IN REVIEW: Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts - "Blaster"

It's not hard to tell what Scott Weiland's musical sweet spot is; and, on his third solo album, he's never been as committed to recalling the early '70s. His retro leanings can be traced back to his Stone Temple Pilots days through singles like Big Bang Baby and Days of the Week, but he hasn't gone all in on it like he has on Blaster. Just listen to the way he and the Wildabouts get it on (bang a gong) on Way She Moves, or calls back simultaneously to the bombastic mod of The Who and Weiland's former band's Sex Type Thing on Amethyst. There's traces of Jack Whitian (Is that a thing? I'm making that a thing.) blues on Modzilla, White Lightning and Parachutes. Then, there's the obvious homage in T. Rex cover 20th Century Boy which, as pretty much the most obvious glam cover you can do outside of David Bowie's Fame (which Weiland covered on his last record), is faithful and well performed.

A few forgettable tracks aside, credit is due for the album's cohesiveness; rather than swinging wildly from one whim to the next, as previous Weiland records are wont to do, Blaster has purpose and flow. Much of this can be attributed to Wildabouts guitarist Jeremy Brown, who tragically and suddenly passed away the day before the album's release. His loss will be felt by many in the music world, but perhaps Weiland especially. Brown's playing seemed to bring stability and familiarity to the band, and those aren't easy qualities to replace.

March 31, 2015 • Softdrive/Universal

Highlights Way She Moves • Modzilla • 20th Century Boy