Multi-Platinum selling Alternative Rock band Third Eye Blind has been releasing their sound into the world since 1993 when original songwriting duo Stephen Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan came together. In 1996, they signed with their first record label, Elektra Records, and a year later released their self-titled debut. A juggernaut at the time, the album spawned five hit singles including the unforgettable “Semi-Charmed Life,” “How’s It Going to Be,” and “Jumper.” Following up on this success, the released Blue in 1999, to positive acclaim.
In spite of setbacks along the way, Third Eye Blind has continued to produce music with many lineup switches and time gaps between albums, following up with Out of the Vein 2003, Ursa Major in 2009, and most recently, Dopamine in 2015. At this time, Jenkins and Brad Hargreaves (drums) are the only ones left from the original lineup, in recent years joined by Kryz Reid (lead guitar), Alex Kopp (keyboards), and Alex LeCavalier (bass). Seeming to find stability, and after critical acclaim following the release of Dopamine, Third Eye Blind make their quickest turn around time between new material with the release of their We Are Drugs EP on October 7, 2016.
Released via Jenkins’ own Megaforce Records imprint label, Mega Collider Records, who produced Ursa Major along with Dopamine, the EP maintains the eclectic blend of electric, acoustic, and Rock sounds of previous Third Eye Blind songs. In fact, the EP is meant to tie in with their previous album because drugs affect the brain’s dopamine levels. That said, some of the new songs have stronger political messages than music previously released by Third Eye Blind. Opening with “Company of Strangers,” it tells a story of a person who seems to be attached to strangers and their opinions on what they do with their life. The song illuminates the insanity of letting a stranger’s judgment consume you. It is followed by a mellower song with softer guitar and slower percussion, “Queen of Daydreams.” Here, Jenkins sings to the audience the feelings of first falling in love with someone. The image connected with this song is of a man lying in a field with a woman he is beginning to fall for and she is controlling his thoughts, hence being a “Queen of Daydreams.”
Moving on, “Don’t Give in” begins with a more acoustic sound, breaking into a more full set sound. It speaks to anyone who feels they are stuck doing something just because they have to or everyone else is. It sends a powerful message of not letting yourself fall into a miserable rut. More electric than the earlier tracks, “Isn’t It Pretty” and “Sherri is a Stoner” give off more of a vibe like the band The 1975. Both tracks have a sound that somewhat resembles singing from inside a tunnel, an artistic transition in sound that can not be ignored.
Bringing the audience right back to their Rock sounds, “Weightless” offers louder vocals and stronger guitar riffs. Speaking of the human attraction to things that can hurt them, and how it brings them to a high and weightless feeling, this track provides more social angst than the others. The final track, “Cop Vs. Phone Girl,” was released as the EP’s lead single back on July 25th. A political piece in response to some of the views of the Republican party that the group did not agree with, it is based on the Black Lives Matter movement, using the title as a lyric. It references the 2015 incident at a high school in South Carolina where a police officer violently removed an African American student from a classroom; within the words, Jenkins makes it clear that he cannot possibly understand the struggles, but he supports their cause.
All in all, We Are Drugs contains a lot of songs that had powerful messages in both the social and political realms. It contains tracks that will be remembered years down the road, much like the aforementioned “Jumper.” Weaving their signature differences in sound throughout the album keeps the listener on their toes, anxious for what each track may bring to their ears. CrypticRock gives We Are Drugs 4 out of 5 stars.
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