Disco de Third Eye Blind: “Blue”

So they beat the sophomore jinx! Blue is a much better album and has a lot more variety and depth. Anything and Never Let You Go are the best tracks, but mind you ther are no fillers! This is one consistent album!

This record proves that Third Eye Blind is improving all the time and is definitely not another of those corporate post-grunge bands that have crowded the music scene in the recent times.

Worth every dollar you pay and then some more!

"I'd give them anything... if they could actually make a record that would stand the test of time. Well, okay, I probably still wouldn't."

The above is a snippet from my previous take on Third Eye Blind's "Blue," circa 2002. Some time later, I'm printing a big retraction -- this review.

Proving that hindsight is 20/20, "Blue" is filled to the brim with beautiful, oozing pop-rock melody. There's probably as much potential energy in this record as a stone sitting on a cliff on the moon. When it spirals out of control like a rocketship with a bum rocket, such as on the pounding crescendo that is "Wounded," the results are stunning.

"Semi-Charmed Life" isn't present on "Blue," but the songs that are here showcase a versatility that few bands can manage. Several years after I'd forgotten about it, I pulled this record out and found that it had become exactly what I look for in my music.

At times, Stephan Jenkins' voice is akin to what would happen if a few almost-postal Zippo employees visited medieval China -- fireworks everywhere. As anyone who ever heard "Semi-Charmed Life" can attest, he has the vocal range to pull off a throaty purr one moment and a stratospheric falsetto that easily one-ups the emotional intensity of Chris Martin (of Coldplay fame) the next. Jenkins uses his voice like a hip-hop star, as a rhythmically-complex instrument of mass destruction, and out of the context of the musically-barren realm of rap, it works perfectly. Although his penchant for formulating sexual metaphor as the basis for his lyrics can grow tiresome to the discerning ear, it's at least subtle and tactfully-executed, in stark contrast to idiots like Chad Kroeger from Nickelback. ("I like your pants around your feet," anyone?)

To my ear, the first half of "Blue" is the side of Third Eye Blind the public wanted to hear -- the radio-ready pop-rock band that gets shamefully mentioned in the same sentence as Sugar Ray and Smash Mouth. The truth is, even those songs that earned them their fame were special in a very unique way: they display consistent songwriting talent surpassing pretty much any pop band of the moment that you can name.

"Anything" sports the most obvious metaphor of the record in "I'd turn my balls to sand just to see you," but its entire game is immediacy. The absolute last thing you expect upon the first few simple fingerpicked bars of "Anything" is for it to explode into a power chord onslaught, but lo and behold, that's exactly what happens. The lead guitar line is simple but utterly effective, and before you completely realize what's hit you, the song has reached the end of its short 2:00 duration.

"1000 Julys" rocks the hardest of any of the tracks on "Blue," carrying the listener through a giant sexual innuendo by way of tidal waves of burning jet fuel guitar that end with a rollicking bridge/outro that is sure to induce headbanging of dangerous intensity.

The second half of the record finds the band experimenting more with aural overlay and harmony; I find it to be their better half.

"The Red Summer Sun" sails through an overture song format wrought with a mixture of high-flying, distorted guitar and electronic effects that infuse it with a weird magnetism, and "Camouflage" is a spacey, reverberating bit of near-shoegaze that drips with the emotion its extremely high fidelity production provided for.

The sonic soup is seasoned by finely-composed typhoons of guitar chaos adding to the overall sound in the background. This is flavored like my vision of perfect music -- catchy melody surrounded by high fidelity guitar chaos. Pop-shoegaze for the new millenium.

Against the opinion of my former self, I give this near-perfect record my highest recommendation. It surely beats almost anything being released these days.

There are two types of 3eb fans. Whether you like the new album or not depends on which type of fan you consider yourself to be.

Type 1: You bought the first album only after hearing "Semi-Charmed Life," "How's It Going to Be," "Jumper," etc., on the radio. And, although you may have discovered a few tracks on the album, your listening time focuses around those same hit singles.

Type 2: You bought 3eb's debut after hearing SCL only once and discovered the huge singles before they were huge. You also love some non-radio hit tracks more than those singles. You've also been impatiently awaiting the new album.

If you're type 1, forget about buying "Blue." You won't like it.

If you're type 2, buy it now! Granted, this album isn't as easily accessible as the debut. I didn't like it at first...I hated it. But as I listened more closely, I discovered a truly layered and complex album...an amazing work, with intelligent lyrics and great melodies and hooks.

"Wounded" is a brilliantly crafted song...if you listen to only one track to cast judgement, make it this one. Listen to lyrical structure and content...to the orchestral instrumentation during the verses...the soaring guitars of the chorus. you won't be disappointed.

I'm giving this album 4 stars...with the fifth one added after "Blue" is absorbed and experienced.

This is really a great a cd!I have the CD and it doesn't have explicit lyrics. I don't know why you said it did but it doesn't. Parents it's ok to buy this CD for your children. It is pretty clean.

"Blue", the follow up to Third Eye Blind's extremely successful debut album, will not disappoint! Their sound is definitely different than their debut album, but it has changed in a good way. The music sounds less angry and much more mature. The band spent many, many hours in the studio trying to make a follow up album which all of their fans would enjoy. Well, I think they did an awesome job. Ever since I bought this cd over a month ago, I can't stop listening to it. It's been the only cd I've listened to. I never get tired of it. There's always something new to listen to on "Blue". This album seases to amaze me. Every song put out by Third Eye Blind is of the best quality. My personal favorites on this album are: "Wounded", "Deep Inside Of You", "1000 Julys", "Camoflauge", and "Darkness". The only disappointment in this album is the edited version of "Slow Motion". That is a brilliant song about the glamorization of violence which, unfortunately, was edited by their record company, Elektra. Anyways, if you liked the first album, "Blue" is definitely for you. If you didn't like the first album, "Blue" is still for you. It has a much different tone than their debut album, but it is still of the same great quality that only 3eb can produce. Happy Listening!