will be checking out some of her material soon. Its a gentle track and it makes me glad Stapp's finally giving his country roots a shout out. Going back to authenticity, there is an energy to that song which makes it feel so much more classy and warm than some of Stapp's contemporaries. Despite how sad the song is, it actually makes me feel way better emotionally than any country song that horse's ass Aaron Lewis has put out. You're Not Alone is interesting because of the minimal instrumentation to it. Much like Lullaby, the focus is Stapp's voice amidst the acoustic guitar. The vocal melody is great too. Weight of the World may be the most important song in terms of showing how far Stapp has come in his personal life. Higher Power is the first album Stapp has released since Human Clay where he didn't have public drama or some horribly traumatic experience preceding it. However, I think Weight of the World shows that he's definitely been going through something recently and it was over looking the making of this entire album. But at the same time it also shows how far he has come as a person, how much he's grown and how healthy he approaches the problems in his life now. I think genuine optimism is the central theme to this record, and I like the contrast between feelings of isolation versus feelings of comfort versus feelings of triumph.

If I had any gripe with it, it may be that the lyrics do get redundant at some parts. You're Not Alone and Weight of the World are conceptually the same song as far as Stapp's message. Black Butterfly borrows from Deadman's Trigger in a way that I found much less compelling. What I Deserve is probably my least favorite song on the album lyrically mostly because it does feel very word salad. The word "love" appears A LOT on Higher Power. I'll let it slide, because going back to the color red, it is a definitive theme on the album, but it does stick out. Regardless of these criticisms, the lyrics aren't all bad. Dancing in the Rain is a beautiful song in every aspect, including the lyrics. Higher Power, If These Walls Could Talk, Deadman's Trigger, Quicksand and When Love is Not Enough are all solid examples of Stapp painting an image with his words too.

Overall, I'd say this was a solid home run for me. I think its constructed very well as an actual album. One of the best examples is the fact that I really am starting to resonate with Black Butterfly and What I Deserve more now that I've heard them in full context on the entire record. Both of which were two songs that had me concerned about the album's quality prior to its arrival. Quicksand and When Love is Not Enough may be my two favorites, but honestly, I really enjoy hearing the entire thing at once. I feel like I catch something I didn't notice before with each new listen. On this most recent one, Dancing in the Rain really impacted me. Much like Weathered, Higher Power starts off very aggressive and gradually is shaped into something delicate by its conclusion.

As far as what I'd like for the next album, I really think Stapp should just write and write and write with Yiannis. Make 30 songs if you have to, but really commit to exchanging and creating with his band. The fact that he used Quicksand, a song that goes as far back as 2007/2008 should demonstrate why its important to create music organically. There's a reason he released songs like Somber and Quicksand after all this time and its because they have that organic chemistry that only a singer and guitarist can create together. I understand why he goes back to Marti Fredericksen, Zac Maloy and Scott Stevens though. They're basically his band at this point, but I really think Yiannis and Stapp can continue to create truly wonderful albums should they choose to keep working together. I really want Yiannis to meet Mark too. Provided Eric won't be participating in Creed this year, than Yiannis would be an excellent addition to the live band. Whatever ideas they could exchange would not only be compelling for the both of them but also for whatever Stapp does in either Creed or solo.

Higher Power shows that Stapp, even at the ripe age of 50, is more than capable of doing something new and evolving in his career. I have a very good friend that doesn't really listen to Creed, who surprised me by sending me a pic of her with the vinyl, cd and t-shirt of Higher Power. I would send her the new songs as they came out and apparently she loved them enough to buy it. I'm grateful Stapp is still with us and creating music. I'm grateful he's in such a good frame of mind after his meltdown ten years ago. I'm grateful he's in such a strong creative place as Creed is getting back together. The wind is at your back buddy, let's hit it hard with Creed this fall.

[fudish123]

I've listened to it three times since I got it, just like I did with The Space Between the Shadows. I feel like I have a pretty solid opinion at this point. I really really love this album. This is the most I've loved an album from the 2020s since Stone Temple Pilots released Perdida. Considering both Jerry Cantrell and Fuel drastically let me down with their new releases, I'm so grateful Stapp didn't on this one.

In Last Hallelujah Stapp sings a lyric that says "I watched the black of the midnight sky turning blood red right before my eyes." I thought of that line given how prevalent the color red is on the actual album cover and liner notes of Higher Power. Its a fitting premonition because Higher Power takes a lot of what made The Space Between the Shadows so good and expands upon it tremendously. In the same way Weathered was the natural follow up to Human Clay, so to is Higher Power to The Space Between the Shadows.

While there isn't as many ballads that show off Stapp's voice like Name or Ready to Love, he more than makes up for it for the ideas he commits to that he's never done before. The title track is literally unlike anything in Stapp's entire career. It is one of the most unique songs he's ever done, and shows how much he loves making hard rock. Deadman's Trigger is another example of Stapp just belting out catchy melodies to some obnoxiously aggressive rock riff. Quicksand and When Love is Not Enough show off that Post Grunge flare Creed helped establish in their heyday. I always thought it was interesting that Stapp was in a genre defining band like Creed, and proceeded to make music that fell in line with bands that succeeded Creed (Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, Puddle of Mudd). But unlike those bands, Stapp has always maintained an authenticity to his work that makes it so much more memorable than whatever the latest material by any of those guys sounds like. When Love is Not Enough actually reminds me greatly of the music from the OG Days of the New/Tantric guys and is what I was expecting that Blisskrieg project to sound like. Quicksand is a reworked version of a leftover song from that abandoned double album, and I'm so grateful Stapp returned to it. Yiannis really gave it an identity that compliments Stapp's melodies.

Speaking of Yiannis, his playing as well as Kevin Gruft's and I'm assuming Zac Maloy and Scott Stevens' is absolutely stellar. Higher Power has the best guitar work of all of Stapp's solo records. Yiannis in particular really shines on this project. Dancing in the Rain, much like Red Clouds, could have totally been a Full Circle track. Yiannis has perfect synergy with Stapp on that song and Quicksand, and he more than carries Stapp on some of his weaker moments. I would honestly say that Yiannis is what saves What I Deserve from being a song that I could just ignore or forget.

The acoustic and atmospheric songs are unique for Stapp here also. I love the duet with Dorothy on If These Walls Could Talk. I appreciate Stapp using his platform to shine a spotlight on a newer rocker, and I will be checking out some of her material soon. Its a gentle track and it makes me glad Stapp's finally giving his country roots a shout out. Going back to authenticity, there is an energy to that song which makes it feel so much more classy and warm than some of Stapp's contemporaries. Despite how sad the song is, it actually makes me feel way better emotionally than any country song that horse's ass Aaron Lewis has put out. You're Not Alone is interesting because of the minimal instrumentation to it. Much like Lullaby, the focus is Stapp's voice amidst the acoustic guitar. The vocal melody is great too. Weight of the World may be the most important song in terms of showing how far Stapp has come in his personal life. Higher Power is the first album Stapp has released since Human Clay where he didn't have public drama or some horribly traumatic experience preceding it. However, I think Weight of the World shows that he's definitely been going through something recently and it was over looking the making of this entire album. But at the same time it also shows how far he has come as a person, how much he's grown and how healthy he approaches the problems in his life now. I think genuine optimism is the central theme to this record, and I like the contrast between feelings of isolation versus feelings of comfort versus feelings of triumph.

