Stone Temple Pilots (self titled) (2010)

The STP have had five albums before this one, stretching right back to 1992, and I haven't experienced any of them, such is my ignorance of "recent" rock. I've tried to rectify this ignorance with some success in the last year or two, but there are still times I realise what a lot of catching up there is to do! The positive side is I can review an album like this without preconception about the band or their previous output - I am an STP virgin, as it were.

I wondered about their name. Sounds like it was lifted from a sci-fi novel. I then learned that they started life as Shirley Temple's Pussy until the record label suggested they change it. Heh heh. Their recording history seems to have been punctuated by main man Scott Weiland's liking of mind altering substances and the consequent problems arising from it, but, hey, this goes with the territory of rock'n'roll, no?

This album's been a "slow burner" for me. I knew I liked it from first listen, but nothing stood out saying "play me again immediately". Gradually, though, it's become an important album which gets played when I'm in need of uplifting (like on a Monday morning). It's a "feel good" album that you find yourself humming tunes from and repeating out loud snatches of lyrics, all the while tapping your foot to the beat.

It's classic rock'n'roll, no more, no less. I've seen STP described as hard rock, but I wouldn't describe this album as such. It gets heavy at times, but not in the mindless way a lot of hard rock does. There are strong influences at work, from the 1960s and 70s, and the album does have a "retro" feel to it, but it's also fresh and "modern" too. If you want comparisons, the sheer quality of the melodies, particularly on the excellent Dare if you dare (my favourite track) hark back to the Beatles. At other times there's a sleaziness which reminds me of the Stereophonics. Some tracks are quite old style '70s "glam rock" influenced. The final track before the "extras", Samba Nova, is an unexpected surprise, a delicious very 1960's latin rhythmed slow number that could have been lifted straight from an old Bond movie.

What holds the album together is the professionalism of the song writing, and the skill of execution. This is obviously an album from a mature group with complete confidence in themselves, and rightly so. Vocals and guitar work are particularly notable. I've seen it criticised for harking back to other genres, for lacking originality, for having too many styles on one album. The more I listen to it, though, it gels as a whole and makes perfect sense.

You suddenly understand the album cover, and the fact that it's a self titled album. It's a statement. You get the impression this is the STP saying "This is what we do, and we do it bloody well. It might sound derivative to some, but we don't care, it's our unique style, take it or leave it". Then again, I might be talking b****cks, without the benefit of having heard their earlier stuff. The only way you'll find out is if you try it for yourself.

If you want new-fangled "indie rock" full of synth bleeps and falsetto warbling, or dark serious "prog rock" with 10min tracks, look elsewhere, that's not what the STP are about. But if you like rock full of memorable melodies, intelligent lyrics sung by "real" men, strong riffs, and chunky guitar work, you won't go wrong with this album. And, like me, you might not be able to get the tunes out of your mind!