Happy in Galoshes [PA] (CD - 2008)

Scott Weiland hasn't curried much favor with critics, either as the frontman for mainstream grunge outfit Stone Temple Pilots in the 1990s, or as a member of the hard-rock supergroup Velvet Revolver in the 2000s. Yet Weiland's penchant for glam rock and dreamy psychedelia, and his more overlooked gift for pop hooks, are framed nicely on solo records like `98's 12 BAR BLUES and--to even better effect--on `08's HAPPY IN GALOSHES.

Naturally, the stylistic imprint of Weiland's former projects is audible here in the heavy, churning riffs and overt nods to his major influences (Weiland even includes a cover of David Bowie's "Fame"), but it's the idiosyncrasies here that carry the most appeal. Trippy, `60s-influenced drones, Brazilian-flavored excursions, spiky power pop, and Kurt Weil-esque cabaret, among other stylistic adventures, reveal creatively new sides of Scott Weiland on this latest disc minimize