If I had any gripe with it, it may be that the lyrics do get redundant at some parts. You're Not Alone and Weight of the World are conceptually the same song as far as Stapp's message. Black Butterfly borrows from Deadman's Trigger in a way that I found much less compelling. What I Deserve is probably my least favorite song on the album lyrically mostly because it does feel very word salad. The word "love" appears A LOT on Higher Power. I'll let it slide, because going back to the color red, it is a definitive theme on the album, but it does stick out. Regardless of these criticisms, the lyrics aren't all bad. Dancing in the Rain is a beautiful song in every aspect, including the lyrics. Higher Power, If These Walls Could Talk, Deadman's Trigger, Quicksand and When Love is Not Enough are all solid examples of Stapp painting an image with his words too.

Overall, I'd say this was a solid home run for me. I think its constructed very well as an actual album. One of the best examples is the fact that I really am starting to resonate with Black Butterfly and What I Deserve more now that I've heard them in full context on the entire record. Both of which were two songs that had me concerned about the album's quality prior to its arrival. Quicksand and When Love is Not Enough may be my two favorites, but honestly, I really enjoy hearing the entire thing at once. I feel like I catch something I didn't notice before with each new listen. On this most recent one, Dancing in the Rain really impacted me. Much like Weathered, Higher Power starts off very aggressive and gradually is shaped into something delicate by its conclusion.

As far as what I'd like for the next album, I really think Stapp should just write and write and write with Yiannis. Make 30 songs if you have to, but really commit to exchanging and creating with his band. The fact that he used Quicksand, a song that goes as far back as 2007/2008 should demonstrate why its important to create music organically. There's a reason he released songs like Somber and Quicksand after all this time and its because they have that organic chemistry that only a singer and guitarist can create together. I understand why he goes back to Marti Fredericksen, Zac Maloy and Scott Stevens though. They're basically his band at this point, but I really think Yiannis and Stapp can continue to create truly wonderful albums should they choose to keep working together. I really want Yiannis to meet Mark too. Provided Eric won't be participating in Creed this year, than Yiannis would be an excellent addition to the live band. Whatever ideas they could exchange would not only be compelling for the both of them but also for whatever Stapp does in either Creed or solo.

Higher Power shows that Stapp, even at the ripe age of 50, is more than capable of doing something new and evolving in his career. I have a very good friend that doesn't really listen to Creed, who surprised me by sending me a pic of her with the vinyl, cd and t-shirt of Higher Power. I would send her the new songs as they came out and apparently she loved them enough to buy it. I'm grateful Stapp is still with us and creating music. I'm grateful he's in such a good frame of mind after his meltdown ten years ago. I'm grateful he's in such a strong creative place as Creed is getting back together. The wind is at your back buddy, let's hit it hard with Creed this fall.

Although I had a very different perceiving of Higher Power than yours, your review is a good read. Post it on Rate Your Music along with your score, that'll help with a positive and well written review cuz the only one posted in there has a low score, although well written.(you can read my first impressions and later what I had to say when my opinion solidified a little on this thread, but I'm yet to write a complete review like yours)

[Schulzy]

I've listened to it three times since I got it, just like I did with The Space Between the Shadows. I feel like I have a pretty solid opinion at this point. I really really love this album. This is the most I've loved an album from the 2020s since Stone Temple Pilots released Perdida.

The title track is literally unlike anything in Stapp's entire career. It is one of the most unique songs he's ever done, and shows how much he loves making hard rock. Quicksand is a reworked version of a leftover song from that abandoned double album, and I'm so grateful Stapp returned to it.

Speaking of Yiannis, his playing as well as Kevin Gruft's and I'm assuming Zac Maloy and Scott Stevens' is absolutely stellar. Higher Power has the best guitar work of all of Stapp's solo records. Yiannis in particular really shines on this project. Dancing in the Rain, much like Red Clouds, could have totally been a Full Circle track. Yiannis has perfect synergy with Stapp on that song and Quicksand, and he more than carries Stapp on some of his weaker moments. I would honestly say that Yiannis is what saves What I Deserve from being a song that I could just ignore or forget.

