THE METAL WILL LIVE ON: THIRD EYE BLIND ~ DOPAMINE
Album cover art
I've been a fan of the band THIRD EYE BLIND for nearly two decades now. I've enjoyed their music since first hearing it while watching the movie CAN'T HARDLY WAIT (1998). Then of course the endless radio play of songs that have since becomes true classics like JUMPER, SEMI-CHARMED LIFE, and many many more. I didn't actively seek out their work until 2003's release of the album OUT OF THE VEIN, when I was with my buddy Ross and he bought the album (because he too loved them and also had their previous two albums). We went back to my place and gave the new CD a spin. Today I'm doing the same thing.
12 years later saw the release of the band's 5th album titled DOPAMINE. In the last twelve years the band has gone through several changes, including losing nearly every member save lead singer Stephen Jenkins and drummer Brad Hargreaves. Not to mention making us wait six years between albums (a seemingly new trend since their fourth album was released back in 2009). I remember going crazy with excitement when URSA MAJOR (album #4) came out. That album had several songs that completely blew me away. Overall the album wasn't as good as the previous three albums, but the six year wait was worth it. Another six years have passed and we now have album #5. Was it worth the wait?
The Track list:
Tracks 1 through 6 maintain an energetic pace. The opening track Everything Is Easy is catchy and a little poppy. It sets the mood and tells us that this is going to be a fun listen. In typical Third Eye Blind fashion the opening track is just a taste and the music only gets better from here on in. Shipboard Cook was the first song I found myself humming at random. All The Souls has a very unique sound that I haven't heard from them before. The song reminds me of something Ben Folds might do. The song is refreshing and a highlight of the album.
The title track Dopamine is another standout song on the album and another song I find myself singing to myself here and there. I must admit that the following song Rites Of Passage and Dopamine have similar sounds (not a bad thing) and blend together during a continuous play. Both songs compliment each other well. And that brings us to track 6, Back To Zero, perhaps my favorite song on the album. By this point half the album has passed and it's been nothing but excellence. I don't know if it's a Euro rock feel and sound that they've channeled for this album but whatever it is it's good.
Something In You takes the mood down a little bit but slyly brings it back to a head by the end of the song upping the tempo. It's a great transition to the slower half of the album, the more broody aspects of Jenkins. Get Me Out Of Here continues the drop, still a fun song but moving towards more serious territory, a foreshadowing of the next song. Blade is one seriously dark song in the tradition of BLUE's DARKNESS or album #1's GOD OF WINE or dare I say the legendary SLOW MOTION. Jenkins is known for powerful and striking lyrics and Blade is another dark feather in his cap (well done, sir).
All These Things brings the mood back up from its somber musings resembling the fun we were having at the onset of the album. Exiles is the band's fanfare for the freaks. Over the years and listenings to the music I get the feeling that Stephen Jenkins considers himself an outcast in constant search of his people. Songs like MISFITS and MONOTOV'S PRIVATE OPERA reinforce this message. And finally the album wraps up with the song Say It, another lyrically and emotionally load track with a seemingly large amount of personal insight into his life. There's a hint of a hidden track there at the end but then it's cut off right when you're salivating for more (they did this once before on the last album with the final track CARNIVAL BARKER. At least that track was released online in it's entirety. Where's the rest of this song, huh 3Eb?).
They did however give us an exclusive B-Side available on their website for free download, a cover of BEYONCE's song MINE. It's a cool way to do your exclusive tracks so that everybody can get them without having to purchase the album at a particular vendor. The song itself is interesting. I've never been much of a Beyonce' fan so maybe I'm not the best judge of its character. It does have a universal message to it that I'm sure we've all felt or will feel at some point in our lives. Meh, I would've preferred something off of 3Eb's mythic lost album SYMPHONY OF DECAY, but I'm greedy like that I suppose.
Overall I feel the album is the most balanced of all their work. Albums #1-3 have since passed into myth as legendary and untouchable musical works so it is unfair to compare this latest album to them. Ursa Major had magnificent peaks and incredible valleys (whether that's good or bad I'll leave up to you). Upon the initial listen I was looking for songs with the power and vitality of CAN YOU TAKE ME and DON'T BELIEVE A WORD. I didn't find songs that quite lived up to those standards, but neither did I find songs with such a low pulse like ONE IN TEN or WHY CAN'T YOU BE.
All in all they made us wait six years (again!) for their next album. And a quality album it is. I've seen them live in concert, I've purchased all their albums, and I've downloaded the exclusive tracks, I'm also a member of their fan club. It's safe to say I'm going to be a life long fan and I will wait however long it takes until the next album. Was it worth the wait? This latest album delivered more quality tracks than the previous album. The songs themselves might not quite reach the level of the highlights of Ursa Major but in terms of shear numbers of good tracks Dopamine exceeds its predecessor.
Keep it up guys. If you make more music I'll buy it. See you on the summer tour!
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