No. 4

No. 4 feels like a defiant exhale — a hard reset after the sun-drenched psychedelia of Tiny Music. With Scott Weiland fresh off a jail sentence and the band’s momentum stalled, STP returned with their heaviest and most compact record since Core, trading trippy experimentation for gut-punch riffs and ragged immediacy.

Opener “Down” sets the tone with a grinding riff and Weiland’s gritty vocal sneer — it’s pure post-grunge muscle, a reminder that STP never lost their knack for brooding hooks. “Heaven & Hot Rods” and “Church on Tuesday” continue the garage-rock stomp, while “Sour Girl” catches you off guard — a lush, radio-ready ballad that became their only Hot 100 hit, wrapped in bittersweet elegance.

But No. 4 is more than a rehash. “No Way Out” flirts with glam swagger, “Sex & Violence” channels Bowie via a whiskey dive, and closer “Atlanta” croons like a smoky, jazz-laced farewell, echoing The Sound of Music’s “My Favorite Things” with unexpected grace.

It’s not as exploratory as its predecessor or as polished as what followed, but No. 4 is raw, urgent, and often underrated — a snapshot of a band clawing its way back from the brink with guitars cranked and zero apologies.