OK. So, I was just watching them play Bonnaroo (sp) from some time ago..... And all the crowd knew ALL the words of ALL the songs, and it reminded me of the Panic/Weezer show I went to, with my girls.... Even my girls knew all the songs and all the words (just the hits were played, so, they knew those....)" But its amazing, indeed, that theres so many songs, and they could just play those over and over and over, and I bet they sell out everything - lol!
The 90s.... when I was <SO> into music, and knew Subpop, 4AD, Mammoth, and such.... god, when I was young....
I've been sleeping on this album too long. After this review I finally hunkered down and listened to it and I am really glad I did! Thank you for such a great review!
Just checked out 'Motorcycle Drive-By' and it was pretty great. Gonna listen to this full album asap now, good write-up.
Solid write up, good job. TEB's ST remains to be one of my favorite albums of all time. It never gets old, the track listing is perfection, and the lyrics are sharp. Stephan Jenkins is also an amazing and unique vocalist.
Anyone that's just now getting into Third Eye Blind's self titled record should also listen to Matchbox 20's Yourself or Someone Like You. Came out about the same time and is also full of hit songs, but the whole album is also good.
Pretty cool to see that some people are discovering this album today. It's one of those records that I always just assume everyone's heard.
This album came when I was in high school and Motorcycle Drive By was basically my teenage anthem. My favorite thing about the internet was learning I wasn't the only person who felt that way about that song.
Man I still remember the first time I heard "Motorcycle Drive By." My dad owned the album on CD and I took it over when I was a kid, but like you I only ever listened to the first half. Until I read about "Motorcycle" somewhere (probably AP in middle school) and listened to it into "God of Wine."
Yeah, I pretty vividly remember the day I finally listened to those last three songs. That was a good day.
I agree that Third Eye Blind is better, but that Matchbox record is really really good and also holds up today. But that's a theme with a lot of '90s records is that they hold up.
Almost teared up reading this. Those last three tracks, and especially Motorcycle Drive By, are so crushing I pretty much avoid listening to them.
This was the first CD I ever owned. Folks got it for me with a boombox for Christmas in 3rd grade. I still have the CD in all its cruddy glory. Love this record through & through. Not a bad tune on there. Ive said the last 3 tacks represent the strongest close to any album I've known.
Can't wait to see the album performed in full this summer. Bought the album back in 1997 at the age of 11 and have been a huge 3eb fan ever since. I initially bought it for Jumper and Semi-Charmed Life but recognized Graduate and How's It Gonna Be on my first listen through the album not initially knowing they were by them.
First CD I ever owned though was Weezer's Blue Album, which my sister bought for me for Christmas in 1994 when I was 8. Another classic album.
Wow. nice close with God of Wine. Im umm.... 48 now - this came out in 97? I was DJing in college then, while grunge was hitting I guess, and knew them of alternative radio play, but I've been digging the whole album now. Its like finding an old friend, and remembering days gone by. Like the whole album could play at our 30th high school reunion, and we'd know all the songs.
This, August and Everything After, and New Miserable Experience will forever be the trio of unjustly maligned and misunderstood 90s pop-rock records. Great record and you do it justice of course Craig.
There was this thing on Pitchfork a few months ago about the albums that their writers listened to when they were young. Counting Crows appeared on one or two of the lists and they tweeted the article with some crack about "Yes, Counting Crows. Really." Like it was embarrassing or something. I tweeted back that August was better than every single album on their 2016 Best Of list. Ha. People will never stop thinking that it's uncool to like these records, and I think I might like them even better for that fact. I certainly enjoy them more than the 90s records critics still gush over, like OK Computer and Nevermind.
Most people I know that are aware of August and Satellites really enjoy them both. Outside of those albums it gets a little hit and miss in terms of recognition. That said, I've also never really been around people or seen articles that take shots at the band either.
They were just so massively popular in the 1990s that they couldn't really avoid being classified as "uncool" by some listeners. Similar to what happened with Matchbox Twenty, Third Eye Blind, Hootie, etc.