Released: Jul 19, 2011
Genre: Alternative rock, Post-Grunge
Label: Universal Republic
Number Of Tracks: 12
3 Doors Down's new album is a great listen. It is an album well worth the money, and hardcore fans will be pleased, as well as new listeners with 3 Doors Down bringing out a fresher sound going into the new decade.
Time Of My Life
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on november 15, 2011 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: This could very well act as the second disc of a double album for the band. Their previous album "3 Doors Down" serving as the first half. There are some familiar sounding riffs, but not as many as in the last album. Indeed the whole chronicle of this band has been based off of Brad Arnold's observations, whereas their last album consisted of him going through the darkest parts of his last relationship's breakup, this album has him coming to terms with it. I was expecting a more upbeat or at least more energetic album, but at least it picks up in the second half. I lent the CD to a friend who liked 3DD and he handed it back after listening to the first track, saying "Whoa this isn't anything like their old stuff, too hard rock." Alas as usual that first track is deceptive. They still go for a predictably louder chorus in every song but this doesn't serve the slower tempo ballads on the track well. On my copy they had some bonus acoustic versions that I thought would have done well being the regular version of the song instead of their generic counterparts. But at track 7 this CD shows 3 Doors Down might have something left to offer us in the future.
* "Every Time You Go" is a great tune and though it has familiar themes for this band they have an energy and exuberance in this track not matched in the most of the rest of the album.
* "What's Left" is one of the examples where a more downbeat, restrained acoustic rendition could have added loads to this album, the words are heartfelt and relate-able but the rising chorus distracts from the somber message.
* "On The Run" - This song hearkens back to their early sound and is one of my favorite tracks.
* "She Is Love" - Has that different sound for a 3DD track, kinda like a cross between "Citizen/Soldier" and "She Don't Want The World". Good Track.
* "My Way" - Didn't like it at first, the lyrics repeat much of what Arnold has already said in previous albums and songs but the rest of the band makes it decent.
* "Believer" - Really different, "Better Life" like, don't know what the lyrics mean but its a fresh sound for 3DD.
Overall the CD is better at the back end due to some malingering tracks in the middle that bog the production down. // 7
Lyrics and Singing: Brad Arnold succeed in some parts and fails in others to differentiate this album from their previous albums. Some tracks come off as a return to his old whining lyrics AKA "Let Me Be Myself", and "Your Arms Feel Like Home". Arnold can be a really good writer when he doesn't go over the same themes with the same limited vocabulary. Songs like "When You're Young", "What's Left", "Round And Round" and "Believer" demonstrate Arnold's talent with provoking emotion. "Round And Round" in particular has a desperation in both the lyrics and music that is not usually heard lately from 3DD. "When You're Young" is also a good track that is distracted by an overly sounding intro and verse riff too reminiscent of "When I'm Gone". // 7
Impression: This is one of the few bands I've kept track of as I've grown up and had the opportunity to witness their career firsthand. I had a burnt copy of their first CD "The Better Life" as a 7th grader (It had the 1st track of "Kryptonite" missing, which actually makes the whole album better for some reason). And I bought each new album of 3DD as it came out. "Away From The Sun" was great, and "Seventeen Days" my favorite, in spite of its dreary tone. Their self titled album I actually think is among their best efforts if you take out just two weak tracks (I'll let you guess which). But this newest effort had me not enamored for the first time. All too familiar riffs and lyrical themes bog down the middle of this album, "Heaven", "Race For The Sun" and "Back To Me" aren't bad songs, but they combine overly tired out sounds and words to make most of this effort forgettable. "Round And Round", "She Is Love", "On The Run", "Everytime You Go" and "Believer" are the best tracks on an otherwise muddled outing for 3DD. // 8
Time Of My Life
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on july 20, 2011 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: So, after two years of touring and writing 3 Doors Down have come out with the album "Time Of My Life". Their self named album was, what people would call a mediocre effort and in my opinion, it was "a lot of the same". But fortunately, this album does have a lot of tracks which will excite the die hard 3 Doors Down fan and entice new listeners as well.
The first time "Time Of My Life" is a step up, a definite hit in my opinion. It's a faster pace, and has an intro which isn't just a C chord picked. It's a rock n roll track with lyrics which tell people to just have fun. Other tracks, such as "Heaven" and "When You're Young" are the "more of the same" tracks but do have a very good sound. The guitarists get a bigger involvement in the songs with Matt Roberts and Todd Harrell really putting power chords to the test. One of the great things that make 3 Doors Down a great band, is how they can sound good. But still be simple. This album is a great example of this. It is an album that sounds very good with a solid sound, and the bass and drums bring up the back with excellent basslines and drum fills and the like which keep the band running at a fast or slow pace. Overall, the tracks have a mixture of fresh sounds and similar sounds to keep the 3 Doors Down style kicking in the new decade. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: Brad Arnold on this album really shows a lot of emotional lyrics and lots are based on having fun and vary a lot. 3 Doors Dow lyrics have always been original and tackle issues in an unorthodox way. "When You're Young" is a good example of this. Being young is tough, and is tough to get through and Brad writes excellent lyrics to fit this situation. "Heaven" Is in my opinion a great song for it's lyrics. It was lyrical genius, and shows the heartfelt side. Hardcore ballads like "Here Without You" cannot be replaced but songs on the album do have great meanings. // 8
Impression: To sum it all up, 3 Doors Down's new album is a great listen. It is an album well worth the money, and hardcore fans will be pleased, as well as new listeners with 3 Doors Down bringing out a fresher sound going into the new decade. The problem, even though not touched in the review. Is simplicity. Yes it is a great album, and simplicity is good. But sometimes, that C chord gets used too much and some songs sound too similar. But besides that, the vocals, the music, and the lyrics all make "Time Of My Life" a great listening experience. // 8
Boring, boring, boring. Seriously, even the song names resemble songs they've already done. No originality, nothing different, just the same old stuff. I like 3 Doors Down but everything they do now just sounds the same.
