Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!
Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!

JFH Music Review


Scott Stapp, Proof of Life
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Scott Stapp
Proof of Life



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Rock / Pop Rock
Album length: 11 tracks: 41 minutes, 57 seconds
Street Date: November 5, 2013


Scott Stapp returns with a solo effort after releasing Full Circle with his band, Creed in 2009. If anyone is even slightly familiar with rock music, it would seem unusual for one to be unaware of Creed, a band that has sold a substantial amount of albums (over 40 million) and garnered what seemed like endless exposure on video channels back in the early 2000s. Creed often had to deal with the criticisms of being compared to other bands or being labeled as a post-grunge endeavor in music. A solo record is nothing new to Stapp, as he made his debut in 2005 with The Great Divide, after Creed disbanded temporarily in 2004. It's always fascinating when an artist can remain humble after being a part of something as influential as the band Creed.

The album would initially appear to be in the hard rock category with the opening tracks "Slow Suicide" and "Who I Am." "Who I Am" echoes the riffs and sounds of Creed's "What if." A word of caution with "Who I Am" as it contains mild curse words in it ("D*mmit" and "Hell"). The title cut, "Proof of Life," is one of the more prominent songs and asks what one's purpose is for being here with a stirring message: "No excuses for your sickness / it's your choices that got you here / are you caught in the headlight standing still? / Don't you wish you could run away? / Have you lost your desire for someone to come and save you? / I will give everything to justify the reason I'm alive." "Only One" is easily the best song with a captivating rhythm which contains an implication about having faith in God regardless of difficulties, changes, or times when one doubts themselves, as it implies: "Even when you feel so low like you might let go / I will be the first one reaching out to you / I will be the last one giving up on you." The boldest and most forward song, "Jesus was a RockStar" is a refreshing change of pace on the album with a marching, blues-like beat. Jesus' accomplishments and story are addressed as it insinuates that Jesus was something very special and worth honoring: "He walked on water / he turned water to wine and drank with people you and I would just cast aside / he fed his people food / and in the blink of an eye, he gave a blind man sight... he gave us everything and more/ he was your party that you'd been looking for / Maybe, just maybe, Jesus was a rock star." The album slows down from this point on and closes with another memorable track, "Dying to Live," which carries an especially optimistic tone by telling the listener that there is more awaiting them in life: "What I thought was all of my life's story / turns out it was only just one page / it's a new beginning, I've got so much left to see / I'm dying to breath in every moment…I'm dying to let go and feel what real love is."

This is by no means a groundbreaking album, and it seems that Scott Stapp was mostly going for an album from his own experience while he sums it up stating, "I've made a lot of messes in my life but I've learned I can take a mess and turn it into a message. This album chronicles my struggles, my journey and it's the most honest records I have ever written." Proof of Life has notable moments that are found here and there with some tunes that many will appreciate. It will appease the Creed and Daughtry fans alike or anyone in search of rock music that also has its lighter moments ("What Would Love Do," "Only One" and "Dying to Live").

- Review date: 11/5/13, written by Wayne Myatt of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

. Record Label: Wind Up Records
. Album length: 11 tracks: 41 minutes, 57 seconds
. Street Date: November 5, 2013
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Slow Suicide (3:29)
  2. Who I Am (2:44)
  3. Proof of Life (3:48)
  4. New Day Coming (3:47)
  5. Only One (4:56)
  6. Break Out (3:39)
  7. Hit Me More (3:26)
  8. Jesus Was A RockStar (3:29)
  9. What Would Love Do (4:32)
  10. Crash (4:17)
  11. Dying To Live (4:06)
spacer     Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics

 

Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, June 27, 2025
ALBUMS
7eventh Time Down We Praise You [BEC]
The Browns 25th Anniversary: Better Days Ahead [StowTown]
Franni Cash Wild Child - EP [Capitol CMG]
Matt Crocker interlude [Anotherland]
Jimmy Fortune Songs of an American Dreamer [Gaither]
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - EP [DREAM]
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise The Live Reunion: Washington, DC [James Town]
Kutless The Seventh Seal - EP [BEC]
Evvie McKinney It Ain't Over - EP (independent)
Rusty Shipp Capsized Empire (independent)
SEU Worship A Forgiving God [Provident]
The Shimmering Carnelians The Doorway (Version 2.0) (independent)
We Are Messengers A Thousand Times - EP [Curb]

SINGLES
Anchor & Braille Rattlesnake - Single [Equal Vision]
ANTHNY imposter syndrome - Single [Provident]
Blanca Right On Time - Single [Curb]
Landry Cantrell & Elenee sunshine & rainbows - Single [DREAM]
Eddie Clark Never Content - Single [Syntax]
Colony House Atomic - Single [Roon]
Megan Danielle Preachin' To The Choir - Single [Provident]
Drea LP & OnBeatMusic Don't Try Me (DTM) - Single [Syntax]
Joseph Habedank Running to Me - Single [Daywind]
Lonnie Hunter Flow (Like A River) - Single [Uncle G]
Kashh Kade HELP - Single [Syntax]
KB x KEANU Keanu's Song - Single [Provident]
Tasha Layton Singing In the Dark - Single [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard The Hand That Keeps Holding - Single [Motown Gospel]
Tim Lovelace Celebration of America Medley (feat. Charlie McCoy) - Single [StowTown]
Lecrae Tell No Lie (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) - Single [Reach]
LO Worship The Perfect Love of Jesus - Single [Integrity]
Patrick Mayberry Thank The Lord - Single [Provident]
Michael Monroe John The Baptist (feat. Chris Renzema) - Single [Provident]
Alexander Pappas A Great Awakening / Un Nuevo Despertar - Single [Integrity]
PEABOD Summer in Seattle - Single [RMG Amplify]
Rave Jesus Walk On The Water Remix (From The Chosen) - Single [Provident]
The Rocky Valentines Nat Song - Single [Velvet Blue]
Saints In Exile & Cutright My Dead End (ft. Jeannie Ortega, Luc DiMarzio, Jericko) - Single [Syntax]
Emilie Weiss Take Care (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]

DVD
Jimmy Fortune Songs Of An American Dreamer DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, July 4, 2025
ALBUMS
Chad Cory America [DREAM]
Tenielle Neda The Way Of Love [Wings]

SINGLES
Christian Back Now - Single [DREAM]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images