Review Summary: One of the last good radio rock albums
My dad has a massive collection of cds. As a kid I was fascinated by the seemingly endless shelves of music, and I would envision myself growing up to amass one just like his, even though I didn’t know a thing about rock bands. I never had any favorite bands growing up, I just recognized songs I heard on the radio or songs he would play on his cds. When I was about 12 I decided to figure out what bands I actually liked, so I decided to delve into his cds and give them some serious spins. That first cd I chose was “The Better Life” by 3 Doors Down.
Fast forward more than a decade later, 21st century radio rock sucks. It’s so uninspired and bland that I never voluntarily switch on the radio anymore. 3 Doors Down is one of the prime examples of a band that let popularity go to their head and have since released “Away From The Sun” and 3 more releases that sound exactly like it. Boring, repetitive garbage. However, contrary to my feelings (and 99% of Sputnik’s feelings) toward modern rock, “The Better Life” remains one of my most cherished cds due most in part to nostalgia but also in part to it being one of the last good radio rock albums.
The biggest things that sticks out are the guitar parts and lyrics, both still untampered by commercial success. Whereas the later releases were much softer and monotonous, each song on this cd has meaning supported by catchy and fairly creative riffs. The boys from Mississippi incorporate their Southern roots by layering the songs with acoustic strumming and a touch of Brad’s drawl in the vocals. The unmistakeable tune "Kryptonite" is the embodiment of this, combining the signature riff with the terrific chorus that has infected radio waves since its inception. I doubt that Brad Arnold had any idea of just how far his song would go when he first came up with the lyrics at age 15. Released right at the turn of the century, it still stands as one of the greatest rock songs since then.
The other singles are great highlights as well. "Loser", a first-person view of a friend who got caught up in cocaine, features a groovy acoustic riff and balls-to-the-wall bridge that propelled itself to success. The bass guitar introduces a cool, dark riff on "Duck And Run" which is juxtaposed two songs later by the light, uplifting plucking on "Be Like That". These 4 singles have yet to be trumped by singles off their later albums, and will always remain their greatest songs.
A good album isn’t defined by having good singles though. Despite following the same rock song recipe the whole time something stands out from each song. "Life Of My Own" features a sweet country-ish solo, "Better Life" emits a contagious energy, and "By My Side" has some fun riffs. "Down Poison" is unique as it slows the tempo down but still manages to rock more than most of the other songs on the cd.
There’s nothing groundbreaking here. 3 Doors Down are just another run-of-the-mill rock band. However, “The Better Life” stands as one of the last good radio rock albums to grace the music world. If anything, a 15-year-old boy’s concoction resulted in one of the most beloved rock songs of the 21st century.
Top Tracks:
-Kryptonite
-Down Poison
-Duck And Run
-Loser
-By My Side
