lambchops's Full Review: Core by Stone Temple Pilots
Okay. I like Stone Temple Pilots. I have for going on ten years now. In fact, they are my favorite band. Therefore, this will likely be a very biased opinion. But hey....isn't that what epinions is for? STP released this album on September 29, 1992. In the midst of the Seattle grunge era, this was just one of dozens of bands trying to "make it" in the industry. But, there was something special about "Core." Something that really did shine, and that something is what has carred San Francisco's Scott Weiland, Dean DeLeo, Robert DeLeo, and Eric Kretz to the success that they have today.
Despite the criticism that STP has received for sounding like fellow grunge rockers Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and the like, STP has managed to survive and flourish. They have overcome personal problems, most notably the drug problems that lead singer Weiland has publicly dealt with.
"Core" is an album consisting of twelve little songs. This debut album also managed to sell an impressive 3 million copies to fans around the world. These twelve songs are both catchy and driving. Dean DeLeo's guitar work is undeniably interesting while Weiland's vocals are grinding and pained. The following is a brief examination of each of the tracks on "Core." You've likely heard at least two of these songs, "Sex Type Thing" and "Plush." Others were released as singles, but these two are the most notably popular.
DEAD & BLOATED
Maybe not the most cheerful song title on the album, "Dead & Bloated" is quite possibly the most catchy lyrically. The line that sticks in my head is as follows: "I am smelling like a rose that somebody gave me because I'm dead and bloated!" This was a great choice to begin the album with. It gives the new listener a definite idea of what STP is all about.
SEX TYPE THING
Released as a single, "Sex Type Thing" harnesses Weiland's pleading voice and pained lyrics as well as any of STP's other songs. This was, in fact, the first STP song to hit the airwaves in December 1992. This was also my first introduction to the band. I'm not going to say that this is STP's best song of all their albums (or even this one specifically), but this is one of their better. Hence the fact that "Sex Type Thing" was a success. It's emotional and it's pained. Great song.
WICKED GARDEN
"I wanna run through your wicked garden..." This song was never officially released as a single, but it did manage to get quite a bit of airplay. I can hear the guitars in my head. The wavering in Weiland's voice. This song is both slow and fast. It's a great song. I also want to mention that I enjoy the end of the song. It ends abruptly with "burn your wicked garden down, yeah..."
NO MEMORY
This is a brief, totally instrumental track on an album otherwise overtaken by Weiland's vocals. This track lets his bandmates, the DeLeo's and Kretz, shine. It almost seamlessly blends into the songs before and after it in the lineup.
SIN
Again, this song was never released as a single. It's not the band's best, but it still remains a great effort. It fills it's position very well. I, in fact, don't find myself switching tracks. And you know what, "hatred burns me..."
NAKED SUNDAY
Great lyrics in this song that was never released as a single. Scott Weiland's vocals and lyrics both shimmer with some sort of special light. "Who will be my judge and which one do I trust?" I enjoy this song, in fact I think it's of higher quality than some of the others on this very same album.
CREEP
Released in 1993 as a single, STP kept up their high quality work with this song. Weiland and Robert DeLeo put together a slow, intense song that remains one of my personal favorites. I can envision Weiland in near pain rocking back and forth in his rocking chair. This is almost depressing to listen to, but it still is a great song. Good job to STP.
PIECE OF THE PIE
A great song that was never really played on the radio. Although, I have to admit that it could have done pretty well. It's a midtempo song that also happens to be lyrically pretty depressing and for that matter intense. It also contains one of my favorite STP lyrics of all time
"It's staring me down
Wearing a crown of apathy
I'm standing around
Dressed like a clown
Don't know my name
You know where to find me"
PLUSH
Okay. This is quite possibly STP's most popular song of all time. For many people, this 1993 single was an introduction to the band. The video that accompanied this song was absolutely perfect. Weiland is intense, so much so that his sanity could be in question if you didn't know better. Most memorable line? "And I feel so much depends on the weather."
WET MY BED
This happens to be the only spoken word track on this album. It's dreamy, and Weiland sounds as though he could be in a trance. This is a fun song. Nothing more. Nothing less.
CRACKERMAN
This is a very fast, very spastic, very hyper song. It's also really great. I really like this song in fact. It's one of the best on the album and one of the best of STP's career (despite the fact that some of their other songs get more recognition than others).
WHERE THE RIVER GOES
This, the last song of "Core," is also a good one. And for that matter, it's a good slow song to wrap the album up with. It was never released as a single, but remains a STP standard in my mind. Weiland whines pleadingly in the song. Brilliant, like everything else.
Well, as you can see, I am a total STP fan. I've seen them in concert (wow...talk about wonderful) and own every last one of their albums (after having replaced two tapes with CDs). But, it's not just me who likes STP. According to sales, there are millions of fans in the USA. That attention is well deserved if you ask little ol' me. And for that matter according to alot of other people. STP has won: one Grammy, two American Music Awards, one Billboard Music Award, two Billboard Video Awards, and a MTV Music Video Award.
So, if you don't know that STP rocks, check 'em out. You won't be disappointed.
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