Stone Temple Pilots – Thank You

Artist: Stone Temple Pilots

Title: Thank You

Label: Atlantic

Rating: 8.5/10

Corporate Line: STONE Temple Pilots have announced details of their upcoming CD and CD/DVD collections, dubbed “THANK YOU.” The multi-platinum band’s first-ever anthology hits stores on November 11th. The “THANK YOU” CD features 13 of STP’s greatest songs, spanning more than a decade of hits. Among the many unforgettable favorites included are “Plush” and “Sex Type Thing” (from 1992’s debut, “CORE”), “Vasoline” and “Interstate Love Song” (from 1994’s “PURPLE”), “Lady Picture Show” and “Big Bang Baby” (from 1996’s “TINY MUSIC…SONGS FROM THE VATICAN GIFT SHOP”), “Down” and “Sour Girl” (from 1999’s “No. 4”), and “Days Of The Week” (from 2001’s “SHANGRI-LA DEE DA”). The compilation also includes a pair of special bonus tracks: the brand-new, previously unreleased “All In The Suit That You Wear” – which is headed to rock radio – along with an acoustic version of “Plush,” recorded live on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball back in 1992.

The Good:
“Plush” – If it weren’t for this song STP may not have made a greatest hits album. There is also an acoustic version at the end that isn’t quite as good as the original.
“Vasoline” – “Flies in the vasoline we are” Weiland sang so sweetly yet so truthfully.
“Wicked Garden” – One of STP’s most underrated songs.
“Big Empty” – One of the most remember STP songs yet the funny thing is it’s far from their best and still great.
“Creep” – They released the album version but I would have preferred the version that was in the video.
“Interstate Love Song” – An absolute smash, brilliant. Still to this day I get goose bumps listening to the song.
“Sex Type Thing” – I don’t think those who got into STP for “Sour Girl” won’t be ready for this monster. What a great song.
“Sour Girl” – Yum.

The Average:
“Big Bang Baby” – Odd, but you can’t ignore how they shook it up with this bizarre song.
“Lady Picture Show” – Could have done without this one as “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” is by far a better song.
“All In The Suit That You Wear” – A new song that should have been saved for a better occasion.

The Ugly:
“Down” – Why is this here? Terrible. “Sour Girl” was enough for the weak fourth record.

Frankly: I own every Stone Temple Pilot record and would say they have progressively gotten worse. That doesn’t mean any of them are bad, but the first was damn near perfect and the last two have been on our scale about 7/10. Thank You will keep the myth alive – it make me feel old now that all the bands I grew up with are releasing greatest hits records. Stone Temple Pilots can hold their own against their contemporaries Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Alice In Chains and Thank You proves that.

+ Charlie Craine