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The Great Divide

The Great Divide in Bloomington, MN
Current price: $11.99
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On his first album since disbanding
Creed
in 2004 -- and his first collection of new material since the band's last album,
Weathered
, in 2001 -- singer/songwriter
Scott Stapp
strips his music back to its barest essence. Gone are the indulgent arty flourishes, such as a cameo from
the Tallahassee Boys Choir
, that weighed down
, and all that's left on
The Great Divide
are layers and layers of heavy, heavy guitars, which support
Stapp
's guttural declarations of angst and faith. It makes for the hardest, most immediate music he's made since
's debut,
My Own Prison
, but not necessarily the best. Certainly those looking for another
"With Arms Wide Open"
will be a little disappointed -- there are power
ballads
here, but with the notable exception of
"Surround Me,"
not only do they lack the dramatic anthemic quality that made that a huge hit, they're given somber, heavy arrangements that appeal only to the portion of his audience that prefers the
who channels
Jim Morrison
and favors loud, distorted guitars. Since the prog inflections of
didn't suit
's music well -- his lyrics are so earnest he needs music lacking in affectation -- this back-to-basics approach serves him relatively well, even if it inevitably feels like a bit of retreat, as if he were consciously playing to the core of his base in order to guarantee an audience for his solo work. Nevertheless, this plays well on the surface, providing
fans with the basic sound that the band drifted away from at the tail end of its career, even if it does leave the lingering feeling that
is trying to sound like
on his solo debut instead of embracing the freedom of being a solo artist. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Creed
in 2004 -- and his first collection of new material since the band's last album,
Weathered
, in 2001 -- singer/songwriter
Scott Stapp
strips his music back to its barest essence. Gone are the indulgent arty flourishes, such as a cameo from
the Tallahassee Boys Choir
, that weighed down
, and all that's left on
The Great Divide
are layers and layers of heavy, heavy guitars, which support
Stapp
's guttural declarations of angst and faith. It makes for the hardest, most immediate music he's made since
's debut,
My Own Prison
, but not necessarily the best. Certainly those looking for another
"With Arms Wide Open"
will be a little disappointed -- there are power
ballads
here, but with the notable exception of
"Surround Me,"
not only do they lack the dramatic anthemic quality that made that a huge hit, they're given somber, heavy arrangements that appeal only to the portion of his audience that prefers the
who channels
Jim Morrison
and favors loud, distorted guitars. Since the prog inflections of
didn't suit
's music well -- his lyrics are so earnest he needs music lacking in affectation -- this back-to-basics approach serves him relatively well, even if it inevitably feels like a bit of retreat, as if he were consciously playing to the core of his base in order to guarantee an audience for his solo work. Nevertheless, this plays well on the surface, providing
fans with the basic sound that the band drifted away from at the tail end of its career, even if it does leave the lingering feeling that
is trying to sound like
on his solo debut instead of embracing the freedom of being a solo artist. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine