NEW ALBUM

[Rik]

Just some thoughts on the booklet:
on the tracks below, Dean is listed first, Robert second (I assume these were mainly 'Dean' songs)
on the tracks below, Robert is listed first, Dean second (again, I assume these were mainly 'Rob' songs)
Also, no disclosure on who played the xylophone on 'Thought She'd be Mine' or any other 'who played what' listing

You're right about the Dean & Robert order reflecting who brought most of those songs to the band initially. And Eric played the Marimba on Thought She'd Be Mine.

[BillMurraylovesSTP]

My 2 cents..


Rambling review





-STP 3.0   with a breath of new life
Thought she’d be mine & art of letting go are my favs ..


It’s a combination of all these to me ..


I hear some of this ( it actually made listen to talk show today)

 talk show
+
Can’t name the songs but theirs a few  that sound like it could have been on
The Army of anyone album.
( Mr Patrick ( filter )


Samething regarding the EP
STP high rise
Rip Chester B.






 


 .

[CoconutBackwards]

I've had the album for about a day, wanted to give it a little time before I wrote a few. Overall I see this as a continuation of the direction the band went in Tiny Music and Talk Show, with Gutt's vocals resembling Scott's in Happy in Galoshes and Blaster. I know other have compared this album to SLDD and AoA, but I really don't hear that connection. Those albums were more experimental and hard rocking, this tends to have more of pop/jazz sound with some Aerosmith thrown in.

I agree with this statement and I do like this, but that's easily the biggest problem with this.  For any other band that is an immediate death sentence.

[EyesOfDisarray]

Can’t name the songs but theirs a few  that sound like it could have been on
The Army of anyone album.
( Mr Patrick ( filter )

Roll Me Under

[wickedgarden23]

I had a busy weekend so while I've listened to the album about 3 times since Friday (via Spotify), I haven't been able to sit down and tune everything else out and just listen to the whole thing all the way through. So with that being said, I feel like this initial review I'm about to write is incomplete.

Middle of Nowhere - I think this is a good opener, reminds me a lot of Velvet Revolver and Jeff sounds like Scott in this song probably more than any other (I'm surprised more people haven't expressed the same sentiment)

Guilty - really dig the bass and drum rhythm in the verses. Lyrics strike me as a little cheesy, but this song immediately grabbed me the first time I heard the first 30 seconds or so

Meadow - I had stopped listening to this track because I wanted to hear it in the context of the rest of the album, and now I like it even more than I did before. Really a standout and clearly the best choice to be the lead single

Just a Little Lie - someone mentioned the riff sounded awkward, which I can see. But I still really like it. Love the plodding, kinda psychedelic vibe of the verses and the guitar solo is awesome. Sounds like a classic Dean song to me

Six Eight - I must be missing something here. It's not bad, but hasn't stood out to me at all yet

Thought She'd Be Mine - excellent song, and I'm so glad its stretched out past the 5 minute mark. Definitely has a No.4 or SLDD vibe going on (the end reminded me of the ending of Glide or Bi-Polar Bear)

Roll Me Under - a little generic, I thought it sounded like AOA the first time I heard it and I still feel that way. Jeff really sounds like Richard Patrick here. Not a bad song though and I'm sure it'll be fun live

SIDE NOTE: STP, if youre reading this, please schedule a show in NYC right now!!!

Never Enough - I get why some might not dig it, but I'm a fan. Doesn't blow me away, but I do really like the chorus

The Art Of Letting Go - definitely a standout, as everyone seems to agree on. Beautiful song

Finest Hour - I'm glad they have a blatant tribute song on the album, although I feel like I haven't listened to this one enough to really soak everything up yet

Good Shoes and Red & Blues - combining these two because I simply just haven't listened to them enough yet. Cant even think of their melodies off the top of my head right now. I'm not saying thats an alarming thing, but just acknowledging that they didnt immediately jump out at me and I still have a lot more listening to do!

Overall, I like the album. I think Jeff was the best choice for the job and the band sounds inspired and good. My main complaint surrounding the whole thing is that I haven't seen them live yet!! Lol, not really a complaint about the album, I know, but as someone who lived in Maryland until 2 years ago and now lives in NYC, I'm pretty much down to attend any show I can in NYC, Baltimore or DC and I find it shocking that they havent announced a show in any of those cities yet

[BillMurraylovesSTP]

Can’t name the songs but theirs a few  that sound like it could have been on
The Army of anyone album.
( Mr Patrick ( filter )

Roll Me Under

That’s it

[Slither]

My main complaint surrounding the whole thing is that I haven't seen them live yet!! Lol, not really a complaint about the album, I know, but as someone who lived in Maryland until 2 years ago and now lives in NYC, I'm pretty much down to attend any show I can in NYC, Baltimore or DC and I find it shocking that they havent announced a show in any of those cities yet

Don't understand this at all. I've lived in NYC a bit longer than you have (since 2011) and it seems like I'm constantly having to catch them out of state. Scott always came here on his solo tours but for whatever reason the rest of the band avoids us at all costs. They just played a show in Billings, Montana for chrissake, you're telling me they couldn't easily sell out Gramercy or Irving Plaza?

