Review: Third Eye Blind – Out Of The Vein

Adam Grundy May 15, 2023

Third Eye Blind found themselves at a bit of a crossroads when the time came to write the follow-up to two successful records: their stunning self-titled LP and Blue. Longtime guitarist/songwriter, Kevin Cadogan, was replaced with Tony Fredianelli and Out of the Vein would be the second album in a row without an outside producer. The band’s chemistry somehow didn’t suffer on this album that most 3EB fans rank very highly when looking back on the full breadth of the band’s discography. The album was recorded at their own Mourning Wood Studios in San Francisco, and Stephan Jenkins admitted that nearly 40 songs were written during the pre-production sessions that would become their third LP. Originally called Crystal Baller, but scrapped because everyone outside of Jenkins hated the name, Out of the Vein would solidify the band as one of the premiere acts in Alternative Rock history. The record was supposed to be released in early 2002, but the mounting pressure to live up to the legacy left behind on their first two albums led to several lyric re-writes. Ultimately, these growing pains worked out in the band’s favor creatively, even as their label (Elektra Records) imploded right as Third Eye Blind would release the record. Out of the Vein may not have the sheen of Blue, or the bulletproof legacy of their self-titled debut, but it still features several great Third Eye Blind songs that have stood the test of time.

Adam Grundy Nov 25, 2019

Coming off the success of the multi-platinum, debut self-titled album, Third Eye Blind could have gone in several different directions. Would they crash and burn like many of their 90’s peers hitmakers that stormed onto the scene of the height of the music industry, or would they embrace the pressure and deliver a noteworthy record? Plenty has already been written about the drama and in-fighting that went on during the writing and production of their sophomore album, Blue. Yet, I’m going to focus on the music itself which by all points of merit is still pretty damn good even at 20 years of age. The album’s themes are filled with relatable concepts, ranging everywhere from teen pregnancy (“10 Days Late”), physical abuse (“Wounded”), to gushing feelings of love (“Deep Inside Of You”).

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Review: Third Eye Blind – Screamer

Adam Grundy Oct 22, 2019

The mystery, indecisiveness, and possible controversy surrounding Third Eye Blind’s sixth studio album only added to the allure and likability of Screamer. In many interviews, front-man Stephan Jenkins went as far as to say that there would never be a sixth studio album from Third Eye Blind, which came as a big shock to those who have been following the band during this decade. Coming off multiple successful tours with their name at the top of the bill, Third Eye Blind has done plenty to remove themselves from the pack of 90’s bands who could only dream of Jenkins and his bandmates’ sustained success. Dopamine, their last proper full-length was released in 2015, and they followed that record up with an equally charming collection of cover songs affectionately titled Thanks For Everything. With such an ominous EP title, one could only think Jenkins was living up to his word about hanging up the studio production output from the Third Eye Blind moniker. Luckily for us, Jenkins and 3EB’s long-time drummer Brad Hargreaves, guitarists Kryz Reid and Colin Creev, and bassist Alex LeCavilier collectively came together to deliver Screamer.

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Review: Third Eye Blind – Third Eye Blind

Craig Manning Apr 4, 2017

Third Eye Blind’s self-titled is simultaneously one of the most joyful albums I’ve ever heard and one of the most heartbreaking. The first half of the record is stacked with infectiously catchy pop-rock songs—most of which became hit singles. The latter half is more jagged and mid-tempo, with songs that sound noticeably darker and more subdued. Half the songs wouldn’t sound out of place on a summertime party playlist. The other half are songs that ache with such profound loneliness that listening to them with a group of people almost seems sacrilegious. And, as is the trademark of frontman Stephan Jenkins, even some of the songs that sound happy are actually crushing.

Third Eye Blind is a much more complex record than I thought it was when I first heard it, and I’d reckon that something similar holds true for most people. Frankly, early on, it was easy to hear Third Eye Blind’s music as little more than catchy radio rock. In the summer of 1997, “Semi-Charmed Life” rode the infectiousness of its “doo doo doo” hook to the number one slot on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 chart. At six years old, I thought it was the catchiest song I’d ever heard. At 26 years old, I still think it’s the catchiest song I’ve ever heard. There might not be a single song that makes me think more of summertime than that one.