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Out Of The Vein Image
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 43 Ratings

  • Summary: The third album for the radio-friendly San Francisco-based alt-rockers is almost a concept album about breaking up with Charlize Theron, which--lest you think the band was getting wacky all of a sudden--band leader Stephan Jenkins actually did do recently.

Top Track

Blinded
Just an old friend coming over Now to visit you and That's what I've become I let myself in Though I know I'm not supposed to but I never know when... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 8
  2. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Mostly, it pumps and choogles along at such a clip that there's little time to focus on the shortcomings of individual tracks.
  2. Too much of... Out of the Vein struggles to scratch its way into your memory banks, hobbled by its own melodic shortcomings.
  3. To his credit, Jenkins is much more interesting a songwriter when he's wounded, offering candor that's not evident on TEB's first two discs.
  4. If they can keep this sound and get back the hooks, they'd have something as good as their first two records, but, as it stands, this is their first stumble.
  5. Spin
    58
    Shows a weakness for arena-rock voguing and Dawson's Creek-dipping melancholia. [Jun 2003, p.108]
  6. Third Eye Blind are as earnest and energetic as ever but sadly uncatchy.
  7. Blender
    40
    The group's lite grooves, awful raps and wide-screen choruses are beginning to sound desperate. [#17, p.144]

See all 8 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 23
  2. Negative: 2 out of 23
  1. Jan 31, 2020
    10
    Crazy this wasn’t bigger for them. It’s got all the poppy 90 riffs you want and memorable choruses. It’s solid from beginning to end.
  2. KunalM
    Apr 9, 2006
    10
    Brilliant album, better than Blue and as good if not better than their debut album
  3. LeonA
    May 25, 2008
    10
    What's funny to me is that when I first listened to this album it did sound sort of bland and uninteresting, but after revisiting it What's funny to me is that when I first listened to this album it did sound sort of bland and uninteresting, but after revisiting it several years later I'm really beginning to appreciate what 3eb did here. I can listen to the entire thing without skipping any tracks lol. There are so many hidden gems here. I would recommend it to any person who likes them some good rock and roll. Expand
  4. ScottM
    May 26, 2003
    9
    This CD impresses me more that i thought it would.
  5. EdG.
    Jun 3, 2007
    9
    Can't really understand the flack this record is getting. The only reason i can think of is that it's a result of naive critics Can't really understand the flack this record is getting. The only reason i can think of is that it's a result of naive critics giving it a couple of listens and hastily condeming it as a poor offering. In reality the album has overall a higher number of good tracks than 'blue' which really struggled after the 1st seven tracks. The melodies are not as obvious as on previous albums, but grow over time to become quite astonishing at times, especially in the case of 'misfits' and 'forget myself.' Lyrically the album is far superior to any other band in this genre, as usual deep and emotional yet unobvious. In response to a previous comment on Jenkins' 'rapping!' The man does not rap and would never claim to do so, the poetic interludes which have been a feature on every album are sublime and far superior to any rapper i've ever heard. The fact of the matter is, this album is too easy to criticise due to poor sales which came as a result of record comany problems which meant under funded marketing. However the fact remains that this record is 3EB's second best to date, and immeasurably enjoyable to music lovers willing to give it the time needed to blossom. Expand
  6. NathanC
    Jun 1, 2004
    8
    As many others before me have described, this CD sounds bland, and nothing seems to stand-out as a large radio hit - the first listen As many others before me have described, this CD sounds bland, and nothing seems to stand-out as a large radio hit - the first listen through. Because of the amazing ST, and the cult Blue, this CD has high expectations to fans. This is not to say that the first listen is a bad experience, but those without the patience to listen to it a few times and start to understand the lyrics, well, they will be missing out on one of the most lyrically powerful, emotion elicting, guitar pounding, burst-out-singing anthmic albums of the year. Some of you may not enjoy this album, but none of these people have EVER turned this album up to full volume while driving down the road alone. This album is my stand-alone favorite of the year, and it would be the ONLY CD I listen to all year if I didn't want to save my enjoyment of it for years to come. Cliff Notes: Warning, this CD does not play well with others, and may drive your friends crazy from its exclusive home in your CD player for 5 months. As a side-note, I believe that more songs are attributed to the singer's movie-star breakup than is warranted. For instance, some people attribute the opener "Faster" to Charlize, but it sounds more like his relationship with his current girlfriend Vanessa Carlton. "Forget Myself", "Good Man", and "Can't Get Away" are the trio of break-up songs. Expand
  7. twelve13
    Oct 27, 2003
    0
    complete crap. Third Eye Blind was Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan, an incredible guitarist and a solid songwriter. Now that Kev's complete crap. Third Eye Blind was Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan, an incredible guitarist and a solid songwriter. Now that Kev's gone, Stephan has to step up, but he just wants to be vain. an EMBARASSMENT compared to the self titled. Expand

See all 23 User Reviews