[wickedgarden23]

My main complaint surrounding the whole thing is that I haven't seen them live yet!! Lol, not really a complaint about the album, I know, but as someone who lived in Maryland until 2 years ago and now lives in NYC, I'm pretty much down to attend any show I can in NYC, Baltimore or DC and I find it shocking that they havent announced a show in any of those cities yet

Don't understand this at all. I've lived in NYC a bit longer than you have (since 2011) and it seems like I'm constantly having to catch them out of state. Scott always came here on his solo tours but for whatever reason the rest of the band avoids us at all costs. They just played a show in Billings, Montana for chrissake, you're telling me they couldn't easily sell out Gramercy or Irving Plaza?

That's bizarre! Didn't realize that was an ongoing thing...I had no problem seeing them (or Scott) in the Baltimore/DC area since I started going to shows around 2007/2008 (every STP related show in my signature was a Baltimore/DC area show except for one, which was in Reading PA).

On another subject related to you directly Slither - if I recall correctly didnt you go to college at the University of Maryland? I could be thinking of someone else, but when I was in college and at my peak Below Empty activity around 2010, I remember there was someone who went to College Park at the time and I thought it was you.

[Slither]

My main complaint surrounding the whole thing is that I haven't seen them live yet!! Lol, not really a complaint about the album, I know, but as someone who lived in Maryland until 2 years ago and now lives in NYC, I'm pretty much down to attend any show I can in NYC, Baltimore or DC and I find it shocking that they havent announced a show in any of those cities yet

Don't understand this at all. I've lived in NYC a bit longer than you have (since 2011) and it seems like I'm constantly having to catch them out of state. Scott always came here on his solo tours but for whatever reason the rest of the band avoids us at all costs. They just played a show in Billings, Montana for chrissake, you're telling me they couldn't easily sell out Gramercy or Irving Plaza?

That's bizarre! Didn't realize that was an ongoing thing...I had no problem seeing them (or Scott) in the Baltimore/DC area since I started going to shows around 2007/2008 (every STP related show in my signature was a Baltimore/DC area show except for one, which was in Reading PA).

On another subject related to you directly Slither - if I recall correctly didnt you go to college at the University of Maryland? I could be thinking of someone else, but when I was in college and at my peak Below Empty activity around 2010, I remember there was someone who went to College Park at the time and I thought it was you.

Sure did. That was 7+ years ago, hard to believe.

[CritterTypeThing]

Having the weekend to digest better, I'm not really gonna be able to add much, if anything, to 15 pages of comments.  But I really do love this album already.

Whoever made the comments that this is the true followup in progression after SLDD is 100%.  There's a little bit of everything STP here and it flows beautifully.  And then we get a little of the blues-based rock they seemed to embrace in the previous S/T album.  There are just some great cohesive tracks here and Jeff seems to do a great job with vocals.  But the music itself is so absolutely the next step in the flow from No. 4 to SLDD to now.

The ONLY negative....and it's not even a negative, just something that brings me out of focus every now and then is that I find myself wondering what kind of magic Scott could have put to some of these songs.  Mind you, not "Reunion Scott" but rather "No4/SLDD era Scott" that I fell in love with.  I don't want that thought to take away from a great performance from Jeff here because there are some really great vocals.  I just always had such a soft spot for what Scott could do on slower/lighter songs like what we get here with "Thought She'd Be Mine" "The Art of Letting Go" and "Finest Hour", so it just kind of brings me back a bit to feeling the loss of Scott.


All that said, I absolutely love The Art of Letting Go and Finest Hour on this album.  They stand out most for me right now.  Has there been any indication from anyone in STP world if Finest Hour is a tribute to Scott or Chester or both or someone else?


Was glad to see and got a little steamy-eyed reading the liner notes that the band dedicated the album to Scott & Chester.  And that Jeff thanked both Chester & Scott in his personal notes.  Got REALLY steamy-eyed reading along to Finest Hour the first time.

 

[loungefly90]

All that said, I absolutely love The Art of Letting Go and Finest Hour on this album.  They stand out most for me right now.  Has there been any indication from anyone in STP world if Finest Hour is a tribute to Scott or Chester or both or someone else?


Was glad to see and got a little steamy-eyed reading the liner notes that the band dedicated the album to Scott & Chester.  And that Jeff thanked both Chester & Scott in his personal notes.  Got REALLY steamy-eyed reading along to Finest Hour the first time.

 

I for sure want to be clear that Finest Hour is my absolute favorite song on this album and with each few songs I am showing new fans, some people like Meadow, others like The Art of Letting Go, and others like Just A Little Lie, which is terrific. However, I am not 100% convinced that Finest Hour is a blatant tribute to Scott, Chester, or both specifically. I would like to think this, and while it is certainly possible, people on these threads have been attempting to make tribute comparisons since Meadow, which I think is a huge stretch. Obviously, this is a tribute of some kind, but my point is that Jeff has lived for 40 years outside of STP. Couldn’t the lyrics have something to do with a friend of his that passed away early?

