...if you resent Danny Elfman with all your might for not composing The Nightmare Before Christmas 2 just for you.

That seems to be the overall sentiment in the film music community. Somehow people expect the same musical score out of two movies that share a similar style of animation. People should get over the fact that Corpse Bride isn't a sequel to Burton's earlier stop-motion project and that it is indeed good, solid work that comes as a refreshment in an otherwise gloomy season for this kind of music. Do I think it's better than Nightmare? No. I also don't think it's better than Batman, Edward Scissorhands or Sleepy Hollow, but that's beside the point, isn't it? This is good music, not some other score's "evil twin". Judge it on its own merits.