Stone Temple Pilots' new CD lackluster

Growing up through junior high and high school, music was often something I turned to during hard times, such as dealing with the whole puberty thing, not getting a date with that girl or just doing something to get away from my parents. One of these bands that I found solace in was Stone Temple Pilots, who burst on to the scene with their debut album Core in 1992. Now that I have gotten older and my music taste more refined (at least I think so), I turn to other bands for my escape instead of Stone Temple Pilots. Yet, when I heard they released a new album, Shangri-La Dee Da, I couldn't help but take notice.\nShangri-La Dee Da is the Pilots' fifth album, and frankly, it's not all that groundbreaking. While I am unfamiliar with the band's fourth album, No. 4 (clever eh?), I do know the other three records. Decent fare all, but none were ever quite as good as their debut. The Pilots had such success early in its career and not much lately -- perhaps they would return to a sound similar to their earlier material. In fact, the new material is more than similar. \nWhen listening to this album, you can't help but think you have heard some of these songs before. While it can be good to maintain a sound similar to one that first made you popular with your fans, it is also important to be able to branch out from that sound. This is something the Pilots don't accomplish at all with this album. The lack of creativity definitely knocks the album down a notch. \nYou can't argue this album doesn't have some enjoyable melodies, such as "Days of the Week". But anyone who has been around the music block will easily recognize these tunes as very similar to some previous Pilots songs. \nOne can't help but wonder if lead singer Scott Weiland has lost his edge since he went through drug rehab and got clean. Stone Temple Pilots started out as a hard rocking band full of rage that could also bust out some nice, slowed down music like "Creep". Yet, after his rehab, the music they have been turning out is like a more poppy, top 40 rock version of their earlier incarnation. Unfortunately for Stone Temple Pilots' music, Weiland's new clean lifestyle might have been the worst thing to happen to them.