When I even begin to think about the upcoming album, I can’t help but consider how disappointed I was with their last musical efforts. I felt the band absolutely regressed with the self-titled album as well as their work with Chester. It seems as if the band had embraced more of a classic pop-rock type of style, but in a sense that things were rushed. When I listened to the self-titled album and the work with Chester, the feeling of rushing things just did not go away and this parallels the melodies and music written. The songs are quick, lack development, and just sound as if they were thrown together. They are overly sloppy as well. It almost sounds as if the album was a joke and I can always go back to Bagman when I need a good laugh. How was this the same band that wrote Dead and Bloated?
I remember being at school and hearing some short clips of the self-titled record’s songs and it was disappointment after disappointment. Who were these guys and what came of the band who wrote songs like Wonderful, Glide, and And So I Know? This seemed like a different group and I always felt that the music and lyrics were equally terrible. I am completely for bands changing styles and progressing. However, their last efforts were regressions without a doubt. Three minute songs that were terribly put together? I had always loved Scott and STP, but when the self-titled came out, I began listening to other bands and knew in my heart it would truly be their last record with Scott. In fact, if I am being completely honest, I simply cannot find one salvageable song on that entire effort and knew upon listening to it I would hate it after the first song.
I am probably like you where almost every STP song you’ve ever heard was an immediate love. That’s how it was for me and that’s why STP became my favorite band. Their music just hit me in ways that other band’s albums did not and Scott shined on song after song. Later in their careers, I had to talk myself into liking their work and with this, they no longer became my favorite group. I did not want to hate the self-titled effort, but this was truly not the same band by a long shot.
Me personally, I am glad that STP is continuing. I am glad they are touring, are keeping the name, and have found a new singer who seems to be doing a great job. They deserve to continue their legacy. The two singles released thus far are a great musical direction for the band and I am very excited to hear more. I think Roll Me Under is a great song and is truly worth very high praise. I haven’t loved one of their songs this much since All in the Suit That You Wear was released.
I am seeing the group in Sacramento on 3/13 and although it won’t be with Scott, the last effort proved that maybe Scott lost that magic touch somewhere. While I would rather travel back to 1994, I would rather see them now rather than not at all.
