There are few guarantees in life. Although, I have identified two that will stand the test of time.
- Everything in pop culture has the ability to make a comeback.
- Very few people took Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” policy seriously.
The Stone Temple Pilots adhere to both of those statements. They crushed it in the early 90′s and now they are making a comeback in 2010. And let’s just say that some of the guys messed around with the drugs. Understatement’s aside, STP simply changed my music world in 1992 with their debut release of Core.
STP is still rockin' after 18 years.
Core hit my eardrums during my formative teen years. This album was a game changer for me. I guess you can say it rocked me to my “core”. STP dominated the 90′s grunge scene along with juggernauts like Pearl Jam and Nirvana. Core was an instant mainstream success racking up a Grammy for “Plush” and it was certified platinum 8 times. To top it all off, the gritty tone and message of the album seemed to come from an honest place. My bootleg cassette copy of Core still holds a special place in my musical archives.
Over the remainder of the 90′s the guys churned out four more albums with some solid tracks. However, nothing could quite match the intensity and popularity of Core. That knowledge, coupled with a lot of the bands personal demons, sidetracked them for many years. But, as I stated earlier, everything in pop culture has the ability to make a comeback. The guys are back at it with their recent self-titled release of Stone Temple Pilots. They may never be able to eclipse Core, but they are doing a helluva job trying. Check out their new album and revisit the glory of Core.
KC’s Personal Picks: “Dead & Bloated”, “Plush”, and “Wicked Garden”
Check out STP’s unplugged version of “Plush”
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We featured Civil Twilight a few weeks back for their wildly popular single “Letters From the Sky”. This alt/punk band has exploded on the alt/punk rock scene as of late and for good reason. Their haunting melodies mixed with smooth piano and percussion as steady as a heartbeat make their sound comparable to Muse or Barcelona (without emulating their exact sound of course.)
But how do these guys’ success translate beyond their wildly popular single? Well, they’ve been around since their debut release in 2007, but really only started to receive notable success with their 2009 self-titled release. “Letters From the Sky” reached #7 on the U.S. Alternative charts and #1 in my heart. So their single helped open the doorway to the great tracks on the self-titled album (which just so happen to be just as good.) After hearing the album in its entirety, I was immediately drawn to the vocals which lend an almost eerie ambiance to an interesting mix of emotional tracks.
It is quite easy to get lost in the music which, to me, is a unique quality that few bands possess. You could close your eyes and forget for a moment where you are and what you’re doing. I suppose that could be dangerous on most occassions (say, for example, you were driving a race car or skydiving or something…that would probably be un-good.) But in most normal situations, it is a pleasant escape from the busy ramblings of everyday life.
Check out the video for “Letters From the Sky”:
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Neon Trees – “Animal”
Neon Trees did a great job putting together the video for their new single “Animal”. You will thoroughly enjoy it if you hate boring art galleries and if you love people walking around with animal heads. On top of all of that goodness you have a track that is catchy and sure to dominate the airwaves. Make sure you catch the Neon Trees this summer as they headline the Bang the Gong Tour with Civil Twilight and Paper Tongues.
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The Spill Canvas – “Our Song”
The Spill Canvas has been on my musical radar for the past six years or so. These South Dakota boys have something special cooking with “Our Song”. The track is a fun little ditty about youthful romancing and all of that sappy stuff. Expect a great deal of radio play for this track as is supports the guys as they continue to play an insane about of live shows this summer.
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Nikki & Rich – “Next Best Thing”
It comes down to this. Are you with Team Nikki or with Team Rich? Me? I am Team Nikki all of the way. You will have to decide for yourself. While you ponder over which one of the duo to get airbrushed on to a t-shirt you can enjoy their track “Next Best Thing”. Would it be too cliché to say they are the next best thing? Hey, I made a reference to Twilight in the first sentence so it is obvious I don’t have a problem with being cliché. Let’s just say that you will enjoy this song a lot. Now, where do you suppose I can find a Team Nikki lunchbox?
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All “jam bands” that have been ripping it up on the top 40 charts and at house parties owe their success to the Spin Doctors. The doctors of spin dominated the early 90′s with a blend of commercially accepted rock, funk and straight up jamming. Pocket Full of Kryptonite became their career defining album when it hit the airwaves in 1991, and it forever left its mark on pop culture.
I recently rediscovered Pocket Full of Kryptonite as I was cleaning up and purging my expansive music collection. The Spin Doctors’ disc was actually wedged under Kris Kross’ Totally Krossed Out (don’t judge me). After I swung my pants back around facing forward I dove in and was reminded why I enjoyed the Spin Doctors so much. Lead singer Chris Barron’s playful voice highlights an album that is all about having fun and enjoying life through music. Listening to tracks like “Two Princes” acts like a time machine and takes me back to the early 90′s. Not the angst of grunge that was soon to follow, but the summer fun and frivolity of the time.
Over the years the Spin Doctors have released a hand full of records, but none of them were ever able to match the commercial success of Pocket Full Of Kryptonite. The guys have reunited from time to time to dust off the classics, but many of them have taken up other projects to express their musical talents. Speaking of other projects…were you aware that when the Spin Doctors first started in the 1980′s they were called the Trucking Company? Yeah, and one of the original members was a dude named John Popper. Pretty cool, huh? That would explain why the Spin Doctors have spent a lot of stage time with Blues Traveler over the years. Thanks to Wikipedia we all are a little smarter today. Welcome the Spin Doctors back in to your life. They will make you happy.
KC’s Personal Picks: “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues”, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”, “Two Princes” and “Shinbone Alley/Hard to Exist” which features Popper.
Check out the colorful video for “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”
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Alpha Rev – “New Morning”
These Texas boys have something good cookin’ here with their single “New Morning”. It is a beautifully crafted song that matches a sweet melody with dramatic instrumentation. Alpha Rev will release their full length album under the same name in a few weeks and it is sure to be packed with more gems like this one.
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Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – “I Learned the Hard Way”
Get your hands on the music of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings! Funk/Soul music is alive and kicking thanks to these creative cats. “I Learned the Hard Way” is a great example of what you can expect from their recent release on the album by the same name. I would be shocked if the album doesn’t end up on the top of the “Best Of” charts at the end of 2010. Their music is just that good folks.
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The Bamboos – “On The Sly”
This week I am feeling kinda funky and it just so happens that The Bamboos are delivering the funk. This Australian based collective is bringing it on strong with their lead single “On The Sly”. The track is catchy, super funky and head-bob worthy. Their recently released album, 4, showcases modern funk in all of its splendid glory.
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