Purple
established that
Stone Temple Pilots
were not one-album wonders but
Tiny Music...Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop
illustrates that the band aren't content with resting on their laurels. Without abandoning their trademark
hard rock
,
STP
have added a new array of sounds that lend depth to their immediately accessible hooks.
Dean DeLeo
layers his guitar tracks to create distinctive, multi-textured sounds that make his riffs more powerful. Though there are hints of
grunge
scattered throughout the album, what makes
Tiny Music
impressive is how the band brings in elements of
psychedelia
, trancy
shoegaze
jangle pop
, and other forms of melodic alternative
guitar pop
. By accentuating their
pop
tendencies in both their riffs and melodies, they are able to slip in a number of creative arrangements which manage to expand their musical repertoire significantly. Although the lyrics are nearly as ambitious as the music, they simply don't have the same weight. But with a band like
, the music is what matters and
showcases the band at their most tuneful and creative. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine