I'm bumping this because I have a legitimate review. I think there's a lot to be said now that the album has been out for a while and the hype/promotion is basically over.
Stone Temple Pilots - Self Title (2010)
For an album made nine years after their last studio release, I can't say that I was disappointed, but that's also not to say that the album was flawless. S/T definitely fits well into the already unforgettable library that STP has created, but where the album falls short is the underlying chemistry that the sound is lacking, mainly due to the band picking up where they left off after almost a decade, and because you can tell they are playing things a little safe.
Not to dog on "Between The Lines" because it's by no means a bad song, but it didn't seem like an ambitious enough choice for a first single. To make things worse, the music video excluded most traces of the actual band, especially the more memorable aspects of Scott Weiland's personality. I would argue that Scott's image was a huge factor in the success of the band, and with this album and with the following tour it's apparently missing.
I don't mean to sound excessively judgmental, but in my eyes this combination played a huge factor in why this album sold modestly, and when an album full of rock solid songs doesn't get the notoriety it deserves, some of that may be because of Atlantic, and some it may be the fault of the actual band.
With all the pessimism out of the way, I will say again that this album is definitely within the realm of Stone Temple Pilots' more successful endeavors. I automatically compare this to their other comeback album No. 4, because both albums seemed to me to be jumping off points for re-establishing the band. I'm not saying that No. 4 was bad, but I must admit their were some songs on the album that felt out of place. "No Way Out" and "Sex & Violence" specifically came off as "we're trying to be cool" more than actual STP songs.
S/T, however, felt 100% Stone Temple Pilots from beginning to end, and that is something I not only found refreshing but also respectable. It's the kind of album that makes you look forward to the next album, instead of hoping the next album will be better. It's not like Jane's Addiction's "Strays"or their newest "The Great Escape Artist" where you can hear a band that lost their ambition and sound a long time ago, and are clearly putting out an album in hopes of making some money.
Highlights from this album for me are "Hickory Dichotomy" "Peacoat" and "First Kiss On Mars."
