“What you may not know is, we wrote this song on the beach” Stephan Jenkins told an arena crowd at North Island County Credit Union Amphitheatre on August 1, 2019 before playing the band’s new song, “Ways”. Two months later, twenty-six years after the band’s formation, and twenty-two years passed the release of the band’s debut self-titled album, Third Eye Blind released its 6th studio album.

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Like many, my first introduction to Third Eye Blind was the 90’s hits of “Semi-Charmed Life”, “Jumper”, and “Never Let You Go”. After digging deeper into the band, I discovered more of their discography, including their deep cuts and radio unfriendly tracks. To this day, Third Eye Blind remains a staple on my playlists, despite the many changes musically and organizationally that the band has experienced during its twenty-six year history. One thing has remained steady through the years: Stephan Jenkins’ realism and attitude that he conveys brilliantly through music and lyrics.

In a world where songs are released as individual stories rather than chapters part of a larger book, Third Eye Blind has many albums that tell a story when played through without skipping a track. Now, without a doubt, my favorite records from the band remain “Out of the Vein”, “Blue” (Platinum), and “Third Eye Blind” (6x Platinum). However, “Screamer” certainly has a place at the table when discussing Third Eye Blind’s discography.

The album kicks off with the powerful title track, “Screamer”. The song gets started with a catchy synthesizer that ascends and descends smoothly. The synth continues in the background for most of the piece. Jenkins then enters with his trademark vocals over top of the instrumental. Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells accents Jenkins’ well and is featured throughout the song. The verse carries the energy while the bridge and chorus slows it down to bring the listener in. The track is full of energy and empowerment, a common theme of the album.

Keeping the energy high, “The Kids are Coming (To Take You Down)” is one of my favorite songs on the record. An instrumental intro similar to that of “Screamer” is quickly cut off with an edgy guitar riff and some drums to set the fast-paced beat. Jenkins enters with a speaking voice at a pace unfamiliar to most Third Eye Blind loyalists. As the track progresses, Jenkins begins to effortlessly unleash his raspy vocals over the top of more instrumentals. The riffs by Kryz Reid and the beat set by Brad Hargreaves on drums make this track upbeat and enjoyable. It’s exactly what you would expect a Third Eye Blind song to sound like in 2019.

“Well the truth is, I’m just glad I’m here” starts Jenkins on the third track, “Ways”. The first track that strongly deviates from Third Eye Blind’s roots, this track also happens to be my favorite in my early listens to the album. With an unfathomable flow, the song makes it easy to nod your head and dance around a little bit. Guitar backs up a hip-hop vibe that is led by Jenkins and supported on the chorus by the female vocalist Carlie Hanson. Jenkins shared with the concert crowd in Chula Vista that this song was written on the beach, and it certainly has an upbeat, summer feel that makes it a fun listen as he sings about “trying to land that trick” and “sneaking into Outside Lands”. The song puts you in a feel-good mood.

Perhaps the most popular song on the album among Third Eye Blind fans, “Tropic Scorpio” doesn’t have the hip-hop pace, but certainly isn’t lacking tempo. The song relies on modern instrumentals, but the track has a noticeable bass line and plenty of drums to backup Jenkins. When I listen to it, I get the closest feeling to “Out of the Vein”, my favorite album from the band. The track has a catchy hook that does not disappoint once Jenkins breaks into the chorus of the alternative-rock track.

One of the other singles that was released before the album dropped was “Walk Like Kings”. Jenkins’ vocals carry the track on what I would otherwise consider boring instrumentals that don’t bring much to the table. If I didn’t enjoy the sound of Third Eye Blind, I probably wouldn’t hit “play” on this track too often.

I’m a sucker for any song that incorporates keyboard effectively. “Turn Me On” fits the bill, and I was hooked immediately. A subtle keyboard melody and auto-tuned vocals complement a soft-spoken Jenkins on this track. Another song that has me naturally tapping my foot, this unique song is true enough to Third Eye Blind’s origins while bringing a fresh sound.

“Got So High” is extremely unique and relies on unconventional pacing, but I’m here for it. Like much of the album, Jenkins seems to be having casual conversation with the listener. Accented by the piano and some soft percussions, it starts out sounding like if Macklemore was performing an acoustic set in a coffee shop. The song is a rollercoaster in terms of pacing, as it will begin to speed up before coming to a complete halt. The varying speeds keep the listener engaged as Jenkins drops clever rhymes.

Though the sound is very different, the vibe of “Who am I” reminds me of the themes that were heavily present in “Out of the Vein”. In discussing what appears to be a difficult split, Jenkins cries out “Who am I to you” and “I still want you to approve of me, Cause these days won’t be as good as the days you love me”. On what is otherwise a relatively upbeat album despite the political undertones, this track certainly has the listener sympathizing with the difficult feelings that can come with separation.

Slowing it down once again, “Light it Up” features Jenkins’ vocals alongside keyboard and soft instrumentals. About midway through the song, the drums begin to come on and Jenkins belt out some lines before slowing it down once again. Similar to slower tracks of the Third Eye Blind of old like “Motorcycle Drive By” or “Slow Motion”, this song features Jenkins’ storytelling tones while also allowing the singer to show off his vocal range.

By far the song that has received the most criticism, “2x Tigers” can only be described as a product of experimentation. The song sounds like the band was replaced by T-Pain’s autotune vocals and a DJ. If Jenkins didn’t have such a distinguishable voice, it would be impossible to credit this song to Third Eye Blind.

“Take a Side” has a nice acoustic guitar intro before Jenkins comes in with his soft vocals. The instrumentals have a decent flow, but the bridge and chorus leave more to be desired. Jenkins does hit the high end of his vocal range, but the bridge and chorus leave more to be desired.

A band that has a twenty-six year history such as Third Eye Blind cannot be expected to maintain a single musical style throughout its long, tumultuous history. To be honest, I am extremely grateful that this band still has the energy to get in the studio and produce music. I’m thankful that this new albums give the band motivation to go out on tour to play all the crowd favorites as well as some of the solid tracks that have come from their latest projects.

Attempting to compare “Screamer” to albums that achieved massive success like “Third Eye Blind” or “Blue” or to a record that is beloved by fans in “Out of the Vein” would only lead to disappointment. It is difficult to listen to a Third Eye Blind song without thinking of their old hits and masterpieces. However, I am here to say that “Screamer” has some tracks that can be added to the library of Third Eye Blind songs that deserve a play. The beginning of the album is extremely strong, and can be played continuously while having variety and uniqueness in each song. I will admit that the record tails off hard, but I’m not here to criticize a band for experimenting. Anything that keeps a band motivated and in the studio will receive my support.

Album Score: 7.6/10

What did you think of “Screamer”? What is your favorite track from the album? What is your favorite Third Eye Blind album of all time? Let me know in the comments. Also, be sure to catch Third Eye Blind on their upcoming tour which kicks off in Europe before the band comes back to the states.

https://www.thirdeyeblind.com/tour