[Flyingmerpa]

All that said, I absolutely love The Art of Letting Go and Finest Hour on this album.  They stand out most for me right now.  Has there been any indication from anyone in STP world if Finest Hour is a tribute to Scott or Chester or both or someone else?


Was glad to see and got a little steamy-eyed reading the liner notes that the band dedicated the album to Scott & Chester.  And that Jeff thanked both Chester & Scott in his personal notes.  Got REALLY steamy-eyed reading along to Finest Hour the first time.

 

I for sure want to be clear that Finest Hour is my absolute favorite song on this album and with each few songs I am showing new fans, some people like Meadow, others like The Art of Letting Go, and others like Just A Little Lie, which is terrific. However, I am not 100% convinced that Finest Hour is a blatant tribute to Scott, Chester, or both specifically. I would like to think this, and while it is certainly possible, people on these threads have been attempting to make tribute comparisons since Meadow, which I think is a huge stretch. Obviously, this is a tribute of some kind, but my point is that Jeff has lived for 40 years outside of STP. Couldn’t the lyrics have something to do with a friend of his that passed away early?

From the recent AltWire interview:


AW: In listening to the record, I felt ‘Finest Hour’ in many ways lyrically seemed like it could be about Chester or Scott. Am I correct in my interpretation of the lyrics and did the loss of your former bandmates factor lyrically into the album?

Robert DeLeo: Yes, it is. It’s a serious nod and prayer to the people who are partly responsible for us being here. There are a lot of emotions put into this record and I think that Jeff did a great job coming up with things lyrically. We’re really pleased with where he brought the song together as a whole, and there’s definitely a sentiment there for Scott and Chester in ‘Finest Hour’.

[John]

Also, no disclosure on who played the xylophone on 'Thought She'd be Mine' or any other 'who played what' listing

I believe it's a vibraphone with the motor turned off. 

I'll also add that I don't think it's "real".  Sounds like a keyboard/sampler to me. 

[CritterTypeThing]

All that said, I absolutely love The Art of Letting Go and Finest Hour on this album.  They stand out most for me right now.  Has there been any indication from anyone in STP world if Finest Hour is a tribute to Scott or Chester or both or someone else?


Was glad to see and got a little steamy-eyed reading the liner notes that the band dedicated the album to Scott & Chester.  And that Jeff thanked both Chester & Scott in his personal notes.  Got REALLY steamy-eyed reading along to Finest Hour the first time.

 

I for sure want to be clear that Finest Hour is my absolute favorite song on this album and with each few songs I am showing new fans, some people like Meadow, others like The Art of Letting Go, and others like Just A Little Lie, which is terrific. However, I am not 100% convinced that Finest Hour is a blatant tribute to Scott, Chester, or both specifically. I would like to think this, and while it is certainly possible, people on these threads have been attempting to make tribute comparisons since Meadow, which I think is a huge stretch. Obviously, this is a tribute of some kind, but my point is that Jeff has lived for 40 years outside of STP. Couldn’t the lyrics have something to do with a friend of his that passed away early?

I definitely agree.  I didn't/don't want to just speculate it's a tribute song, which is why I included "someone else" in the scope. 

While Meadow is a bit more metaphorical, this is obviously right on the nose of having lost someone.  That's why I wanted to ask if anyone on here who's paid more attention to articles/interviews had heard if they directly said it was about either one of them, or if maybe it was lyrics Jeff had from 15 years ago and they went with it because it's a fitting gesture.

[CritterTypeThing]

All that said, I absolutely love The Art of Letting Go and Finest Hour on this album.  They stand out most for me right now.  Has there been any indication from anyone in STP world if Finest Hour is a tribute to Scott or Chester or both or someone else?


Was glad to see and got a little steamy-eyed reading the liner notes that the band dedicated the album to Scott & Chester.  And that Jeff thanked both Chester & Scott in his personal notes.  Got REALLY steamy-eyed reading along to Finest Hour the first time.

 

I for sure want to be clear that Finest Hour is my absolute favorite song on this album and with each few songs I am showing new fans, some people like Meadow, others like The Art of Letting Go, and others like Just A Little Lie, which is terrific. However, I am not 100% convinced that Finest Hour is a blatant tribute to Scott, Chester, or both specifically. I would like to think this, and while it is certainly possible, people on these threads have been attempting to make tribute comparisons since Meadow, which I think is a huge stretch. Obviously, this is a tribute of some kind, but my point is that Jeff has lived for 40 years outside of STP. Couldn’t the lyrics have something to do with a friend of his that passed away early?

From the recent AltWire interview:


AW: In listening to the record, I felt ‘Finest Hour’ in many ways lyrically seemed like it could be about Chester or Scott. Am I correct in my interpretation of the lyrics and did the loss of your former bandmates factor lyrically into the album?

Robert DeLeo: Yes, it is. It’s a serious nod and prayer to the people who are partly responsible for us being here. There are a lot of emotions put into this record and I think that Jeff did a great job coming up with things lyrically. We’re really pleased with where he brought the song together as a whole, and there’s definitely a sentiment there for Scott and Chester in ‘Finest Hour’.

Awesome find, thanks!