Scott Stapp - Higher Power (2024)


I have to be honest. After listening to some singles, I was uninterested in this new Scott Stapp album. I really like him as a singer and I love some songs by Creed or his solo career or projects (Art of Anarchy, above all), but the production of the title track and especially "Black Butterfly" (come on Scott, you don't need autotune, you are a great singer) put me off. But I gave it a chance anyway and I'm happy I did it.

The lyrics are, as always, very intense, personal, and kind of dark, Scott's trademark. There are lots of ballads too, and honestly, I prefer Scott's voice in this environment so I can't say I am not happy about it. As I said, I didn't like the single "Black Butterfly" and I have also mixed feelings about the title track, a little too modern in terms of production for my taste,. but some songs struck me on the first listen. "When Love Is Not Enough", and especially "What I Deserve" and "Dancing In The Rain" are beautiful power ballads, for instance. Good songs are the energetic "Deadman's Trigger" and "Quicksand" and Scott's vocal performance is spectacular in terms of intensity in the second part of "You’re Not Alone". 

"Higher Power" is a good album, with the right length (39 minutes for 10 songs), different types of songs (but with an inclination toward power ballads, I warn you in case you are not a fan) and good songs, the main ingredient for a good album. I think you will see this one in my personal top 10 of 2024, at the end of the year.

Rating 70/100
Top tracks: "When Love Is Not Enough", "What I Deserve", "Dancing In The Rain"

Track List:
Higher Power
Deadman’s Trigger
When Love Is Not Enough
What I Deserve
If These Walls Could Talk
Black Butterfly
Quicksand
You’re Not Alone
Dancing In The Rain
Weight Of The World