The acoustic and atmospheric songs are unique for Stapp here also. I love the duet with Dorothy on If These Walls Could Talk. I appreciate Stapp using his platform to shine a spotlight on a newer rocker, and I will be checking out some of her material soon.

As far as what I'd like for the next album, I really think Stapp should just write and write and write with Yiannis. Make 30 songs if you have to, but really commit to exchanging and creating with his band. The fact that he used Quicksand, a song that goes as far back as 2007/2008 should demonstrate why its important to create music organically. There's a reason he released songs like Somber and Quicksand after all this time and its because they have that organic chemistry that only a singer and guitarist can create together. I understand why he goes back to Marti Fredericksen, Zac Maloy and Scott Stevens though. They're basically his band at this point, but I really think Yiannis and Stapp can continue to create truly wonderful albums should they choose to keep working together.

Well done. VERY well done. Higher Power has made a strong impression on you and the length and depth of your review is what I'm looking for when describing music.

How would your rate HP in these three categories?

Vocals, Lyrics, and Music - high points, low points, out of 10.

For me, the only two songs that have stood out are If These Walls Could Talk (9/10 for me and I applaud its simplicity) and Quicksand (7.5/10 which I found myself humming this morning). I actually like Dorothy's most recent album better than Alter Bridge's Pawns & Kings due to the consistency of the categories above. I think it's good that Scott is branching out into duets as their voices compliment each other well.

The softer side of his voice is still very solid, I just wish he would not rely on the Elvis style so much live where he's almost forcing himself into the lower registers to try and preserve his voice. It comes across as bellowing and his words can get garbled. I feel like it is very inconsistent on live performances of the same songs and it shows up on the album too. His pronunciation of you - yeeeewww - is an example of where he overdoes the Southern drawl.

I think there are some bright spots on HP but otherwise it's kind of flat for me...even with Yiannis' guitar playing. I feel like I've heard it all before (and I think you have a sense of how much different music I listen to from the albums review thread). I would agree with you that I'd like the two of them to get locked in a studio for a month by themselves for the next album and just have them do all of the writing. After thinking about it for a while I'd like to see Scott have at least one or two guest vocalists as I liked the results with Dorothy. Musically I don't mind the variance on his solo albums because he has scratched my rock itch for so long with Creed. I am going to go back and listen to The Great Divide for comparison to see "just how far he's come".

[Devil Inside You]

Thank you! Appreciate that :^) . I see what you mean regarding Stapp's voice. Ever since Full Circle he seems way more cautious about the way he uses it, with it falling more on his higher register with each subsequent album. Its crazy how balanced he had it from My Own Prison-The Great Divide, but maybe that was John Kurzweg giving proper coaching techniques.

As for the rating I try to avoid giving numbers mostly because I'm not super accurate or consistent with it lol I feel like I just focus on the number and dismiss whatever other points work for or against an album. I listened to Stapp's prior albums too leading up to this. In terms of Stapp's discography Idk how I would rank his albums either. Ironically, its even harder to do than Creed where I just like them in the order they came out.

The obvious choice for the best is totally The Great Divide. Its pretty unanimous amongst most Creed fans as his most consistent album in terms of an actual flow from beginning to end. Plus, much like One Day Remains, is basically his kiss goodbye to Creed. He never fell back on the Creed style again after that which makes it all the more special and unique.

In terms of just personal impact, I'd say Proof of Life is his best one. It alongside so many other 2013 albums was the soundtrack to a very happy period in my life. It is the one part of my life I would live over and over again if I could and it holds a lot of nostalgic meaning to me now.

In terms of Stapp truly establishing himself as a solo artist, The Space Between the Shadows is the best one. He really builds an identity here where he can show off how talented a performer he is without relying on his bag of tricks from Creed or even hitmakers like he used on Proof of Life. He really created a vision on that album and it has a piece of everything.

Lastly, in terms of showing Stapp can still explore new musical ideas, I'd say Higher Power is the strongest example. The guitar playing alone is unlike anything in his solo career and easily the most interesting he's been a part of since Creed broke up.

