Review Summary: There's nothing here as undeniable as Interstate Love Song or Sour Girl but that doesn't stop the Stone Temple Pilot's Sixth album from being their most upbeat and consistent work.
The Stone Temple Pilots are a very misunderstood band, at times this is their own doing and sometimes the slings fired at them are poorly misjudged. You could call them survivors of the grunge era, but in all fairness the grunge comparisons stop firmly at 1994s Purple. Even then tracks such as Vaseline, Interstate Love Song and Pretty Penny were harkening back to the 60s. Weiland's love of psychedelics and the DeLeo Brothers love of sleazy glam riffs are what makes the group unique. They can rock hard as heard on 1999s excellent No. 4, but hard rock is only one of the styles they like to dabble in.
The Pilots are essentially the worlds best juke box band. Yes, there are bands that noodle with genres better than them, but no other band loves to shamelessly wear their influences on their sleeves. Nowhere is this more prominent than on the Stone Temple Pilots 6th studio album. When a band self titles a release it is usually their most important musical statement, a recording that sums up their entire musical carrier whilst reviewing where it has taken them. First things first then, fans will be happy to know that the Pilots have named their album appropriately. The difficult question is, does it reach the expectations of past efforts? Well the answer in short is: Yes and No.
Stone Temple Pilots is not hit heavy and it lacks the finish of long time producer Brendan O' Brien, however the group has gained something in their loss. Stone Temple Pilots offers the most musically varied and consistent set of songs the group has yet recorded. That is not to say it is their best album because it isn't, but it is further proof that these guys know how to make good, professional records.
This is the kind of music that grabs you if you are in the right mood or situation. When I first heard it I felt indifferent, but once the Beatlesque "Dare If You Dare" cracked through the speakers of my local HMV all the pieces came together. Right now the Pilots are one of the only bands that can bring back music of old and make it sound new again. I had a fun time with their name checking (Nirvana fans should have a listen to "Between the Lines") It was very nice to hear the first good Aerosmith tune in a long time too in "Huckleberry Crumble" and it's not even Aerosmiths.
Another high point of the album is Weiland, like him or not he's a very flexible vocalist. It's also surprising that he's improved lyrically, switching to the third person from time to time and no longer wallowing in self-pity, though don't go expecting Bob Dylan. There are weaknesses here, namely the go nowhere feel of the two tracks "Peacoat" and "Fast as I Can" which suffer from chorus's that take flight then stumble. It's a shame really because they both could have come from Purple. The production the DeLeo Brothers give to the recording also could have done with less overdubbing, even if it does make the albums best song, "Maver", a shimmering piano ballad sound fantastic.
Without giving away too much I will simply tell you that the Pilots latest offering is a fan pleaser. Nearly 10 years has passed since they last made music together and they haven't lost a step. However, some of their weaknesses haven't been lost either. There are some new pleasures to be found such as the sweet pop of "Cinnamon" and a lighter atmosphere, but there is a nagging feeling that they could have expanded their sound further. They seem capable of creating something more modern and fresh, especially if you've heard Weiland's Solo material.
Rating: 3.0 for the casual listener
3.5 for the initiated
