Bright star from the '90s still burns

Short but sweet. That’s this album in three words.

This three-track EP is meant to serve as a teaser to the Third Eye Blind's 2009 album Ursa Major.

After conquering the world in the late 1990s, Third Eye Blind went downhill after kicking out their guitarist Kevin Cadogan while touring for their 1999 record Blue.

Their last disc, 2003’s Out of the Vein was decent, but it was a disappointment compared to their previous material. Without Cadogan’s guitar work, the band has a major void, but front man Stephen Jenkins keeps the group afloat.

“Non-Dairy Creamer” is the first step of their comeback attempt. The song commences with a steady drum beat, an infectious guitar intro and questionable lyrics.

This single will be both loved and hated by many, but once it sets in it should fit well into the band’s catalogue of awesome material. Despite touching on issues such as school shootings, the Iraq War and gay Republicans, the lyrics are quirky and ironic:
“A new love is burning up in me / Cause one in four American girls has an STD.”

Like many of their songs – most notably, “Semi-Charmed Life” – the band has the ingenious ability to sound both heartfelt and tongue-in-cheek concerning the topics in their memorable works. They do an excellent job with this piece, though some might not get it. This is almost as good as some of their earlier hits.

The title track almost sounds like something from Blue. It has the same echoic, earthy feel, and Jenkins’ voice gives off emotive vibes that are appropriate to the piece. Though it’s far from their best, “Red Star” will be a pleasing song to most, if not all of the act’s fans.

The final track in the collection is a live version of “Why Can’t You Be?” This full-band acoustic ballad is a good closer for the short-lived EP. It’s a decent work, as it is calming and somewhat somber, but like a lot of their post-Blue material, it’s far from great.

Red Star is a nice release from the one of the biggest bands of the ’90s. If they have an entire album of melodies on par with these three, then it will be quite pleasing to the legions of fans who have wanted something more.