...I didn’t have to listen to tracks 5 and 6 times and they did not have to grow on me. When a song needs time to grow on me, I then stick with my first impression: It’s not a very good song. Or, it is growing on people because it’s STP and people want to like the song, so with those 5 and 6 listens, they talk themselves into it, which is a problem. I pretty much refuse to do that, especially here...My point is that when people sit there and play it again and again and again, and still are yet to make up their minds, this indirectly says it isn’t good. Otherwise, you would have felt it right away. I’m not saying certain songs haven’t grown on me over the years, they absolutely have, but when I love something, I know it and I assume others do too.
I respectfully disagree with you on this point. Some of my all-time favorite songs and albums are ones that were "growers." Sometimes the epiphany of finally "getting" a song is even more powerful than loving it immediately. Always fascinating to see the different ways people experience music.
As for Never Enough, I REALLY like this song right off the bat. I understand where you're drawing some parallels to ST10, and that's because of the blues-based riff in the verse. STP, up until 2010, had always been more alt-jazz/prog in there sound, which attributed for their unique sound and vibe. I can't think of a single time, pre-ST10, that they dabbled in the instantly recognizable blues rock, barrelhouse-trope that defines bands like Aerosmith, GNR, and Roadhouse Blues-type Doors. When STP did something more southern, it tended to be alt-country, like "I Got You," and "ISL" (which was still a bossa nova song at its core). Then on the first Self-titled, they went full in on Aerosmith. Not my favorite.
But Never Enough is Doors-style blues, smashed into White Lightning Weiland, giving way to Abbey Road-esque harmonies in the bridge and chorus.
TL;DR: I like this song.
To each their own without a doubt, and let me be clear: I am glad the response for this song has been generally positive. I want STP to be liked and I want them to be successful. If it was my choice to hate their material but them be successful or I love their work, but they remain underground, I would choose to hate their music for their benefit.
I think my main point is that over the years I felt as if something changed with this band and Scott as well and I am seeing remnants of that on this song. I loved 12BB and then when Happy came out, I felt myself really wanting to like it, listening to it over and over, and hoping for a result I could accept. The same thing absolutely happened with the 2010 album and Blaster. I listened and then I listened again, and it was the same result after a dozen times. with the 2010 album, I learned I was not going to put a stamp of approval on it just because I loved STP. I wanted to be honest that if they made crappy music, they would receive a crappy review as that's what was fair. It was really hard for me to accept that the band who wrote Atlanta was the same band who wrote Huckleberry Crumble.
I absolutely can agree that what was once a dud can easily become a wonderful song. However, I think disliking something and then liking it years later is different than listening to something on repeat and not being able to make up your mind. I used to hate Bipolar Bear and then when I listened to the lyric, "Left my meds on the sink again. My head will be racing by lunchtime" something changed for me and I loved the song. I have no idea why and as someone who does not take medication of any kind, I have absolutely no reason for falling in love with the song, or for that small reason, but I did. I'm with you there. However, my complaint with this song has to do with that Doors-sound you mentioned as I am not a huge classic rock fan, but am a large fan of grunge. Of course, I get the impression this is the music that Dean loves to play because you can really hear the influences strong here in the guitar.
I often view listening to STP or Scott-related projects as eating a meal, trying a new dish, or a new restaurant: once the first bite goes in my mouth, it really doesn't take much more for me to come up with my review and many cooking shows only take a bite or two themselves before giving the verdict. I will finish the meal, but the truth is that bad dishes hardly ever become good later on. If I haven't made up my mind by the 5th or 6th spoonful, then it sounds like my mind is actually already made up (if that makes sense).
