Release date (US): April 8, 1997.

Front cover (62012-2 variation 3)

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Back of booklet (62012-2 variation 3)

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Back cover (62012-2 variation 3)

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Front cover (PRCD-9770)

Track listing:

1. Losing a Whole Year (3:20)
2. Narcolepsy (3:48)
3. Semi-Charmed Life (4:28)
4. Jumper (4:32)
5. Graduate (3:09)
6. How's It Going to Be (4:13)
7. Thanks a Lot (4:57)
8. Burning Man (2:59)
9. Good for You (3:52)
10. London (3:07)
11. I Want You (4:29)
12. The Background (4:56)
13. Motorcycle Drive By (4:22)
14. God of Wine (5:17)

Produced by: Stephan Jenkins and Eric Valentine
Mixed by: Eric Valentine; "Losing A Whole Year," "Narcolepsy," and "How's It Going To Be" mixed by Tom Lord-Alge
Engineered by: Eric Valentine, David Gleeson
Mastered for CD by: Ted Jensen (Sterling Sound)

Recording location: Toast Studios, Skywalker Ranch, and H.O.S.; San Francisco.

Lineup and other musicians: Stephan Jenkins (vocals, guitars, drums, percussion, brushes, keyboard arrangements), Kevin Cadogan (guitar, vocals, autoharp), Brad Hargreaves (drums), Arion Salazar (bass, vocals, piano); Ari Gorman (cello), Michael Urbano (drums), Eric Valentine (piano, guitar)

Comments

Third Eye Blind was one of the very first records (or actually, compact discs) I bought. This album is a very solid collection of songs, perhaps even more remarkable considering that this was the group's formative recording. The beauty of the album is how balanced it is: The transitions from fast songs to slow songs; from upbeat tempos to moody soundscapes, are pulled off seamlessly. Many of the songs are extremely catchy, and the last four songs are more than effective in bringing the album to a thematic and emotional close. This album knocked me out the first time I heard it, and while it's not as singlehandedly central to my repertoire as it once was (while at the same time Blue has grown on me), it's still great to listen to on occasion. "Semi-Charmed Life" and "How's It Going To Be" sustain themselves as being some of the most identifiable songs of the era, and the album itself is much the same.

• No fewer than five singles ("Losing a Whole Year," "Graduate," "Jumper," "How's It Going to Be," and "Semi-Charmed Life") were released from this album. The latter three were released commercially in the U.S., and "Jumper" was even available as a 7" 45 rpm record.
• Quite a few different cover variations exist for this release: Approximately the first half-million copies in the U.S. were issued with a tan cover, which was then changed to red at the band's desire. Meanwhile, U.K. and continental European copies continue to carry the tan cover, and the Japanese release featured a cyan-colored photograph that was essentially a negative image. Finally, early promotional copies exist with a different cover design featuring a large reproduction of the band logo.
• Michael Urbano is credited as drummer on several of the tracks. Since Urbano was replaced by Brad Hargreaves in 1995, this demonstrates how much headtime was required to record the album.
• The photograph that appears on the front cover is continued on the face of the CD itself.
• The back cover image is a somewhat obvious homage to the Beatles' Revolver, down to the text layout and split logo box.
• Over six million copies of Third Eye Blind have been sold.

Releases

Related singles

Semi-Charmed Life (3:42 clean edit) / Tattoo of the Sun
CD: Elektra (US) 64173-2
1997

Graduate / Audio bio
CD: Elektra (US) PRCD-9857-2
1997

How's It Going to Be / Horror Show
CD: Elektra (US) 64130-2
1997

Losing a Whole Year ("strings up" remix) / Losing a Whole Year (radio mix) / Losing a Whole Year (remix)
CD: Elektra (EU) 7559-63832-2
1998

Jumper (4:08 edit) / Graduate (remix)
CD: Elektra (US) 64058-2
1998

All illustrated items are from the webmaster's personal collection.