Although this album, (the first from the band since 'Shangri-La Dee Da' in 2001) has been out a good few weeks, I simply didn't want to plough headlong into it review wise as, like many other things involving the irrepressible talents of Scott Weiland, it's more than a bit of a grower. 

Taking the melodic sensibilities of Velvet Revolver's critically maligned 'Libertad' album and fusing the alt rock tendencies of Weiland's two solo albums might not be everyone's idea of a great starter for ten, but let me tell you right here on album number six, it at least gives the Californian four piece a more contemporary feel than many of their peers still peddling that retro 2^nd wave of grunge sound.

Produced by the brothers in arms Robert and Dean DeLeo they have to their credit managed to capture a cohesive and consistent sound in spite of the fact that the album was largely recorded in gaps within their frantic touring schedule, and the twelve tracks that did finally make it to final cut do have that 'complete' feeling maybe one or two of the band's older albums lacked.

Kicking off with the grunge pop of 'Between The Lines' Weiland is certainly not afraid to confront his demons head on, mixing up his vocal lines with lines of a much more recreational variety. It is when STP mix up the genres like on 'Hickory Dichotomy', 'Fast As I Can' and 'Peacoat' that they are a bubblegum rock tour de force, harder than an everlasting gobstopper but with more zing than a box full of Space Dust. Coupled with the out and out pomp of 'Dare If You Dare' and the Bowie strut of 'First Kiss On Mars' and you are looking a modern day song writing perfection 

It is however on the more straight forward 'rocky' tracks like 'Take A Load Off' and 'Hazy Daze' along with the happy pappy pop of 'Maver' where the album loses my attention as the song structures don't really push Scott into adding that melodic twist his does so well elsewhere.

So overall a good (but could have been great) return from Stone Temple Pilots. A band long overlooked as mere scene followers when in reality they should be scene-stealers.

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