You know, it may seem like I pick my album reviews at random. But that's not true! I do it based off of what I'm listening to on Spotify, and then a group of my friends votes on which albums I cover. And I was all set to review another album that they voted on. But for some reason, this one instead stuck in my brain. So I need to get it out before it causes brain damage.
I have... so many questions. Objectively the
Weathered album cover is funnier, but none of Creed's albums have the one-two punch of hilarious cover and hilarious name quite like
Human Clay. But here's the question I presume you're all wondering: Is Creed actually any
good?
Well... maybe? But this album certainly isn't.
Look, I tried. I went into it "with arms wide open", as you will. But the album starts out passable and then just goes downhill for good and never recovers. And I'll say this: I don't think Creed are a bad band! Really, I don't! Certainly the band itself is not bad if you're into that sort of thing, what with the grungy, sludgy tones. It works for what it's going for, particularly on their first album,
My Own Prison. But if there's an Achilles' heel to this group, it comes in their big, burly frontman, Scott Stapp, who sounds overwrought and pained on his best days. But, again, there's a place for that kind of singing. I just don't think Scott has enough control over his voice and enough sense to know how to sing things in a way that makes you understand what he's singing about, particularly on this album.
See, Scott's voice sounds ugly. But there can still be an art to ugly. Scott's mindless warbling definitely qualifies it as artless, though. It feels like no thought was put into these songs after, like, the second track. It all just blends together in a mindless mush. There are vague lyrics about finding your calling and working together and others in that joyous nature, but none of it comes through because the songs sound so ugly and misshapen. Either go for the dark, grungy stuff in both lyrics and tone, or find a way to match your brighter, optimistic lyrics without abandoning your tone. This "middle-ground" shit just doesn't work, and feels really cheap and rushed.
4/10
Best Tracks: None of these are particularly amazing, but "Are You Ready?" at least sets up something that might be good if you give it a chance, though the disappointment that follows might hurt it as well.
