Stone Temple Pilots – 'Stone Temple Pilots'
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For the Stone Temple Pilots, the extremely fractured San Diego sons announcing their return to the Modern Rock market with their first disc in nine years, their eponymous 2010 release appears to indicate this grisly mob of talented yet tumultuously rowdy Rock n’ Rollers have finally found a balance between Music and self-inflicted mutiny. This is the organic incarnation of Stone Temple Pilots deleting the hype and hypocrisy unveiling a gaggle of wealthy men, both spiritually and financially, who are using their questionable experiences for the power of good. ‘Stone Temple Pilots’ seemingly waves goodbye to the chemically dependant debauchery that went before, instead ushering in a placated period of peace for four forty-somethings who have lived the dream and, more importantly, lived to tell the tale.
For an outfit whose Music has largely been considered secondary in favour of the colossal cock-ups frontman Scott Weiland’s substance assisted headlines have garnered, it must be refreshing to support a release that is relatively drama-free. Despite a very public implosion with Slash’s metal supergroup Velvet Revolver, Weiland’s return to STP has reportedly been met with an unprecedented ease. A spin of the group’s sixth studio album certainly plays like a feel good rock band who have effortlessly produced a classic retro effort meaty in riffs and lacking in tiffs. But are these really the seeds of a second chance for the weathered, feathered four-piece or has Weiland simply returned to the comfort of his meat and potatoes day job readying himself for the next inevitable drug-fuelled derailment?
‘Stone Temple Pilots’ certainly starts promisingly enough, kicking off with recent Rock radio chart topper ‘Between the Lines’, a sharp slab of seventies inspired sunshine. Upbeat and fresh, energized and invigorated, ‘Between the Lines’ introduces a focused, harmonised band who appear to have learnt from their problematic past. ‘Take a Load Off’ continues the throwback thrash splintering into shades of Aerosmith when they still had a message worth screaming about before ‘Huckleberry Crumble’ shines the spotlight on a crunching AC/DC-esque ode to sex at American truck stops. For a twelve track set that climaxes at the forty one minute mark, no snippet outstays it’s welcome preferring to celebrate the sentiment of being here for a good time, not a long time, with the running order perfectly accommodating the laid back, seventies vibe that clearly serves as it’s inspiration. Weiland, a songwriter who has always worn his influences on his skintight paisley sleeve, continues to conjure up the spirit of his hero David Bowie on ‘First Kiss on Mars’ but it’s the powerfully gyrating guitar work of Dean DeLeo that truly steals the show. Leading every number through textured noodling and sexually charged licks, the six stringer dominates the direction of each cut with an understated skill and matured musicality.
One criticism that may be flung forwards is that whilst this sounds like a faithful arena rock record that could easily share shelf spacer with an early seventies Zeppelin offering, it doesn’t really sound like a classic Stone Temple Pilot’s album. Far too much emphasis has been put on influence stifling the group’s originality and deleting important traces of the band’s previously trademark template. Still, when choruses soar as loud and proud as ‘Fast as I Can’ there appears to be very little to complain about.
Sleazy, inspired and anthemic, don’t call this a comeback they sound like they’ve been here for years. Catch ‘em at Download, you will not be disappointed.
