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CD REVIEW: Creed's 'Human Clay'
The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, October 5 1999
Collectively saving its earnings from dead-end jobs and regular club gigs that earned the band about $500 a week, Creed was looking to record a demo.
In 1996, that opportunity came for the Tallahassee foursome. The group got some help from local promoter Jeff Hanson, who used its savings of $6,000 to put together enough songs for a full-length CD titled My Own Prison.
Creed then found itself being pursued by several major record labels, including Atlantic and Universal, and finally ended up with Wind-Up Records.
My Own Prison went on to sell more than four million copies and turned the four nobodies to rock superstars.
Creed was the first band in history to have four No. 1 rock singles from a debut album. ("My Own Prison," "What's This Life For," "Torn" and "One").
They also ended up topping a few of the year-end charts and were recognized as the Rock Artist of the Year at Billboard's 1998 Music Awards.
My Own Prison was also the No. 1 selling Hard Music album for 1998 on Sound Scan's Hard Music chart.
With Human Clay, Creed hopes to continue where it left off, but not in its usual style. The album has the group kicking its metal sound up a whole lot more, with bigger and faster guitar riffs.
If you are in doubt, just listen to "What If" and you will see what I mean. The track will also be found on the Scream 3 Soundtrack, of which Creed is executive producer.
Throughout the album, Stapp's vocals are very intense and emotional. Every song on Human Clay is radio friendly, and most could end up being singles.
The opening track, "Are You Ready," prepares you for what's to come -- non-stop rock. The song is solid and will definitely rock your ears.
The first single "Higher," was No. 3 on the Billboard's Top 20 Modern Rock chart last week and No. 1 on the Mainstream chart, and is sure to be first at the end of the month.
The song is catchy and will grab plenty of radio air time. It has rocking lyrics about escaping from this world's problems and finding those golden streets, while the riffs will ring your ears.
Other notable tracks include "Faceless Man" and the easy listening song, "With Arms Wide Open." On "Faceless Man," Stapp confronts the idea of conscience.
"With Arms Wide Open" deals with the issue of Stapp's becoming a father and how he felt when heard the news.
Another ballad, "Wash Away Those Years" seems to discuss the effects of rape and the emotions that victims face afterward. It explains that they are not alone and that they can continue their lives after such a tragic event.
My Own Prison produced many smash hits, so look for Human Clay to do the same. Forget about that sophomore jinx thing. This has multi-platinum written all over it.
When many other rock bands are fading away, Creed is filling the void that those bands have left.
.By Jesse Lauritz