Stone Temple Pilots Got Experimental on “Purple”
Plenty of surprises on this Analogue Productions/ATL75 pressing
Though not a descendant from grunge’s Seattle headquarters, San Diego’s Stone Temple Pilots was a force to reckon with. Its take on the genre by emphasizing 70s-based hard rock with hints of psychedelia and jazz allowed it to protrude and distinguish itself from masses of flannel. The debut album, 1992’s Core, wove into grunge lore with four hit singles and sales in America alone of over 8 million copies. After its first worldwide tour and a hyped appearance on MTV’s Unplugged, the band wasn’t ready to lay in the sun and bask in rock and roll excess.
Working with producer Brendan O’Brien on Core proved to be a winning formula, so Stone Temple Pilots took no chances when entering Southern Tracks in Georgia to work on a follow-up. Released in the summer of 1994, Purple allowed STP to relish in experimentation and streamline its grunge-oriented sound to a more accessible alternative rock vein. The album’s singles “Vasoline” and “Interstate Love Song” are examples of this shift, the latter earning the group the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock charts for 17 consecutive weeks.
Outside of commercialized approaches, there is an undeniable element of groove on tracks like album opener “Meatplow,” the in-your-face “Unglued,” and the Pearl Jam pastiche “Army Ants.” The acoustic-driven “Pretty Penny” is the finest Stone Temple Pilots got to laying down to tape its gentle side. Massive guitar chords hark back to the band’s roots on a track like “Silvergun Superman,” which features a guitar solo that’s hands down an album. One of STP’s classic compositional tropes is the utilization of light and shade between mellow verses and bombastic choruses. The single “Big Empty” and the album closer “Kitchenware & Candybars” utilize this method. Purple is such an enthralling listen, but the hidden longue music track “Second Album” and its mention of “twelve gracious melodies” (see the back cover to get the reference) provides some comic relief.
After being panned initially for allegedly piggybacking grunge’s coattails, Purple’s level of maturity earned Stone Temple Pilots respect from critics. Reviews were highly favorable, and the album would sell 6 million copies. In retrospect, Purple was the group operating at its peak long before vocalist Scott Weiland’s drug problems and commercial disappointments threatened the band’s existence towards the latter half of the 1990s. This album, along with Core, are the tentpoles of the STP legacy, and its 30th anniversary this year is more fitting for Analogue Productions to embrace this album as part of their highly successful Atlantic 75 series.
The original 1994 pressing will keep its value, including the no-brainer limited purple vinyl variant. Still, a single LP jacket can't compare to this pressing's deluxe Stoughton tip-on gatefold jacket. The original insert, a reformatting of the CD’s 20-page booklet, makes up the inner spread. A part of Atlantic’s iconology is it's 60s-70s era red/green label that graced many classic albums, including this one. Further investigation of the dead wax revealed the “RKS” indicators; this will be a sonic treat!
The big, bellowing chords on the opener “Meatblow” signal this pressing like a juggernaut, and Scott Weiland’s harmonies hard-panned to the right channel broadens the soundstage. Any listener is guaranteed to hold themselves back when the introductory crescendo of “Vasoline” creeps in before the song explodes with the main riff. Weiland’s vocals are subtle and seductive during the verses of “Lounge Fly,” and Dean DeLeo’s slide guitar stylings give the track a lucid quality. Eric Kretz’s kick drum on “Interstate Love Song” drives the track and hits a sweet spot as it cuts through the mix.
The sonic highlight of this pressing is “Pretty Penny.” The fact that STP recorded the song in a living room hones in more on the song’s intimate nature. Weiland’s vocals are rich in tonality and almost lifelike. The chorus, with the thumping bass, ethnic percussion, and sitar-like flourishes, is where the song comes to life ; I felt some goosebumps! “Silvergun Superman” is familiar territory with STP’s classic sound, but the atmospheric middle section will throw you for a loop. Once again, the impressive soundstage comes presents itself with the faint background vocals between the speakers. The undisputed hero of the track “Big Empty” is bassist Robert DeLeo. His spider-like bass runs during the comedown of the choruses almost meld with the music, not to mention Dean DeLeo’s choice of clean jazz-rooted guitar chords.
The album’s length of 47 minutes is respectable within the constraints of a single album, but the 45rpm treatment uncovers some aural nuggets buried deep in the mix. The extra guitar panned to the right during the verses of “Vasoline” is more prominent. The shaker percussion on “Interstate Love Song” always blended with the song’s backing track; it gets a spotlight here. The rocking foundation of “Silvergun Superman” is finely established, but my ears perked when I heard sleigh bells hidden discreetly in the chorus. “Unglued” may be a groove rocker, but the excellent blend of clean and distorted guitar tones gives this track plenty of depth. This 45rpm cut of Purple is the defining way to experience this album and it produces plenty of surprises.
