While Stone Temple Pilots may not be sincere alternative rockers, they do know how to write a killer riff, which is why their debut album sold nearly as many copies as Pearl Jam. Admittedly, STP can sound like either Pearl Jam ("Plush"), Alice in Chains ("Sex Type Thing" and "Wicked Garden"), Soundgarden ("Dead & Bloated"), or even R.E.M. ("Creep"), depending on their mood, but their hooks are undeniably catchy, making the songs much better than they have any right to be. In fact, Stone Temple Pilots appear to be the hard rock arena act for the 1990s, and that's a compliment. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine