Stone Temple Pilots: “Stone Temple Pilots”
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When this band split in 2003 and singer Scott Weiland went on to join Velvet Revolver, there wasn’t much reason to expect to hear from Stone Temple Pilots. But with Velvet Revolver having bitten the dust, an STP reunion was certainly a logical career move for Weiland and his former bandmates. The question was would it make musical sense? This album suggests that the time apart helped recharge the creative batteries for all concerned. The new self-titled CD is a swaggering, confident collection of songs that finds STP equaling — and perhaps surpassing — the music it made during its first stint together. STP has always had a mastery of the big rock riff, and that talent is on full display here.

Songs like “Huckleberry Crumble,” “Hickory Dichotomy” and “Hazy Daze” show STP has few equals when it comes to creating a near-perfect combination of hooky pop and riffy hard rock. Throughout the CD, the playing is supple, yet tight, and as a vocalist, Weiland is in fine form, with his rangy, chameleon-like vocals suiting whatever the songs demand, from the tangy attack of “Between The Lines” to the softer tones of “Dare If You Dare.” Yes, STP at times can still sound like it’s borrowing from bands ranging from Pearl Jam to Led Zeppelin to Aerosmith, but there’s no denying the quality the new CD. It’s good to have them back.
Buy if you like: Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin

Hanson: “Shout It Out”
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It’s been 13 years since Hanson permanently penetrated our brains with “MMMBop.” Even though it’s unlikely they’ll ever have another hit that big, they’re still casting hooks you won’t easily dislodge from your skull. “Thinking ’Bout Somethin’,” the lead-off single, is just one of several impossibly infectious tunes on their self-produced fifth studio album. Full of big horns and keyboards, it’s a harmony-laden dose of fun. The sibling trio, all married dads, address adult themes, but never lose sight of their childhood pop-soul-R&B influences. “Make It Out Alive” recalls the Brill Building and Billy Joel; Jackson 5 elements show up in “Waiting for This.” “Carry You There” has a gospel-like chorus; the soulful “Kiss Me When You Come Home” could be “Thinking’s” flip side. Every now and then, we need feel-good pop tunes, and Hanson does ‘em to perfection. Go ahead, crank it up and sing — or shout — along.
Buy if you like: Jackson 5, Blues Brothers

Delta Spirit: “History from Below”
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Delta Spirit’s 2008 debut CD, “Ode To Sunshine,” was a real charmer. Featuring a folk-ish rock-pop sound that was — well, spirited — and as inviting as a back porch jam session, it was one of the sleeper CDs of the year. Now comes the follow-up, “History from Below,” which shows that Delta Spirit has grown musically in the three years of touring that accompanied the first album (which was self-released before Rounder picked it up for release). Where the first album had an acoustic feel — largely because several of the songs were anchored by piano — “History from Below” stretches the sonic and instrumental palette considerably. Yes, the band’s rustic core sound carries over (“Devil Knows You’re Dead” and “Vivian” would fit well on the first CD), but this time out Delta Spirit goes for a more muscular, more electric-centric sound. The approach works well on songs such as “Bushwick Blues,” which isn’t that bluesy, but rocks steadily behind its pounding drums; “Golden State,” a rollicking track that may remind some of “Trashcan,” the standout rocker from the first CD; and “White Table,” a moody mid-tempo rocker that builds to a percussive climax as its bass line pulses beneath ringing guitar chords. “History from Below” also has a quiet side, with the stark acoustic tune “Ransom Man” taking on an appealingly ghostly feel and “Scarecrow” having a sweet summer evening vibe despite its sometimes grimy lyrics. Richer and more multi-faceted than the first CD, “History from Below” should open more ears to this promising band.
Buy if you like: The Band, My Morning Jacket

Against Me!: “White Crosses”
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This group may have angered some long-time fans by signing a major label record deal before releasing its 2007 CD, “New Wave.” But that album significantly raised Against Me!’s” profile — and for anyone that was listening, proved that going to a major label wasn’t going to soften the band’s punk sound. So it’s no surprise that “White Crosses” picks up where the previous CD left off, delivering another enervating set of catchy yet gritty punk-powered rock. The new CD contains the expected parcel of tightly played, passionately felt rockers (“White Crosses, “High Pressure Low” and “Rapid Decompression”). But the band also makes room for a pair of effective mid-tempo songs (“Suffocation” and “Bamboo Bones”) and even a couple of ballads, “We’re Breaking Up” and “Ache With Me.” This all makes for a well rounded album that expands the group’s musical reach, while being accessible enough to build on the success of “New Wave.” Further popularity may bother fans that wanted Against Me! to remain their little secret, but this group is too good not to reach a wider audience.
Buy if you like: Bad Religion, Green Day

Blitzen Trapper: “Destroyer of the Void”
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The previous pair of Blitzen Trapper CDs — “Wild Mountain Nation” and “Furr” — were full of promise, the sound of a band with an idiosyncratic, but appealing, take on folkish rock that seemed likely to grow more coherent as the group gained experience. That may still happen, but on its fifth CD, “Destroyer of the Void,” Blitzen Trapper seems to have fallen into a slight case of arrested development. It’s not a full-on setback. The group’s sound is a bit more focused compared to the first two albums, where the playing at times felt ragged enough around the edges to nearly fall apart. On “Destroyer of the Void,” the group sounds more assured and there’s a sense that the songs sound as Blitzen Trapper intended. What’s missing is the level of stylistic development the previous two CDs seemed to promise. It’s not that songs like the acoustic mid-tempo tune “Evening Star,” the ballad, “The Tailor” or the poppy rocker “Laughing Lover” are weak. They just don’t surpass similar earlier songs. About the only songs that take Blitzen Trapper to new heights are “Lover Leave Me Drowning” (a sprightly, piano-based pop tune) and the title song, a multi-faceted rock track that is a prime example of the group’s slightly offbeat country/rock/psychedelic fusion. So there are worthy moments on “Destroyers” of the Void,” but overall the fifth time isn’t the charm; it’s a mild disappointment.
Buy if you like: Neil Young, Grateful Dead

Orianthi: “Believe (II)”
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The young singer/guitarist (who was set to be featured on Michael Jackson’s tour before the “King Of Pop’s” untimely passing) is seeing her career gain new momentum with the release of the single “Shut Up & Kiss Me.” To capitalize on the visibility, Geffen Records is re-releasing her debut CD with four new tracks (including “Shut Up & Kiss Me”) replacing three songs from her 2009 debut “Believe,” and renaming the new release “Believe (II).” What that basically means is fans have to buy the full CD again in order to get an EP’s worth of new songs.  What “Believe (II)” offers is songs patterned after the Avril Lavigne/the Matrix formula of songwriting — write an understated, but lyrically charged verse, followed by a big chorus with an anthemic hook. Orianthi executes the formula well, and she has the kind of full-bodied voice required to handle the pop melodies. What she also offers is considerable skill for her young age as a guitarist. That gives her music a bit different spin, especially on the song “Highly Strung,” whose proggy metal sound is a departure from the power pop of the rest of the CD. Despite that track, much of “Believe (II)” feels formulaic, despite having several catchy tunes. If Orianthi really wants to make her mark, she’ll need to show more originality as she moves forward.
Buy if you like: Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy