Stone Temple Pilots are a band that has taken me a long time to respect. They have always had great, catchy songs which were, and still are, great for rock radio. However, like a lot of detractors back in the day, I thought they were pretty derivative. I still remember David Spade on Saturday Night Live talking about STP: "I liked them better the first time... when they were called Pearl Jam." That pretty much summed up my opinion of the band for their first couple of albums. Even though I thought their songs were decent, I never really gave them a chance. For me, they would always be a "plush" version of Pearl Jam.
Gradually, I started to actually gain some respect for the band. I think what did it for me was the "Big Bang Baby" video, which was more influenced by 70's glam than Eddie Vedder. From this point on they actually released music that sounded a bit different from their alt-rock contemporaries. As well, I really started to notice Scott Weiland coming into his own as a frontman. He's not the best singer or lyricist, but he has become one of the most charismatic frontmen of the last couple decades. As well, Dean DeLeo is just a monster on guitar. Sometimes if a band slugs it out long enough, you have no choice but to respect them on some level. (However, this theory definitely has not worked for Nickelback.)
Now, after breaking up, Weiland's stint in Velvet Revolver, and a successful reunion tour (including a stop here in Regina), STP are back with a solid self-titled album. This album won't set the world on fire, but it's a fine comeback nonetheless. First track and single "Between The Lines" is a catchy, energetic tune that sets the tone perfectly. And judging by their appearances on David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel, this song rips live. This won't be a contender for album of the year, but it'll sound pretty great cranked up on a nice summer day. It's definitely worth checking out.
You can see their video for "Between The Lines" below.
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