Stone Temple Pilots ***

Tiny Music

Atlantic

The band that has been traditionally ripped on for what seems to be success through ripping off bands has emerged with their third offering.

After vocalist Scott Weiland’s adventures since the last album, including run-ins with the law and some praise for his work with his side project the Magnificent Bastards, many are anxious to see how this offering does.

For the first time, STP doesn’t sound much like anybody else. This is mostly evident in the vocals, as Weiland doesn’t seem to have the Eddie Vedder sound going.

They chose one of the better songs for release on the airwaves, that being “Big Bang Baby.” The vocals on this track, like many of the others, are a bit reserved—more toward the back of the mix. The guitars sound a bit muddled, but that adds to the feel of the song rather than ruining it.

Much of the album sounds this way, which is a bit different from the clear and in-your-face production from their previous offerings, especially when compared to songs like “Sex Type Thing” from their first album. I like this change, as it gives the listener a better feel for the music rather than blowing listeners away, leaving them wondering what just hit them.

The songs haven’t evolved all that much; they are still rather simple. If they were a little more ear-catching, maybe this would get a higher ranking. But this album is a serious improvement for this band.

Tina and the B-Side Movement ***1/2

Sire

A favorite of Ames, Tina and the B-Side Movement have emerged with a self-titled offering, which will be available to the public tomorrow.

How do I describe this CD? It is hard to make comparisons, so I actually have to go into some detail. The overall sound to me is rather “lo-fi.” The production isn’t squeaky clean, which is not a bad thing. That can sometimes gloss over some of the worst music and make it sound okay.

This gloss is avoided, and it doesn’t hurt them a bit. The raw sounds of “Matter Of Time” are fine, giving an edge to the vocals they back. There is a good feel here, as the honest sound of the tunes make it easier for the listeners to identify with the music they’re listening to.

I like the voice quite a bit as well. Despite the “lo-fi” sound I described earlier, it comes through well enough to hook in the listener.

Since I couldn’t find much to compare it to, it would be rather wrong of me not to compliment the originality behind the music. Tina and the B-Sides are blazing their own trails, not riding the coattails of other acts or styles. Hopefully it pays off, as I think this release should show people how good they can be.

Stabbing Westward **

Wither Blister Burn + Peel

Columbia

Another long album title for this release. When this outfit first hit the scene, it was billed as another band in the Nine Inch Nails genre, fusing metal (for lack of a better word) with the industrial sounds of bands like Skinny Puppy or Front Line Assembly.

Well, this seems like a blatant cash-in on the overwhelming success of Trent Reznor’s outfit. There isn’t a whole lot of difference between this group and the Nails. “Shame,” one of the tracks on this album, sounds an awful lot like something Reznor might have made for his last album. The strained vocals, the buzzing noises, it’s all there … again.

It’s not that the anguished topics that are sung about aren’t appealing to listeners. But it’s been done before, and with better results. Vocalist Christopher Hall doesn’t seem to have the emotion involved in his voice to convince the listener that he’s mad, sad, whatever.

The quiet introduction for “What Do I Have To Do?” does set the mood rather well, but these instances are few and far between on this album. There are too many moments like the opening line of “I Don’t Believe,” where Hall claims he’s a bunch of negative things, which without the believable emotions, seem a bit odd. It doesn’t work for me.

Johnny Socko ****

Oh, I DO Hope It’s Roast Beef!

Yeah, I know. The name and the title of this offering might make a person laugh and go on to find the latest Buzz Clip band. But trust me, this is some good stuff!

Johnny Socko is a ska-based outfit, getting the most out of the horn section in this band (unlike No Doubt, reviewed last week). This is some of the freshest and upbeat stuff out there right now.

The regular instruments are still there, especially the bass guitar, which is stressed a bit more in this style. But a trumpet, trombone and saxophone are thrown in the mix to jazz things up (no pun intended).

The mesh of these instruments into the more conventional style of music is done successfully and with amazing results. It can actually make the most stubborn of people feel like getting up and cutting a rug!

The lyrical topics are rather silly, and I won’t go into in detail here. But the lyrics are really the sideshow to the music on this offering, so it is not quite as important to worry about songs talking about getting a hat stolen.

Check this out if you are into ska or are interested in hearing some music in this vein.