[Schulzy]

An extremely well formulated response. Upon further reflection and revisiting The Great Divide (I still have my copy on CD) it is easily my favorite of all the solo albums for many of the reasons you mentioned. There are still many of the same influences all these years later but I feel like he has tried to make some shifts in the three categories I noted - vocally, lyrically, and musically. Some have worked and others have not in my opinion. Vocally, there are very few examples of that raw, high, powerful tone that he had. I think he did a lot of damage to his voice and you could tell he was straining back in 2001-04 on songs like One Last Breath. Name was the one song towards the end where I said to myself - it's still there but he can't do it all the time anymore. He alternates between more nasally stuff and that super low Elvis tone that I'm not crazy about. When he softens things up that's where I really enjoy his voice. Lyrically I think he's lost a lot of the poetic imagery element. It's much more direct now and his themes haven't changed much over the last 20 years. It's much more personal, and there's nothing wrong with that but it's like watching the same TV show over and over. After a while it gets a little stale. Musically he's tried the various hard Rock sub-genres and I think stylistically that's the safe path. The bluesy almost country avenue might be an interesting detour for him to consider moving forward and having the Dorothy influence shows that he's open to that and can do it well.

[fudish123]

About Stapp's voice, I'm not really sure if he's had serious singing lessons. You can sustain vocal distortion and not effing up your throat. Just look at MJK, Mike Patton, Steven Tyler, all above 50 (hell, Tyler is in his 70s), they are phenomenal singers, it's all about proper technique.

I feel that Stapp stood in his comfort zone for way too long. IMO, he needs a complete vocal lesson/coaching overhaul. Those nasal sounds and whatnot are ways of remedying something that's not right, imohp.

I still don't know what the heck happened to him back in 2009, his voice sounded literally like a 90 y.o man except for iHeart Radio. Some people told me to read his memoir, so I did but didn't find anything on that regard.

He recovered, had 3 awesome singing albums and he pushed back in HP. I really felt that he pushed waay too back and sounded somewhat bland in a lot of songs, not only in distortion but phrasing. He literally mimics the riff on What I deserve and that's not very advisable to do as a singer.

So far, HP is the one I least enjoyed. It sounds weird in the mixing/mastering, some songs lack a more powerful chorus like Deadman's Trigger, etc.

[Devil Inside You]

The most he's had was with Jon Kurzweg. In a very recent interview he mentioned that Jon would coach him during Creed's heyday to where he could push himself vocally in the studio but also craft a melody that wouldn't risk long term damage to his voice. He cited One Last Breath as the example and said there are some solo songs he chooses not to revisit because of their risk.

Has he ever explained why he stopped working with Jon Kurzweg? As I understand it he was supposed to be the producer for Proof of Life before Howard Benson.

As for 2009 the rumour is he had a benign tumor in his throat. He got it removed but had no time to recover and just went out and started singing like the Volbeat guy lol

[fudish123]

The most he's had was with Jon Kurzweg. In a very recent interview he mentioned that Jon would coach him during Creed's heyday to where he could push himself vocally in the studio but also craft a melody that wouldn't risk long term damage to his voice. He cited One Last Breath as the example and said there are some solo songs he chooses not to revisit because of their risk.

Has he ever explained why he stopped working with Jon Kurzweg? As I understand it he was supposed to be the producer for Proof of Life before Howard Benson.

As for 2009 the rumour is he had a benign tumor in his throat. He got it removed but had no time to recover and just went out and started singing like the Volbeat guy lol

He needs to get in touch with Melissa Cross asap. She's a famous vocal coach focused on vocal distortion, she'd help Scott A LOT. If I had the money, I'd get lessons from her.

I read that interview about some of his solo stuff being harder to sing and I can spot dead on 2 songs: Reach Out and Jesus Was A Rockstar. How come no one has ever asked him about the 09 incident?