Thought I liked Creed
938304
OK, I like a couple songs. So i took a chance and bought the DVD. Mistake. All his songs sound the same. Is he speaking english? Who knows. I think I made out "with arms wide open" but the rest is a drunken blurr. Guess I don't care for Creed other than his 1 or 2 hit wonders. Maybe they were digitally altered in Studio?
2476839
I am a fan of the band Creed and own all of their albums.  So I thought I might like this solo effort from the former lead singer of Creed.  I found this cd at a Goodwill store.  So for me it was a no-brainer to give this a chance for $1.97!!  I listen to this cd and on my phone regularly and it is great!  The title song "The Great Divide" is one of my favorites.  Justify and Let Me Go are really good also.  It really was a lucky find after seeing the price here on Amazon!!
1424615
Gameplay became a bit repetitive, but it was fun repetition.  Loved the nod to Frogger in the "real time" missions.  For me, Assassins Creed has always been a beautiful and fun, but almost completely non-challenging series.  You can pretty much walk your way through the entire game without having to really strategize or solve any truly difficult problems.
3722058
First of all, I ended up really liking this a lot. With that said, I almost gave up about 3 chapter in. I had a really hard time connecting with the whole POV-esque approach. Also, I thought Drew was an ass. An uninteresting ass. I'm not sure when the tables turned, but they did. 3 stars is pretty good for me. A five star book has got to be pretty fickin spectacular, 4 stars is great. I'm not even sure who I would recommend this book to. The humor did come, and I even had a few laugh out loud moments. I guess I eventually got hooked on Kate. She became real when she had the weekend with Drew after breaking up with whats-his-nuts. All that emotion was pretty cool and well written. So yeah, I recommend this read, but I'm still on the fence about reading any more of the series. I think I've had enough. What did Drew say? Always go out on a high note!
4679331
Copy courtesy of Netgalley
I enjoyed Rachel and Bam. Bam may be a little rough around the edges but he was funny and very likable. I know the other characters called him an animal, but he was real. I would have given a 4 star if not for the ad onward story of Kerrie and Sean. She was annoying and he didn't matter to me. He was kind of annoying too with all the rushes and then falling for his coach's wife. Really? I almost gave up because I didn't want to hear their story. I pretty much skipped through that section.
2991429
I'm still trying to catch up in the AC series. I found Revelations a lot better than many critics were saying.
Of course the game play is similar to Brotherhood, but the atmosphere of Constantinople and surrounding areas is great,
and I found the story a bit less convoluted than in previous entries, although I don't really understand the meta story very well,
about the Templars and aliens or whatever nonsense. The 'tomb' sections of the game are rather easier than in previous entries, with a bit more focus on action, kind of like running through a level of Sonic the Hedgehog.  The main story is definitely worth going through, but I found the 'Animus Island' 1st person missions to be a bit boring.
2807307
Wow.  Like others, I was a huge Creed fan and sad when they broke up.  When Alter Bridge put out their album, I wasn't TOO impressed.  Even though it was most of the old same Creed, it just wasn't the same.

Scott's back and shown he can do it still by himself.  The album sounds AMAZING.  This is what I wished Creed would have sounded if they were together.

I'll be listening to this album repetitively for months to come.

Great to see Scott back in action!
3985246
Shortly after Creed released the mediocre `Higher' I saw them in concert.  It was one of the best live acts I've ever seen.  They actually made me enjoy that song, despite my better judgment.  When a song like `Higher' is the worst you can come up with, you know that you are doing something right, because even that song (in all it's safe, cheesy ridiculousness) is still somewhat enjoyable and catchy as all get out.

`Human Clay' was Creed's sophomore album, their follow up to `My Own Prison', and while nothing on this album even comes close to the blistering brilliance of songs like `One' and `Unforgiven', `Human Clay' does offer us a different side to Creed, and it introduces us to the new direction they were taking; a sadly more commercial yet interestingly more diverse one.

Instead of maintaining their alternative edge, Creed adopted more of a Top-40 sound, which can be heard on `Higher' and `With Arms Wide Open'.  They stripped away edge to unveil sentimentality, and while it works sometimes (`With Arms Wide Open' may push it a tad, but it is still beautiful) it comes off a little misplaced at times.  This album also suffers from a few tracks that are just mediocre in concept and a few that are too reminiscent of other, better, tracks to stand out on their own.

With a handful of good material and a slew of lazy contributions, `Human Clay' is easily Creed's worst album.

The album opens with `Are You Ready?', a track that is extremely forgettable.  It lacks any real punch, even if it sports an aggressive nature.  It's too, what's the word, cheap.  Songs like `Wrong Way' and `Inside us All' fall under that same category.  They just seem like filler B-side type tracks that were thrown on at the last minute to add some length to the album.  `Wash Away Those Years' has some value, but it is to familiar sounding to me, and `Higher' is just a whole bowl of cheesy stew.  I love how this was labeled `typical Creed' when it sounds NOTHING like what they delivered on their debut.

This one is far too `pop/rock' sounding.

`What If' has real teeth, but it also gets obnoxious and repetitive.  `Say I' has the same problem (I'll never understand the idea that all a chorus needs to be is a repeated phrase).  I really like both songs and they have a quality that reminds me of a polished version of their debut, but both also have that one flaw that knocks them down a peg.  `Never Die' is slightly elevated, but it also loses some edge in areas.

