I TAKE IT BACK ...

In 2010, I state how pained I was when Stone Temple Pilot's eponymous album flopped in my estimation. Well, I take that back.

A year has gone by and I revisited the album last month and have been relistening to it for several weeks. My opinion has changed.

I now believe that this is a very good album and is worth the listening. In fact, I have yet to put it down.

But why did I initially not like it? Here is my theory:

For this argument, there are three types of albums for me:

- Albums I initally enjoy.
- Albums I do not like.
- Albums I do not initially like but then learn to enjoy over subsequent listenings.

Now STP was my favourite band of the 1990s and I have either loved or really enjoyed all of their albums. Core (1992) and Purple (1994) are in my Top 50 Favourite Albums and the latter has occasionally been in my Top Ten.

Furthermore, I have either loved or liked every single STP album at first listening. Not a single variation in their first five. But here is their sixth and I do not like it on the first go.

I was flummoxed. But now that I have had more opportunities for the tunes to settle in and find their groove ...


I am now very much relieved. I can now happily state that STP has made 6 albums in a row that I have enjoyed.

Bring on number seven!