LIES! 3 Doors Down hasn't done anything original since Away From The Sun and that is even something that could put you to sleep. They should really just stop making music and reevaluate themselves. Even Brad Arnold has acknowledged that they write the same stuff over and over.
I've been a huge fan since day one; however, this new album is no better than the last album they released. 'Time Of My Life' is by far the best track on the album. I completely agree that a lot of these songs seem like re-treads--we've already heard them before. In interviews the band said this album was going to be "heavier" than the last--NOT TRUE! As I get oider, it seems the heavier the better, so needless to say this album didn't do it for me.
LIES! 3 Doors Down hasn't done anything original since Away From The Sun and that is even something that could put you to sleep. They should really just stop making music and reevaluate themselves. Even Brad Arnold has acknowledged that they write the same stuff over and over.
at least he didn't rate it all 10's. I can't talk though because I haven't heard it
I`ve enjoyed a large amount of 3 Doors Down`s work in the past, although some of the ballads have always been somewhat dreary.
Time Of My Life has the tired sound of a band that has run out of ideas. The album starts off promisingly enough; Unfortuntely, after that 1st track it`s all downhill. Time Of My LIfe is the only real rock track on the album, the rest of it is all filler; Dull AOR ballads with the occasional uptempo part. This album is very poor, an embarrassment.
There are many modern rock bands who don't hold a candle to this household name. They might be simple. Their albums may sound similar, but they don't need ****ed up makeup and hair or dirty, attention-seeking lyrics in order to get attention. They just play some good clean songs. Nothing wrong with that.
Defiantly better than their last release... however, far to much auto tune being used, makes the songs sound too artificial.
The fact that anyone would listen to a rock n roll band that uses auto tune astounds me. You like pop music not rock music. That is a huge distinction.
What a spoiled bunch you all are! I can almost guarantee that if they produced something completely different from their familiar sound they'd be accused by any number of you of either selling out or being too experimental or any other number of epithets that you all seem so quick to throw out. Ridiculous.
What a spoiled bunch you all are! I can almost guarantee that if they produced something completely different from their familiar sound they'd be accused by any number of you of either selling out or being too experimental or any other number of epithets that you all seem so quick to throw out. Ridiculous.
What a spoiled bunch you all are! I can almost guarantee that if they produced something completely different from their familiar sound they'd be accused by any number of you of either selling out or being too experimental or any other number of epithets that you all seem so quick to throw out. Ridiculous.
How can they possibly sell-out? They already make music for the purpose of it being radio friendly, have zero personality or originality in their music,and are uncreative. You can't sell out if your already a mainstream band.
What a spoiled bunch you all are! I can almost guarantee that if they produced something completely different from their familiar sound they'd be accused by any number of you of either selling out or being too experimental or any other number of epithets that you all seem so quick to throw out. Ridiculous.
What a spoiled bunch you all are! I can almost guarantee that if they produced something completely different from their familiar sound they'd be accused by any number of you of either selling out or being too experimental or any other number of epithets that you all seem so quick to throw out. Ridiculous.
How can they possibly sell-out? They already make music for the purpose of it being radio friendly, have zero personality or originality in their music,and are uncreative. You can't sell out if your already a mainstream band.
Defiantly better than their last release... however, far to much auto tune being used, makes the songs sound too artificial.
The fact that anyone would listen to a rock n roll band that uses auto tune astounds me. You like pop music not rock music. That is a huge distinction.
I disagree, a lot of rock groups you auto tune, and tbh, a little bit is not too bad when used as an effect. This album in my opinion uses to much of it. Not getting into an auto tune debate lol.
How can they possibly sell-out? They already make music for the purpose of it being radio friendly, have zero personality or originality in their music,and are uncreative. You can't sell out if your already a mainstream band.
I think we just have different views of what selling out means. I'll concede that their music isn't breaking any sort of boundaries but it's not exactly plain vanilla, run-of-the-mill downtuned nonsense like we've seen throughout the last decade. Their first album was filled with solid, straightforward rock. I think they've overused the Am/F/G sequence (they've had at least three or four singles that were based around that including the first one from the new album) but there is still some range to their music.
I don't really understand why "radio friendly" music has to mean that a band has sold out. By that definition, only music that isn't played on the radio would be worthy of being listened to or have any sort of artistic merit. I find that most songs that aren't played on the radio are either underground (and thus purposely kept from the mainstream) or just plain bad, album filler.
Anyway, to me a band sells out when they have one original sound that they change purely through corporate pressure. It would be like if a band like Avenged Sevenfold suddenly began writing Lady Gaga-esque pop songs, you know? Personally, I find it ludicrous that just because a large number of people enjoy a certain type of music or band that it automatically relegates that band to sell-out status or degrades their music. Good music is good regardless of how many people listen to it or what style it is man.
I WANT THE BETTER LIFE. GOD WHERE DID ALL OF THE GUITARS GO.
What did you think of the last, self-titled album? I feel like I'm the only person that really liked it (it's my second favorite of theirs behind The Better Life).
In my opinion they have some great songs, but none of their songs can ever amount to 'When I'm Gone' from their Away From the Sun album, whenever I think of 3 Doors Down that's the song that gets stuck in my head
