Review Summary: “Thank You” is in a nutshell a great representation of what STP was.
It’s not easy being the Stone Temple Pilots. Arriving on the grunge scene just after the likes of Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden, STP has been overshadowed by its predecessors. At the time, the success of those bands set the bar high for the other grunge acts, few of which reached the standard. This allowed for STP to fly in under the radar and achieve the success that should be celebrated among fans of grunge.
The peak of STP’s success came in 1992, when the critically acclaimed debut album “Core” was released. The singles
Dead and Bloated,
Wicked Garden,
Creep, and especially
Plush attained mainstream success soon after the album was released. The follow-up album “Purple” achieved somewhat of the same type of acclaim as its predecessor, producing singles
Big Empty,
Vasoline,
Interstate Love Song, and
Unglued. After “Purple” however, the band’s accomplishments began to diminish with “Tiny Music…Songs From the Vatican…,” “No. 4,” and especially “Shangri-La-Dee-Da.” These three albums, while spreading out some great songs, could not live up to “Core” or “Purple.”
The release of “Thank You” was meant to be a tribute to the band’s fans for their years of dedication and support. This greatest hits compilation was released in 2003, when the band decided to go their separate ways. Lead singer Scott Weiland was to unite with former Guns N’ Roses members to form Velvet Revolver, which would hurt his career more than it would help it. This compilation however, gives the listener a good overview of what STP was, with 14 very good songs and an acoustic version of
Plush.
Out of the 14 original studio tracks, half of them came from albums “Core” and “Purple.” Six of the remaining songs were scattered throughout the band’s last three albums. This album included one new track,
All in the Suit That You Wear, which was given airplay at the time of this release.
All in the Suit That You Wear is a grungy track in which features a powerful riff and potent vocals from Weiland. This new song resembles much of STP’s early albums and fits perfectly into the compilation.
Scott Weiland’s vocals may be what stands out the most on this record; he showcases his powerful grunge voice in
Wicked Garden, and his pure singing and falsetto in
Sour Girl.
Sour Girl is without a doubt one of the highlights of STP’s career; it is an absolutely wonderful song. Weiland hooks the listener immediately with “She turns away, what is she looking at? She was a sour girl the day that she met me.” The chorus is insanely catchy and features simple, yet effective leads by guitarist Dean Deleo. Tiny Music’s
Tripping on a Hole in a Paper Heart is a highlight as well, displaying possibly the greatest riff the band has developed. It would be impossible to not mention
Plush as an underscore of the record, for the song is composed beautifully from the captivating guitar riff to Weiland’s utterances of “And I feel, and I feel when the dogs begin to smell her.” The acoustic version at the conclusion of the record stands out as well, Weiland’s vocals are absolutely superb. The variety of the record is a plus, the tracks range from the very heavy Down to ballads
Lady Picture Show and the Nirvana-esque
Creep.
Interstate Love Song deserves a mention as well, this mid-tempo ballad is complete with hooks and again, great vocal work.
“Thank You” is in a nutshell a great representation of what STP was. Sure the record doesn’t include some of the band’s best work such as
Dead and Bloated and
Where the River Goes, but is a very strong record with no weak points. When you talk about the grunge of the 90s, these guys deserve to be part of the discussion.
