I originally wrote this album has nothing special, and pretty boring. I loved "The Dirty South"...anyway, I just listened to this again for the first time in a while and it's actually really good regardless of it's predecessors.

It was my first introduction to this band, and I liked it so-so. I went back through their catalogue, and they really impressed me. This album is really solid, and Gravity's Gone is one of my favorite songs of the year.

I look forward to seeing them live for the first time on the 25th.

It's weird that Gravity's Gone seems to be the resounding favorite here but might be my least favorite song on the album.

their weakest album, imho

It's still growing on me.

Probably true, after listening to their previous albums. But it's good.

Which to me is like saying "worst Christopher Walken performance," "worst free beer," "worst flavor of ice cream on 100 degree day," or "worst Phoebe Cates nude scene."

It's only true if you've never heard Gangstabilly, Pizza Deliverance or Alabama Ass Whuppin'.

Starting with Southern Rock Opera and all the albums since, I can grudgingly understand that it's all about personal taste over which album you prefer. But if you can't hear the enormous strides in songwriting and musicanship that the band took at the time of SRO, then you might want to reconsider this whole sharing-your-thoughts-in-a-public-forum thing.

Ya just listed the three albums I haven't listened to yet. Compared to SRO and Dirty South, Blessing and a Curse is the weakest of those three. But I commend you on keeping up with your "I'm a fucking hard-ass and everyone else's opinion means shit" posting.

Then shut the fuck up and do your homework.

I gave my opinion on the albums I've heard, what's wrong with that? But please continue to be an unabstructed dick about anything and everything.

the middle section of this disc is really strong

Top 10 candidate. Still prefer Dirty South over it.

Easy On Yourself, Goodbye, Daylight, Wednesday, and a Blessing and a Curse are among the best songs that they've done, and Feb. 14 and Gravity's Gone are really good as well.

I think this album holds up equally to their others just fine. My album of the year.

I can't get this record out of my head now. Fucking great. It took a while, but it finally hit me. I can't believe I missed them last week in Nashville. I was feeling sorry for myself and wouldn't leave the house. STUPID MOVE.

I missed them live, too. And I've been kicking myself. That WS game ended up getting rained out. And I ended up getting caught in the Friday night celebration traffic when I went to see Eagles of Death Metal and Joan Jett.

Weird, because, if the game on Wed. wasn't rained out, there wouldn't have been a Friday game played. But oh well, the concert I went to was worth the two hour trip home in traffic.

i have like 5 albums of theirs and still can't get into them unfortunately

I was initially dissappointed but it's grown on me alot too. Still I'd rank it behind Dirty South, Southern Rock Opera, and Decoration Day though.

I've decided... this sucker is in the Top 3 for 2006.

id say just above southern rock opera.