The best on the album is the trifecta of `Beautiful', `Faceless Man' and `With Arms Wide Open'.  `With Arms Wide Open' is easily the worst of the three, for it does lay on the sentiment a little too thick, but it is a really well done song that is meant to be emotional and so I forgive Creed.  `Beautiful' is easily the most respectable of the three, and the most reflective of where this album should have gone.  It is a very nice example of Creed maintaining their `edge' yet showing a sophomore polish that comes from more money and more studio support.  It is a song that shows growth.  That said; `Faceless Man' is easily the best.  I love the guitar work, and Stapp's soft and sincere vocals are just so moving.  His lyrical message also feels much closer to his debut than the rest of the album.  One thing that was so impressive about Creed's debut was that they had such a clear message that showed no signs of tampering (aside from their `lords name in vain' dilemma on `What's This Life For?').  For me, `Human Clay' feels heavily influenced.

But I could be wrong.

In the end I give this one a B-.  I know that, from my review, a B- may seem like a high rating, but like I said, even the bad tracks here have layers of catchy likeability.  It's hard to dislike this album, but to say it is without flaws is a statement blinded by bias.
3376136
Didnt think I was gonna like it, but was I surprised. I am not long winded like others.

Just read it and judge for your self.
881777
I have listened to every Creed album, but ironically I got around to listening to "My Own Prison" last. I wasn't terribly impressed with their most recent album "Full Circle" (was too soft for my tastes) but I could tell from the first track of this album, Torn, that I made a good buy. As the album art suggests this is a edgier sound from Creed, and although it did get some radio play, it's not nearly as radio friendly as their later releases. Mark Tremonti really shines here with some spellbinding guitar play and Stapp has his trademark grittiness going at full effect. I really don't find myself skipping through songs, and that's always the mark of a mature album. I dare say that if you don't like Creed after hearing them on a radio but like rock you may want to give this one a try.
1240112
I was a little hesitant to buy this series, I didn't think it would be able to stand with the cyborg or new species series, but I was wrong! I love this series just as much as those, my favorite has to be Creed or Kraven so far. Please keep writing these wonderful books.
2701571
Unlike other 12 stones fans, I worked my way backwards. I had seen all their music videos, thought the band was cool, and decided to go and get their CD. Sadly, I could not start from the beginning like I would have liked to. This was the first 12 Stones album I bought. I have all three of their albums now.

So, this album was not bad. It has its good triumphant moments. But, for the most part, it seems like it was a battle of the ballads. The album does not lack emotion. It lacks kicking energy.

I'm not negating the hard crunchy sound of their guitars or even their faster songs. However, I was waiting for the rapturous and amazing explosion. All I got was a little cigarette lighter flicker.

Which reminds me--this release will probably do well on secular radio and in arenas. However, as far as the at home listening experience goes, I agree with the reviewer for Amazon.com--suburban youths will love it.

Not all of us live int he suburbs, though, lol.

They managed to take themselves somewhat beyond the Creed stereotype, but they still don't sound like anything new. They sound like Creed, Alter Bridge, and Three Days Grace, rolled into one with the "fire" sucked out of them.

Ah, well. I think it's an okay CD, overall, but not anything I'd recommed buying. Borrow it from a friend and download the songs you think you might like.
2203131
It was rather short, so therefore it was pretty fast paced.  It seemed quirky to me.  It had some drama but nothing heavy.  The characters were deep, but it just didn't feel like they were deep into each other, yet I liked them together.  I just don't know how to nail down my reaction to this book.  I'm wondering if I should have waited to write the review, but I always want to give my immediate thoughts before I lose the overall effect.  This was funny.  It was full of action and dialogue.  It had a lot of great elements, but I feel like it missed out on something that has to do with the connection between the protagonists.  Funny thing is that I would recommend this for a good quick read because I enjoyed it and am looking forward to book two.
2161524
I only heard of this band thanks to an indication from a friend...he had shown me the title track, and I must say I thought it was a pretty much interesting song. It's definitely not something "new and  original" but that doesn't stop it from being a great CD nonetheless.  "Torn", "My Own Prison" and "Unforgiven" are  the picks in this CD, but one song I really really liked a lot was  "Ode"....that's a great one. I'll be on the look-out for  "Human Clay" when it comes out. If it follows in the footsteps of  Creed's debut album then it's worth the money.
1444389
I love all the Rocky movies and yes Rocky four wasn't very good but hey you still gotta love it when he kicks that young guy ---to the crub.  I think this Rocky went back to the the roots of the 1st Rocky. The trainging the desire to win  and not just to win but to prove to himself. And I thinnk this time around is harder becasue he doen't really have a lot of support from anyone. And plus his son doen't really want him around, Paulie of course is still drunk but the sad part is Adrian si no longer. This broke my heart and it was really strange her not there to push him or encourage him or just loving him. But overall the ending makes you feel like the old Rocky is back and with a vegenence
740230
I found myself somewhat prejudiced (on the good side) with this book. My personal intell career closely followed that of the main character in that he and I both went through Ft. Holabird for Intell training altho he for Counter Intelligence and I for the so called "D" School for training in the collection of Intelligence. I was at Ft H. two years before the protagonist but his descriptions of it and Baltimore, Dundalk and Sparrows Point and all the other local environs were the same and accurate. To be honest I never had much use for the CIC as they were always looking to catch and disrupt. That was OK but "not in my back yard". I found them on occasion to be short sighted and somehow not on the same side as was I. All that was a loooong time ago. DRS
1790662
I liked Marco and Polo.  They reminded me of my brother and me.  I think the other cats were cool but I didn't  like Jake very well.  I think he was selfish and mean.  I liked  the steaknife game and how you sometimes can't trust what people say.