Wow, have Stone Temple Pilots changed. Forget the unfair remarks about STP's music merely being "recycled rock." And definitely forget about the endless Pearl Jam comparisons. Weiland and the boys are back with their new album,"Purple" to free your mind of any misconceptions you may have had about them in the past. Their music has an almost completely new style that they can genuinely call their own.

Most of the songs follow this format: the melody starts out very soft and, just when you think it's going to be a ballad, out comes a very potent song blasting through your speakers. "Interstate Love Song" would be a good example. It starts out with sort of a country intro. Yeah, I know country stinks, but trust me, STP make it work. Seconds later Dean DeLeo lets loose on his Fender. "Army Ants" is another good example. The song begins mellow and dazed, but then Eric Kretz's pulsating drumbeat aborts the monotone and Weiland starts yelling, "You don't look but you kick me/You can't feel but you hit me."

While most of the songs are fast paced, there are a few soft tunes. Actually, some of the most subdued songs are also the most powerful. "Big Empty," though very dim, is probably the most ardent song I've ever heard from them. The softer songs also have the more personal lyrics. For instance,"Still Remains" is obviously about his wife: "Love is still and sweat remains/A cherished gift unselfish feeling."

Although this album isn't exactly emotionally cathartic, it's also not one to be ignored. .