Scott Weiland’s ‘Bar Blues’ Rings True on His Solo Debut

Having loudly declared himself a rock star, Scott Weiland backs up his claim with a solo debut that’s so far from his work with Stone Temple Pilots it could have come from another galaxy.

With a collection that plays like a series of strange dreams, Weiland proves nearly as adept at inhabiting lavish sound-scapes as Polly Jean Harvey, assuming larger-than-life roles in a dozen dark, extravagant numbers about obsession, addiction and loss. Still, as fey as “12 Bar Blues” is, the emotions ring true, with Weiland drawing on his all-too-real drug travails to color tunes such as the absurdly poignant plea “Barbarella.”

But this album isn’t about self-pity; it’s about self-discovery. Inspired by both the sound and experimental spirit of ‘70s Bowie and “White Album”-era Beatles, Weiland tries on everything from theatrical ballads (the epic “Lady Your Roof Brings Me Down”) to raging punk (the Stooges-esque “Cool Kiss”), faltering only with the overblown lullaby “Son.”

Although many STP fans may not believe it, he hasn’t forgotten his audience. As much as these songs sprawl and ramble, he slips in surprisingly catchy choruses. Any open-minded listener is likely to carry away some hummable refrains without even realizing it.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).