The instrumentalists have over 25 years of experience playing together, but Gutt hardly ever comes off as the red-handed outlier of the group. In all of these endeavours the main trait that sticks out is the tight proximity of the band. 'Thought She’d Be Mine' is another slow-cooker atypical of the group, displaying the band’s propensity for heavy power-pop ballads in their latest iteration with Gutt at the helm. But gutsy undertakings like the plodding 'The Art of Letting Go' are distinct departures from STP’s past efforts. Riding on the deeply textured bass playing of Robert Deleo and the punchy guitars of Eric Kretz, Gutt lets his vocals fly on 'Six Eight', a song that could rest rather easily alongside their previous cannon. STP are on a clear mission to conjure up the wizardry that made their efforts like Core such beloved musical time-capsule additions. There is a clear bent of nostalgia underlying a lot of the material. Although the lyrics are not as poetically dense as typical Weiland standards, the trademarked cooled melodies and lush instrumentals are prevalent throughout the album. To be sure, the band is definitely not focused on replicating the mammoth success they once had, but all members involved are definitely lending a keen ear to lifelong fans and newcomers alike.
It is the perfect lead single for a band looking to marry a well-loved, prominent sound to the modern tastes of today. The whole formula comes together rather beautifully on the Dean Deleo-charged 'Meadow'. On both 'Middle of Nowhere' and 'Guilty' they trade dynamic licks back and forth and allow Gutt the freedom his sprawling vocals need to amply breathe. They seem to be feeding off a sort of barbarian energy that propels the band’s output into overdrive. The Deleo brothers are the true touchstones of the record. He not only sounds a lot like Weiland, but simultaneously matches the energetic nature of the band’s central crux while pushing them in a fresh, daring direction. Although the absence of Weiland puts somewhat of an unmistakable damper on their sound, Gutt is an eerily close imitation. A former reality show contestant, Gutt is a fittingly familiar face in the colorful Detroit music scene. Original members Dean Deleo (guitar), Robert DeLeo (bass), and Eric Kretz (drums) replaced the band’s lead-singer void with Jeff Gutt late last year. Stone Temple Pilots (2018) functions not only as a proud and raucous mission statement continuing in the vein of their prolific tradition, but an audacious announcement that STP has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. Despite various lineup changes, much publicised drug addictions, and the unfortunate deaths of Scott Weiland in 2015 and Chester Bennington last summer, STP is now regarded not only as a legendary force, but one of the hardest working bands in existence.
But in the ensuing years since their big-selling early Nineties debut Core, STP have blossomed into one of the most creatively daring acts in American rock, commonly exploring the distinct realms of artistic possibility with each release. As time passes and contemporary bands ebb into the 'classic' fold, it seems like only yesterday when Stone Temple Pilots were considered by many to be a derivative, fake grunge band.
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