Stone Temple Pilots – Stone Temple Pilots (Rhino)

October for music fans means Rhino Records’ annual “Rocktober” promotion and this year they have released 43 limited edition vinyl reissues, available exclusively at brick-and-mortar stores.  Offerings this year include, Black Sabbath, Yes, Ministry, Dream Theater, Stone Temple Pilots, Faces, The Doors and many more.

Today we will revisit the 2010 self-titled album by Stone Temple Pilots, offered here on limited edition maroon vinyl.  After a lengthy hiatus, mainly due to the late Scott Weiland’s well-documented drug addiction, Stone Temple Pilots was a worthy comeback album.  The self-produced sixth album was stripped down, with a guitar-centric sound led by the singles, “Between The Lines”, “Hickory Dichotomy” and “Cinnamon”. 

Opening track, “Between The Lines” crashes through your speakers with the same hard-rock laced with psychedelic swagger STP fans were accustomed to before the hiatus.  The first half of the record is solid with the swinging early Aerosmith-inspired “Huckleberry Crumble”, the glam-rock Bowie-esque romp, “Hickory Dichotomy” and standout single, “Cinnamon” which alternates between guitars that sparkle, jangle and crunch alongside an easy-going hook.  The B-side boasts the heavy, Zeppelin-like stomp of “Hazy Daze” and “Peacoat”; and more cosmic Bowie cosplay with standout track, “First Kiss On Mars”.  The album closes out with fan-favorite “Maver”, which is a breath of fresh air after all the loud guitars with its piano-led groove and soothing vocal melodies.  

Upon its release, the album was met with mixed reviews as some critics and fans lamented the absence of the “Big Empty”-like acoustic guitars.  After revisiting the album a decade and a half after its release, STP’s self-titled sixth album shows a band revitalized and focused; the DeLeo brothers were always at their best filtering 70’s rock touchstones into 90’s gold and they continued that decades later on this reunion album.    

Justin Kreitzer for Icon Fetch