I really wanted to like it because he seems like such a good guy and he's a funny actor. And I feel like that's part of the reason it's getting all this critical acclaim. Unlike the vast majority of pop artists, JT is somebody who is easy to root for. I think this contributes, at least in part, to everybody treating this new album like it's "Thriller" when it's really "Invincible".
As for the new BRMC album, I haven't listened to it yet, but I obviously will soon because they're awesome.