Stone Temple Pilots have announced that they will be releasing their first acoustic album this winter. Perdida, the band’s eighth studio effort, is set to hit shelves February 7.
According to a statement on the band’s website, Perdida:
“Features 10 deeply personal songs that weave introspective lyrics together with unexpected instruments to take listeners on an emotional and musical journey through letting go and starting over.”
Meaning “loss” in Spanish, Perdida, found the band getting personal in a way they never have before in their music. On writing lyrics for the album, singer Jeff Gutt relates:
“It’s an emotionally honest album and I needed to approach it that way for these songs to resonate. I had to let myself be as vulnerable writing the lyrics as Dean and Robert were writing the music.”
Says guitarist Dean DeLeo:
“You have to live it to write it, and this record is a reflection of where we’ve been recently.”
While writing may have found the band more vulnerable than usual, it also seems to have been therapeutic. Adds bassist Robert DeLeo:
“When I’ve gone through things in my life, I’ve found that sitting down and having an honest conversation with my guitar is the best therapy.”
An acoustic album has been a long time coming for Stone Temple Pilots. Says drummer Eric Kretz:
“Recording an acoustic album like ‘Perdida’ is something the band has wanted to do for many years. We performed on ‘MTV Unplugged’ in 1993, and we usually play acoustic mini-sets on tour, so when Robert and Dean started playing their new songs for us during our tour last year, we knew right away they would be perfect for an acoustic album.”
With the acoustic sound of Perdida, the band was able to include some more diverse and vintage instruments. Aside from the standard guitars, vocals, bass and drum, the band uses flute, alto sax, vintage keyboards, guitarrón and Marxophone. Says Robert DeLeo:
“I’ve always loved how different instruments can accentuate a song in unexpected ways. Working with other musicians on this album was such a joy because it gave us a rare opportunity to hear our songs through someone else’s ears.”
Perdida was written and recorded at Kretz’s Bomb Shelter Studios.
Fans wanting a taste of the band’s acoustic sound can check out the album’s opening track, “Fare Thee Well,” which was released as the first single along with the album announcement. According to the band’s statement, the song:
“Establishes the wistful tone on ‘Perdida’ right away with its acoustic guitar introduction and opening line: “Fare thee well, so long/I hate to say goodbye to you.”
This is the second album to feature Gutt, who took over vocal duties following the untimely death of Scott Weiland in 2015. He was first featured on the band’s 2018 self-titled album.
Aside from the new album, Stone Temple Pilots have also announced a North American acoustic tour. Kicking off February 5 in Vancouver, BC, the tour wraps up almost a month later in Boston, MA on March 1. Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public December 6.
“We’ll finally get a chance to play songs from our catalog that we’ve never played live, or in some cases, haven’t played live in more than 20 years,” says Kretz. Adds Robert DeLeo, “We’re excited because it’s not only a chance for us to celebrate our new album in a special way, but also everything that’s brought us to this moment.”
Tour Dates:
02/05 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
02/07 Snoqualmie, WA @ Snoqualmie Casino
02/08 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
02/09 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
02/12 San Francisco, CA @ Herbst Theatre
02/13 Beverly Hills, CA @ Saban Theatre
02/15 Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
02/17 Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
02/19 Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
02/21 Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
02/22 Covington, KY @ Madison Theatre
02/25 New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
02/27 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
02/29 Atlantic City, NJ @ Tropicana
03/01 Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre
