Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop (studio album) by Stone Temple Pilots

STP’s masterpiece and they never should’ve strayed away from this sound as no one would’ve complained if STP kept making more albums like Tiny Music.

What's even more amazing is as different as this album was to the band’s first two albums, it was still quite a commercial success and a very respectable seller in the States even though 90’s Grunge/Alternative Rock was completely on it’s way out by 1996 as all of Tiny Music’s singles and videos were still huge and all over MTV. The album also stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for a total of 50 weeks. 50 weeks!!!

You also don’t have to be a big fan of 90’s Grunge/Alternative Rock to love or even like this album. This is radio-friendly experimental hard rock done right.

Far and away their best album. In fact if they had never released it I probably wouldn't care for STP. But it lifts up some of the other albums like Purple and No. 4 for me. Weiland said his biggest influence is David Bowie, you can kind of see it on this album. Best songs are Pop's love suicide, And So I know, Tumble in the rough, Lady Picture show

From llibnanoon 09/10/2020 14:35

Mostly Killer, but a little filler which brought down my score. Rating (79.58)

While I liked Core and loved Purple, this is the STP album that I find myself listening to over and over.
They grew out of the grunge sound and developed creatively into their own sound. Guitarist Dean DeLeo
really shines.
Favorite Tracks: Trippin On a Hole in a Paper Heart, Big Bang Baby, Lady Picture Show, Daisy
and the brilliant And So I Know.
Only track I don't care for is Art School Girl.

From Strangel 12/10/2019 02:04

This album is a ‘little’ gem and in my opinion enhances Weiland’s legacy as a pioneering progressive artist. I don’t think it challenges Purple but I think it surpasses Core as an artistic statement. I agree with the comment below in regards to initially being disappointed upon its release. I was hoping that the quality of Purple would flow into the new release. Instead we had to wrap our musical minds around a very different style which required many listens before we were well enough acquainted. Tiny Music is to Purple what Currents is to Lonerism.

A good, easy listen for a mostly rough sounding band

Less rock and more just, how do I explain it... ART, from this record.

From Eastwood 02/24/2015 22:13

Good alternative rock/psychedelic rock/neo-psychedelia album. Best 10 songs average is 84,2/100 and the album can get good 85/100. It's hard to nominate a best song. Most songs are good 85/100, but no hit contained. Unfortunately far away from predecessors "Core" and "Purple".

Tiny Music is one of the most inventive, fresh & arty fun pop metal albums ever, and I'd bet serious recs that it influenced Homme in the making of QOTSA's Rated R.

From junodog4 05/30/2012 00:31

I HATED this album when it first came out. I was infatuated with what STP had done with Core and Purple, and I wasn't ready for this shift. You can hear Scott Weiland's drug addiction all over this album. It's bizarre and disjointed. However, listening to it now, I see the quality. The boys in the band have never grooved like they did on this album, as they tackle more challenging tracks. It's funky and saucy, and yes, a little weird, but it works. Not as consistent as Core or Purple, but I'm glad they pushed themselves.