STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

Stone Temple Pilots

ATLANTIC

West coast rockers persevere past the death of Scott Weiland

No doubt there will be a rush to judge new Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Jeff Gutt against his late predecessor, Scott Weiland, but there is really nothing to be gained from such an approach. Defiantly self-titled, this is an album with much to appreciate and enjoy in its own right. One-time The X Factor contestant Jeff has a smoothly soulful voice that offers depth and clarity. He fits in well with an approach here that, perhaps not surprisingly, is largely introspective. Songs like Meadow and Six Eight are purposeful and melodic, while Roll Me Under and Good Shoes prove there’s still plenty of fire in the riffs. But what really drives Stone Temple Pilots is guitarist Dean DeLeo. His playing on tracks like Thought She’d Be Mine is quite brilliant; he and Jeff have already struck up a formidable partnership that suggests there is a strong future ahead for the band.

FOR FANS OF: ALTER BRIDGE, FOO FIGHTERS, PEARL JAM

MALCOLM DOME