Post-grunge veterans Third Eye Blind return with their sixth record, one which lead singer Stephan Jenkins hoped to be more collaborative and less polished than the band’s most recent efforts.
They certainly got the first part right. We get interesting contributions from Alexis Krauss (Sleigh Bells) and Ryan Olson (Marijuana Death Squad and Poliça). Plus Billy Corgan came on board as an advisor. Or, as he is rather fancifully described, a ‘musical consigliere’. How much he affected the record is hard to tell as there is little here that resembles the Smashing Pumpkins or any of Corgan’s other projects.
As for the less polished part, this seems less successful. For the most part, the album is a collection of slick pop-rock. Not that there is anything necessarily wrong with that, of course, but it is fair to say a raucous rock record this is not.
What it is, initially at least, is a lot of fun. The opening title track in particular is one of the strongest efforts here with its infectious pop guitar hook, sing-a-long chorus, and a cool cameo from the aforementioned Krauss.
The next couple of tracks, The Kids are Coming and Ways, are similarly fun, the former being a bouncy pop-punk number, while the latter is a summery pop anthem with an eminently catchy chorus, which just about makes up for the risible lyrics – ‘I’m the first Motherf**ker to the cheese, and I am so eager to please’.
Unfortunately, by this stage, you have heard the majority of the highlights. Not to say the rest is terrible. More that there are a few that feel pretty throwaway and lack the same infectious energy of the opening trio. Take, for example, Take a Side, a track that feels like it is trying to be a rousing anthem against injustice, but instead, the tepid execution barely raises a pulse.
There is also one song that is memorable for all the wrong reasons – 2XTigers, an ear-scraping trap number with rubbish rapping and the kind of excruciating Auto-Tune vocals that would make Cher ashamed of popularising them. On some level, you have to admire an established act taking such risks. On the other hand, when the results are this bad, you wish they hadn’t bothered.
Screamer ends up being a passable pop-rock collection with a handful of decent tracks, some largely forgettable ones, and one of the year’s real clunkers.
I give 1 star for your review! You really dont understand much about music right?
This album is a masterpiece… but you don’t get it because you gave 1 listen of 20seconds on each music and rate it with 2 stars … bravo!
Completely disagree, the review was spot on. The lyrics on this album are incredibly weak, with one song repeating something about getting high, and singing the word “sugar” 42,000 times. It’s like 3EB tried to imitate Imagine Dragons.
The band has gone through too many changes to be what it once was. For example, losing the key contributors (Kevin, Tony and Arion), were what made the band relevant during it’s time (Self Titled, Blue, Out of the Vein). They were behind the excellent guitar and lyrical work that made the group a hit. Their old songs told stories and took you down a musical road trip. Jenkins by himself doesn’t have what it takes.
It’s no wonder when you go to a 3EB show now, no one has any idea what any of the new tracks are, and the crowd is stuck singing along to self titled and blue. I’d imagine that if the original band got back together, including Tony, they would be able to hit #1 back on the charts again.
Go to a Pearl Jam show and the crowd knows every song from every album, because Vedder and the band put out good content (and continues to do so). The only reason 3eb is still even slightly relevant, is due to the first three albums that put them on the map.