Ralphy's C.D. Reviews

Review date 06-02-2001:

3 Doors Down - C.D. The better life

I got a copy of this CD through a friend that I've mentioned before in these reviews, Barry H. I must say that I took an immediate liking to it. I had heard the single "Kryptonite" on the radio (how could you miss it?) and thought it was OK, but when I listened to the CD I got a deeper respect for the band. 3 Doors Down started out as a trio (hence the 3 in the band name) in Mescatawpa, Mississippi about 4 years ago. The original members were bassist Todd Harrell, guitarist Matt Roberts and singer-drummer Brad Arnold, who is also responsible for the lyrics. Two years later they added the second guitar player Chris Henderson (who had previously played in other bands with Harrell) to the line-up to bolster the group's sound. The latest and last addition was drummer Richard Liles, who joined so Brad Arnold could become full-time singer and frontman. "The better life" is their major label debut.

So much for the obligatory introduction of the band and back to the album. As I stated before I already liked their major radio-hit "Kryptonite", but did not find it extraordinarily excellent. Listening to the entire CD increased my opinion of the band, the album as a whole can just make your day and has very few, if any low points. The second song on the album (after "Kryptonite") is also the second single, "Loser". I don't know what it says about me, but until now I always seem to have a genuine liking for songs with that title, be it the song from Beck (whose other work I detest) or the one from the Dutch band Billy The Kid (you can read a review of their debut CD by clicking on their name). In 3 Doors Down's "Loser" I especially like the transition in the middle of it. The third song "Duck and run" has become the 3rd American single and it's about not being a quitter no matter how hard life gets. "Not enough" is about not being able to keep up with the pace of the world (and a girlfriend) and is maybe musically the weakest song on the album, although the title song "Better life" could at least lyrically content for it. In between these 2 songs you'll find 2 beauties, "Be like that" is a ballad-like song about always wanting/dreaming of something better and "Life of my own" is about making your own decisions in life, even if they are occasionally wrong, you should be the one making them. The closing song of the album is the second ballad, although both ballads have still a very rocking edge to them. The song "So I need you" deals in an almost obsessive beggingly manor about a boy pleading for his girlfriend's affection and is the perfect end for the album. Before that there are 3 other songs (making a total of 11). "By my side" doesn't come above the average of the album and the short "Smack" musically doesn't either, but it's a good lyrical plea against drug abuse. The last song to mention is maybe my favorite on the album "Down poison". The song is about a bad girl, who is like poison, yet addictive poison (like a dangerous drug for instance) to the boyfriend. It clings to your mind and keeps repeating itself in your head, yet it is musically strong.

What is your opinion about the CD's I reviewed? Vote for your favorite CD in this booth! You can only vote once a day.

Ralphy's CD Review Voting Booth

All in all the entire album is better than the sum of its parts. If you look at the songs apart they may not all be that impressive and remarkable by themselves, but together they form a great debut album. Although I have seen 3 Door Down's music described as somewhere in between radio-ready post-grunge and more aggressive alternative metal, I myself would have to agree with the biography on their own website (see Ralphy's links Page) more where Arnold just says 'We like to rock' and they do big time. I rate this album "The better life" with an 8.1 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Any comments you might have on these reviews

Visit my message board: Ralphy's Music and Stuff Forum

Back to Ralphy'sC.D. Reviews Page

Back to Ralphy's Cool Music Site