No. 4 [Black/White Splatter Vinyl]

by Stone Temple Pilots

Overview

It would be tempting to scour No. 4, Scott Weiland's reunion with Stone Temple Pilots, for insights into his troubles, yet the group consciously avoids this throughout the album. That's for the best, since it's their hardest effort since their debut, Core. "Down" and "Heaven & Hot Rods" provide a powerful, brutal opening for No. 4 -- it's as if STP decided to compete directly with the new generation of alt-metal bands who prize aggression over hooks or riffs. With these two songs, the band's attack is as vicious as that of the new generation, but they retain their gift for gargantuan hooks. Much of the album hits pretty hard -- most explicitly on "No Way Out," "Sex & Violence," and "MC5," -- and even the ballads and neo-psychedelic pop have none of the swirling production that distinguished Tiny Music. That sense of adventure is missed, because even if the album finds STP returning to the muscular hard rock that made them, they always sounded better when they concentrated on melodicism. No. 4's most effective moments have a variety of sonic textures and color -- "Pruno" tempers its giant riffs with spacy verses; "Church on Tuesday" is a great pop tune, as are the trippy "Sour Girl" and "I Got You"; and the psychedelic "Glide" and closing ballad, "Atlanta," have a sense of majesty. These songs anchor the heavier moments, instead of the other way around, and it all plays well together. As a matter of fact, No. 4 is as tight as Tiny Music. Even if it isn't as grandiose or sonically compelling as that effort, it's a record that consolidates all their strengths. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/04/2024
Label:	Atlantic
UPC:	0603497824748
Rank:	2781

Tracks

1. Down
2. Heaven & Hot Rods
3. Pruno
4. Church on Tuesday
5. Sour Girl
6. No Way Out
7. Sex & Violence
8. Glide
9. I Got You
10. MC5
11. Atlanta

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Stone Temple Pilots   Primary Artist
Larry Corbett   Cello
Barrett Martin   Marimba
Eric Kretz   Drums,Percussion
Dean DeLeo   Guitar,6-String Bass,Lap Steel Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic)
Robert De Leo   Bass,Guitar,Zither,Fuzz Bass,Percussion,Guitar (Electric)
Brendan O'Brien   Piano,Keyboards,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Evan Wilson   Viola
Suzie Katayama   Cello
Peter Kent   Violin
Charlie Bisharat   Violin
Scott Weiland   Organ,Vocals
Matthew Funes   Viola
Gerry Hilera   Violin

Technical Credits

Kevin Lively   Assistant Engineer
Howard Karp   Assistant Engineer
Andrea Brooks   Art Direction,Design
Cheryl Mondello   Production Coordination
Allen Sides   Engineer
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Steve Stewart   Management
Dean DeLeo   Composer
John Tyree   Assistant Engineer
Ryan Williams   Engineer
Robert De Leo   Composer
Nick DiDia   Engineer
Michael "Elvis" Baskette   Assistant Engineer
Brendan O'Brien   Mixing,Producer
Stone Temple Pilots   Composer,Art Direction,Art Conception
German Villacorta   Assistant Engineer
Suzie Katayama   Contractor
Russ Fowler   Engineer
Scott Weiland   Composer
Karl Egsieker   Assistant Engineer
David Campbell   String Arrangements
Richard Bates   Design,Art Direction
Chapman Baehler   Photography
Erin Haley   Production Coordination
Christine Sirois   Assistant Engineer
Andrew Garver   Digital Editing
Dave Reed   Engineer