3 Doors Down's newest album-breathe easy, all two of you that were waiting in pitched anticipation-is titled Seventeen Days. Supposedly they chose this title because that's how long it took them to write the songs.
It shows.
The Mississippi band broke out in 2000 with their catchy hit single \Kryptonite"" off their debut album A Better Life. Fashioning themselves as rockers in the style of Pearl Jam, they really never differentiated themselves from the mass of bland pop rock that plagued radios early this decade. Vertical Horizon, Staind, Nickelback-the list of sterilized rock offenders goes on and on even today.
While their debut had a few catchy tracks (likely the remains of what little talent they had before some producer sucked the life out of their music), Seventeen Days is nothing but plodding, unoffending garbage.
""Right Where I Belong,"" the opening track, is the sole upbeat track. This makes it sound incredible by comparison to the rest of the album alone, but make no mistake-""Right Where I Belong"" is a radio single totally devoid of originality. It is instantly recognizable, even if you have never heard it before in your life. It is a classic example of crappy modern rock in action.
Evaluating the rest of the album seems somewhat beside the point. Each song is a dragging slew of dull power chords (oh, the irony). Lead vocalist Brad Arnold certainly does little to help distinguish the songs; his throaty baritone wails never deviate far from his standard sound.
The lyrics are cringe-worthy. ""Be Somebody,"" only the fourth track in, features Arnold lazily wailing, ""I'm trying to be somebody / I'm not trying to be somebody else / This life is mine I lead / Don't you know me?"" Considering the song could just as easily be a Creed single from three years ago, Arnold's protestations of individuality ring quite a bit hollow.
Perhaps the most damning observation to be made is the most hilarious. Play three seconds from any point in any song, barring the opener. Any of these excerpts will sound like they could have come from the same stupid song.
At least ""Kryptonite"" had a solid guitar riff and a toe-tapping pace, qualities that can make crappy modern rock bearable-even enjoyable. But Seventeen Days is far from bearable. It's the modern rock equivalent of elevator music-coming soon to a dentist office near you.
