So he's no John Lennon. He's not even a Beck. He's not even Eddie Vedder.
It doesn't really matter - there's something irresistible about Scott Weiland, something that keeps listeners coming back despite his position as a critic's whipping boy.
Weiland, the former/current singer for Stone Temple Pilots depending on which entertainment reporters one chooses to trust, has a scratchy, laconic voice, a weirdo rock star haircut, a history of drug-related charges and a penchant for pop music that is tough to define.
His first solo album, 12 Bar Blues, proves that Weiland's music is not as contrived as the grunge rip-offs he used to concoct with his fellow Pilots. Beginning with his former band's second major label album, Purple, Weiland and crew began to write songs that were somewhere in between experimental and formulaic - the band began to take all the conventions of pop music and incorporate new ideas that other musicians were creating, putting together a sound that, despite its predictability, was actually kind of cool despite itself.
Now Weiland has continued on the path Purple started with 12 Bar Blues. His lazy rock song "About Nothing" is laced with electronic fuzz, and the clever "Divider" employs a Vibraphone and a Mellotron, capitalizing on the lounge music craze.
It's not innovative, but it's fun, and Weiland's vocal range and ear for pop hooks continues to develop.
He may not be at the forefront of his field, but when it comes to making music to which people will actually listen, Weiland continues to be a pioneer of sorts.
