Product Description

After dabbling in Beatlesque psychedelia on 1996's TINY MUSIC (SONGS FROM THE VATICAN GIFT SHOP, Stone Temple Pilots took a more straightforward rock approach with 1999's NO. 4. During the three years between albums, Scott Weiland releaseda solo album amidst a sea of personal problems, while the rest of Stone Temple Pilots joined forces with Ten Inch Men vocalist Dave Coutts for the one-off side project Talk Show. The time apart helped contribute to an STP record with much darker overtones than the sunnier TINY MUSIC.
Weiland's lyrics in particular allude to many of his past problems. Thegrinding "Pruno" tracks his falling into a downward spiral while the pounding guitars and ambient breaks of "No Way Out" help provide a background for lyrics that address his feelings of helplessness. In keeping up with the harder sounds of Korn and Limp Bizkit that dominated the pop charts in the late '90s, guitarist Dean DeLeo churns out heavy riffs throughout the Jurassic stomp of "Down" and "Heaven & Hot Rods". Balancing out these pounding tracks is more melodic fare, including the chiming "Glide" (complete with zither and fuzz bass), the acoustic "I Got You", and the lushly wistful "Atlanta".

Track Listing

1. Down
2. Heaven And Hot Rods
3. Pruno
4. Church On Tuesday
5. Sour Girl
6. No Way Out
7. Sex And Violence
8. Glide
9. I Got You
10. MC 5
11. Atlanta

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28851 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
This fine band's powerful music has been often overshadowed by singer Scott Weiland's well-documented drug and legal troubles. Not to mention that STP's 1992 debut, Core, was dismissed by critics as "Seattle lite." Nonetheless, STP has managed to make four noteworthy albums; No. 4 is not groundbreaking, but the quartet's aggressive, dynamic hard rock is emotion-packed and timeless. Not as hit-heavy as its predecessors, No. 4 is nevertheless strong and diverse. On the gentler side, there's the lilting '60s-influenced "I Got You" and "Atlanta", which is almost Doors-like in its dreamy mood. Heavier fare includes the mid-tempo heavy riffing opener "Down" and the winning but not-so-subtly titled "Sex and Violence", which matches an aggressive, linear feel with a cool punk vibe. At 42 minutes, the only thing wrong with No. 4 is that there's not enough of it. --Katherine Turman

Customer Reviews

STP Combine Their Styles In This Solid Comeback
The band started out as a formulaic grunge band with some catchy, heavy tunes, then ventured into more psychedelic rock/grunge with their best album Purple. Tiny Music was pretty much a glam pop rock album full of dreamy, psychedelic moments, but was not very consistent. No. 4 saw STP combine all of their past styles into one solid and successful comeback album.

The heavier side of the band is in full swing with the towering riffs of "Down" and the energetic "Heaven & Hot Rods". Other heavy rockers include "No Way Out", a classic STP rock song ala Purple/Core days, full of distorted heavy riffs and Weiland's harsher vocal delivery. "Sex & Violence" is another rocker that recalls the glorious Purple album, combining catchy melodies with crunching guitar playing.

STP have always been very good at writing catchy, elegant melodies and harmonies, and No. 4 continues this in style. "Sour Girl" is a sumptuous ballad executing some ethereal, dreamy vocal melodies. The closer "Atlanta" is one of my favourite STP ballads to date, drenched in a calming, summery atmosphere. Weiland and the band breeze through these songs with ease, demonstrating their ability to create fine pop tunes.

Overall No. 4 is something of combining of their previous three albums. It contains the heavier, grungy tracks from the Core days, the grunge-meets-pop of Purple, and the psychedelic moments found on Tiny Music. A solid album, and well worth a listen if you're a fan of STP's early works, or just a fan of rock melodious rock music.

Good but netherless disapointing after the last three
This is a good rock album.

Never the less it marks the start of the decline of the Stone Temple Pilots.

After hearing Tiny Music in 1996 I was devestated that the band may never reform and produce another album.

Talk Show was then released by the band minus Scott Weiland. I was fairly disapointed with it because it showed no originality at all and sounded really lame to be honest.

Scott Weiland released his solo and WOW!! unbelievable electronic noize over guitars. 5 stars beleive me.

My head buzzed at the new posibilities of a new Stone Temple Pilots album. Would Weiland push the band in a new pounding electro/Guitar direction.

Unfortunately not. This is a straight forward rock album with is good but nether the less disapointing. Buy if you're a fan of the pilots. If not buy Purple or Tiny Music.

Welcome back
'Purple' was a long standing favourite CD of mine. On that set of material, STP beat Pearl Jam hands down and silenced their critics. Now after the clever but 'difficult' Tiny Music, welcome back to that sound that typifies this fine fine rock bank. From the brooding grunge of the opening track 'Down' to the magnificent closing track 'Atlanta' they have rediscovered the riffs and vocal hooks that will keeping you singing long after the CD has stopped playing. Marvellous.