Third Eye Blind (1997)
Blue (1999)
Out of the Vein (2003)
They're all really, really good albums. The whole debut is very good-to-great ... in particular the last three songs (as I've mentioned) are just an absolutely brilliant trio, but there's really not a duff track on the whole 13 song set. Of course, there's 4 smashes on it, but IMHO only 'Hows It Gonna Be' is actually one of the 'best songs on the record'.
Their follow-up Blue is a definite evolution, with more experimental stuff on the 2nd half, which is maybe a little spotty, but overall it's still an excellent disc. The opening salvo of Anything, Wounded, 10 Days Late, 1000 July's, and Deep Inside of You ... is as good an album side as you'll likely ever hear. The guitar tone in particular is just ... AMAZING. 1000 July's might have the crunchiest guitar tone ever put to wax, no joke.
Out Of The Vein was made after (troubled-at-the-time) guitarist Kevin Cadogan had left (was fired?) from the band, leaving guitar duties mostly to singer/guitarist Stephen Jenkins, and he does a fine job rising to the occasion, though the record as a whole leans (even) a bit more towards 'guitar pop' and perhaps misses some of the darker overtones (and creativity) of the first two records that I think to some extent Cadogan brought. Still there's enough really good, catchy, guitar-crunchy songs on it that it's a very worthwhile listen. Highlights are 'Forget Myself', 'My Hit and Run', 'Palm Reader', 'Crystal Baller', 'Wake for Young Souls', 'Company', and 'Good Man'. I also quite like the sometimes maligned 'Misfits' ... I think it's an enjoyable little anthem.
Critics weren't that kind to OOTV at the time, but I think it's aged pretty well, myself.
The more recent Dopamine is also worthwhile, with Ursa Minor being the only record of their I find 'lacking', though there's a couple of very good songs on that one as well.
Happy exploring!
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