SoundBites: Sounds of 2015, Stone Temple Pilots

Laura Marling

It's December and the internet is awash with year-ending Best-of lists, full of albums by bands you may never have heard of (but probably should check out one day) as well as some more familiar fare.

Just to be different, here are some of the best songs of 2015 worth adding to that end of year playlist:

Into The Sunshine, Ahoribuzz - the sound of summer;
Gurdjieff's Daughter, Laura Marling - from the excellent Short Movie;

Dead Fox, Courtney Barnett - I dare you not to love this;
If It Were Up To Me, Eden Mulholland - Kiwi pop perfection;
The Hills, The Weeknd - a deservedly massive hit;
Damn It All, the Staves - has a twist in its tail;
Walk the Wire, Boy & Bear - catchy Oz pop-rock;
Venus Fly, Grimes feat Janelle Monae - perhaps 2015's best song from 2015's best album Art Angels;
What Went Down, Foals - opening lyrics of the year;
Where Are U Now, Skrillex & Diplo - Justin Bieber's best vocals this year;
Let It Happen, Tame Impala see the video for the full experience;
C'est La Vie, Stereophonics - yes. they're still going!
Also: Lean On, Major Lazer & DJ Snake; BBHMM - Rihanna; Trap Queen - Fetty Wap; Ship to Wreck, Florence & The Machine; Hello, Adele.

Of course, it's not a comprehensive list but it should give you a few new leads for satisfying summer listening.

Revisit a classic

In a 1994 Rolling Stone poll, Stone Temple Pilots were voted Best New Band by Rolling Stone's readers and Worst New Band by its music reviewers. Take from that what you will.

That same year the band released Purple, their second album - 12 gracious melodies that are well worth revisiting, and many have in the past week following news of singer Scott Weiland's death.

The out-and-out star of the album is Interstate Love Song, a brief yet epic rock classic dealing with Weiland's demons of drugs and dishonesty.

That said, there are plenty of cracking tracks including Big Empty, Vasoline, Still Remains and the hidden lounge song at the end.