[titan9]

Not to jump down your throat, but in all fairness, I do not think you can judge an album based on half of the first two tracks. For TGD in particular, I think a few full listens(listening to the album from the first track to the last) are needed to really judge the album. Just my opinion.

As far as the topic at hand, well, I'll be honest: I like ODR and TGD equally. There are qualities about both that I really enjoy(for ODR, it is Myles' soaring vocals and Mark's amazing solos and for TGD, it is Stapp's smooth vocals and decent lyrics) and weaknesses in both(TGD's music is fairly simplistic while ODR's lyrics are kinda boring to me[outside of a few tracks, like FTR]). Honestly, I can draw more spirituality from TGD(by listening to the CD from the first to the last track) than from ODR. I really look at the way TGD's tracks are arranged as taking a person through a journey. I guess I just relate more with the lyrics because, well, spiritually speaking, I've been through some of the same things Stapp has. The CD basically takes me back to where I once was, and brings me back(by the last track) to where I am today(if that makes any sense, whatsoever). ODR doesn't do the same thing for me and I don't have as much of an appreciation for the lyrics on that CD. I guess it's just that I'm used to lyrics that aren't overly simplistic and really make you think.

For the next Stapp album, I'd like to see improved music and better lyrics. For the next AB album, I'd like to see more solos and Myles writing the lyrics. Both artists put out good debuts, imo, but both have a good bit to improve upon. Neither album, to me, is on the same level as Creed's classic MOP CD, but I think both artists could approach that level with their next CDs...if things are done to improve upon the debut CDs. We'll see, I guess.