third eye blind ursa major

Released: 12 April 2010 Label: Mega Collider Records

I knew San Franciscos’ Third Eye Blind from their alt-rock pop hits such as Semi-Charmed Life and How's It Going to Be from their debut album way back in 1997, and in the intervening years, they haven’t changed a bit. This is still campus level rock full of teen angst and awkward relationship melancholy, but from much older musicians.

A lot of the tracks start with feedback or guitar buzz, hinting that the amps are turned up to 11, but invariably, when the songs begin, they are barely set to 3. I didn’t mind, despite the promise of something more kick-ass, as this upbeat grab-bag of catchy juvenilia is very well crafted radio friendly stuff indeed.

Can You Take Me is as bouncy an opener as you could hope for, and Don’t Believe a Word is perfect MTV single fodder with its breezy pop sensibilities.

Sharp Knife is more alternative-sounding, an introspective nerd ballad that’s played around a sparse minor chord arpeggiation. It rocks out at the chorus though as expected, and although the lyric has little to appeal to anyone over twenty five, it’s a decent song nevertheless.

One in Ten is a somewhat sexist track about trying to talk around a lesbian, but the pervading sense of good humour throughout the rest of the album, combined with an elegant piano outro, excuses the awkward nature of the lyric.

Elsewhere, the likes of Water Landing, Summer Town and Dao of St Paul wallow in brisk minor-chord relationship woe. It’s all very introspective and clearly aimed at a specific audience demographic.

Equal parts nasal whimsy and teenaged angst, it’s a bit late in the day for blokes in their mid-forties to be singing about juvenile relationships. But on the plus side, the review copy was a proper retail CD, with fold out lyrics with pictures of the band on and everything. Which is ideal if you like that sort of thing.

Despite my misgivings over the lyrics, at least they are articulate and humorous to a degree. The album is full of quirky Americana, with a glossy veneer of upbeat cheesiness, hiding a slightly subversive interior. There is a melancholic depth to their music that elevates it above the disposable bubble gum rock of similar sounding bands who are genuinely still in their teens.

Overall a decent enough album to bung on in the summer months while lounging in the garden with a few beers.

by Steven Hargraves