Stone Temple Pilots
Shangri-La Dee Da

THE REVIEW

The work I am reviewing is Shangri-La Dee Da, an album that has now become historic. Reviewing a CD like this is not easy because we are talking about what is, to all intents and purposes, a piece of history. A great work that reflects the undeniable versatility of Scott Weiland's voice and the originality of Dan DeLeo on guitar. Behind all this is the usual touch of Brendan O'Brien, who needs no introduction as a producer. Going back to the San Diego group, I can say that with Shangri-La Dee Da they truly amazed us, and I believe no one expected such work two years after N. 4.

The CD opens with "Dumb Love," the "toughest" song on the album, with riffs reminiscent of Black Sabbath's hardest period. A very well-made choice that undoubtedly influences the final result of the work. It is followed by "Days Of The Week," the only song that I find unconvincing, designed to capture more listeners, and in my humble opinion, unsuccessful. But the expectations are no longer let down with the next track, "Coma," which continues the toughness streak of "Dumb Love" and is successfully placed among the band's most aggressive tracks, partly thanks to a really surprising scratchy start. Followed by "Hollywood Bitch," a song that is a bit of a synthesis of the two previous ones, but in an honorable way presents itself as an almost comedic rock 'n roll ballad, as revealed by the lyrics and the title. "Wonderful" is a track capable of showing listeners the aforementioned versatility of Weiland, who expresses himself at his best in this melodic rock piece. "Black Again" starts with a mini-intro almost Soundgarden-esque, but it's just an illusion because the song is a bit along the lines of Wonderful in terms of melody, although it remains an excellent piece. "Hello It's Late" is the true gem of this album, just like "Bi-Polar Bear" seeks a more melancholic sound, in my opinion, it is the track that remains the most from this album. "Too Cool Queenie" somewhat breaks the atmosphere of the previous one, in an undoubtedly effective way, awakens DeLeo in the piece's finale with a great solo, one of the few in the album, that aims more to create a different atmosphere than to showcase technical skill. "Regeneration" recalls the most haunting Nirvana, many points in common with Scott Weiland's singing in this track and the voice of the now-deceased Kurt Cobain, but the thing that strikes the most is the alternating almost English-style verses in the song. Then it's time for "Bi-Polar Bear," my favorite song on the CD, the most elaborate in terms of melody, although suffering from the little space between percussion and background vocals, Weiland's voice manages to shine, even convincing the detractors. Marvelous. "Transmission From A Lonely Room" is one of the fastest tracks, a rock that focuses more on speed than the weight of the riff, however Weiland's voice seems to take a lot from "Pretty Nose" by Soundgarden from Down On The Upside, especially in the parts before the chorus. "A Song For Sleep" is yet another variation of style by the four, who with this almost country piece show they are still very much awake, despite the title suggesting otherwise. "Long Way Home" is almost a tribute to Nirvana with Weiland's voice indulging in a heartrending song. The chorus is a jewel, "Tell me is it more of the same and where can I find it? Tell me is she fighting for air and where does she come from?". A track that perfectly represents the band, with DeLeo indulging in solo always in a low voice, closing the album, and unfortunately also their career in a truly commendable way.

Ultimately, what remains after listening to this album is a lot of nostalgia, a desire to return to the times when Weiland still gave his best. I do not deny that in some places the record may appear slow, but it has certain peaks that earn it a nice 4 stars. "Call my name when you knock on the door."