Both editions of the album open with first single “Missing Cleveland.” The first time I saw the title I wondered if he was kidding. I've never been to Cleveland, but I've also never heard anyone sing of missing it. The song sounds like something that would have fit nicely between STP's Purple and Tiny Music...From the Vatican Gift Shop, combining the fuzz and crunch of the guitar sounds of those two records. “Tangle With Your Mind” shines brighter. Weiland and collaborator Doug Grean again build the melody with layered vocals and guitars, but they shake up the power pop formula by unexpectedly adorning the song with banjo and dulcimer.
Other highlights include “Killing Me Sweetly,” a breezy, California pop song with gentle acoustic guitars and bossa nova rhythm and the bizarre, messy “Beautiful Day.” The electronic blips that open “Crash” mask the sensational power pop intentions of its chorus. “Sometimes Chicken Soup” is a silly title and Weiland's vocal strain is sometimes a bit off putting, but ultimately this is a lovely little number with a dopey title. The juxtaposition of banjo and electronic elements gives this great texture.
No STP or Velvet Revolver record is free from filler, and unfortunately those records were also often marred with the occasional flat out miss. The same is true on Happy in Galoshes. Weiland is an admitted disciple of David Bowie and that's actually one of the things I like about him. Weiland covering Bowie is a lot like Oasis covering The Beatles; casual listeners and catty rock critics already assume they're doing it on their original material so an actual cover is at best unnecessary. I'm neither the casual nor the catty fan, but even I can't excuse what he did to Bowie's “Fame.” On an album where nothing should sound out of place, “Fame” clearly does. His cover of The Smiths' “Reel Around The Fountain” is less awful but it adds nothing to the album.
At some point, you're bound to notice the lyrics and that is unfortunate. The tortured soul confessionals sound believable but don't always read that way. Weiland's gift is with melody, not wordplay. Too often his words come off cold or silly. He's either unable or unwilling to consistently communicate verbally. They're not all bad, but there are some cringe-inducing passages.
Article comments
1 - TwiggySkeet
Good review. Weiland is spreading his wings on this one as is definitely doing a fantastic job of it.
2 - JonnieBlunts
i enjoyed the fame song myself personally. thought it was a great tribute