3 DOORS DOWN
''AWAY FROM THE SUN''
NOVEMBER 12 2002
41:34
**********
01 - When I'm Gone 04:20
02 - Away From The Sun 03:51
03 - The Road I'm On 03:59
04 - Ticket To Heaven 03:27
05 - Running Out Of Days 03:30
06 - Here Without You 03:57
07 - I Feel You 04:06
08 - Dangerous Game 03:36
09 - Change 03:56
10 - Going Down In Flames 03:28
11 - Sarah Yellin' 03:17
Tracks By 3 Doors Down
**********
Brad Arnold/Vocals
David Campbell/Conductor, String Arrangements, String Conductor, Strings
Josh Freese/Drums, Guest Artist
Todd Harrell/Bass
Chris Henderson/Guitar
Rich Hopkins/Organ (Hammond)
Matt Roberts/Guitar
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Johnny Loftus
In 2000, 3 Doors Down's debut The Better Life and its omnipresent single "Kryptonite" authoritatively established the Escatawpa, MS band as rock stars in the vein of fellow new arena rockers Creed. After extensive touring and over 6 million albums sold, it might have been difficult for the band to focus on their sophomore release. But vocalist Brad Arnold, guitarists Matt Roberts and Chris Henderson, bassist Todd Harrell, and new drummer Daniel Adair (who took over to free Arnold from behind the kit) retreated to a rented house in sleepy Escatawpa to jam on ideas and lyrics that had been formulated over long months on tour.
What sophomore slump? Away from the Sun, released in November of 2002, immediately went Gold, and reached Platinum in early January 2003. It's a much more accomplished album than The Better Life, smoothing out most of the rough patches that slowed down the debut. Lead single "When I'm Gone" is a muscular blues-rocker that recalls Kenny Wayne Shepherd -- it's representative of the album's predominantly mid-tempo arrangements that focus on Arnold's contemplative lyrics. He doesn't proselytize like Creed's Scott Stapp, nor does he rely on obvious nu-metal clichés like Saliva's Joey Scott. Instead, Arnold's lyrics lean more towards the first-person confessional style favored by Southern rock mainstays such as the Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd. While Universal/Republic might lump them in with the chest-thumpers and active rock doomsayers, Away from the Sun makes it clear that 3 Doors Down are really more comfortable where the sky is always blue.
That said, the band doesn't yet have the hooks to remain consistently interesting for an entire album. Besides the unstoppable melody of the title track, and "Ticket To Heaven," which shows some real songwriting depth in comparison to the band's debut, many of Away From The Sun's 11 tracks sound too similar. It's an accomplished, often rocking, and sometimes genuinely emotional set, but there just isn't enough variety to sustain it. On the plus side, 3 Doors Down and producer Rick Parashar (Pearl Jam, Blind Melon) didn't go overboard on the effects, as can often be the case with sophomore releases. Instead, a string section drifts in and out of a few tracks, with the ballad "Here Without You" benefiting particularly nicely. There's a good chance Away from the Sun is the transition record 3 Doors Down needed to make, in order to separate themselves from the glut of sound-alikes and establish their future as a viable, album-oriented Southern rock act.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Stacia Proefrock
Hailing from the small town of Escatawpa, Mississippi, 3 Doors Down hit their peak in the 2000s with a string of post-grunge singles, most notably "Kryptonite," "When I'm Gone," and the ballad "Here Without You." "Kryptonite," with its minor-key shuffle and references to Superman, was the catalyst for the band's career, generating an unprecedented buzz at a local radio station -- Biloxi's WCPR -- during the band's independent days. Such support helped make 3 Doors Down a regional favorite, enabling them to draw relatively large crowds to their local live shows and, consequently, extending their popularity beyond the Deep South to internationally famous clubs like New York's CBGB.
The founding members of 3 Doors Down -- vocalist/drummer Brad Arnold, guitarist Matt Roberts, and bassist Todd Harrell -- were raised in Escatawpa, a cozy town of 8,000 people. Although brought up in religious households, the musicians also felt the call of rock & roll at an early age, eventually forming a rock trio in 1994 to play a friend's backyard party. As the years progressed, so did the band's sound, and the group soon added guitarist Chris Henderson and retained a studio drummer so that Arnold could come forward and sing live. After touring the Gulf Coast's venues, the band made its way to New York, where a showcase at CBGB brought 3 Doors Down to the attention of Republic Records. A subsidiary of Universal, Republic Records signed the musicians and issued their major-label debut, The Better Life, in early 2000.
Away from the Sun
The Better Life became one of the biggest-selling albums of 2000, going platinum four times during its first year of release and spawning several singles. The band furthered its success with 2002's Away from the Sun, which debuted at number eight on the Billboard Top 200 and, like its predecessor, climbed to multi-platinum status. 3 Doors Down toured steadily throughout 2003 and 2004 in support of Away from the Sun, and issued the live EP Another 700 Miles in November 2003 as a holdover between studio efforts. The group returned with a heavier album, Seventeen Days, in early 2005. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and went platinum in its first week of release. A self-titled album, which followed in May 2008, repeated its predecessor's success when it too debuted at the top of the Billboard 200.
Time of My Life
3 Doors Down toured throughout 2009, released a digital-only acoustic holiday album at the end of the year, and began to work on their next album in 2010. With Howard Benson serving as producer, the guys shuttled themselves between L.A. and Tokyo, recording the album in both cities and eventually emerging with 2011's Time of My Life. The following year saw the release of the band's first Greatest Hits collection, which featured three brand-new tracks. These songs also offered fans their first look at incoming guitarist and former guitar tech Chet Roberts, who replaced founding member Matt Roberts (no relation). By 2013, bassist Todd Harrell had also departed, opening the door for another new member, Justin Biltonen. Sporting a new lineup, 3 Doors Down set about recording their sixth LP with producer Matt Wallace. Us and the Night appeared in March 2016.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
********************
''AWAY FROM THE SUN''
NOVEMBER 12 2002
41:34
**********
01 - When I'm Gone 04:20
02 - Away From The Sun 03:51
03 - The Road I'm On 03:59
04 - Ticket To Heaven 03:27
05 - Running Out Of Days 03:30
06 - Here Without You 03:57
07 - I Feel You 04:06
08 - Dangerous Game 03:36
09 - Change 03:56
10 - Going Down In Flames 03:28
11 - Sarah Yellin' 03:17
Tracks By 3 Doors Down
**********
Brad Arnold/Vocals
David Campbell/Conductor, String Arrangements, String Conductor, Strings
Josh Freese/Drums, Guest Artist
Todd Harrell/Bass
Chris Henderson/Guitar
Rich Hopkins/Organ (Hammond)
Matt Roberts/Guitar
**********
REVIEW/AMG
Johnny Loftus
In 2000, 3 Doors Down's debut The Better Life and its omnipresent single "Kryptonite" authoritatively established the Escatawpa, MS band as rock stars in the vein of fellow new arena rockers Creed. After extensive touring and over 6 million albums sold, it might have been difficult for the band to focus on their sophomore release. But vocalist Brad Arnold, guitarists Matt Roberts and Chris Henderson, bassist Todd Harrell, and new drummer Daniel Adair (who took over to free Arnold from behind the kit) retreated to a rented house in sleepy Escatawpa to jam on ideas and lyrics that had been formulated over long months on tour.
What sophomore slump? Away from the Sun, released in November of 2002, immediately went Gold, and reached Platinum in early January 2003. It's a much more accomplished album than The Better Life, smoothing out most of the rough patches that slowed down the debut. Lead single "When I'm Gone" is a muscular blues-rocker that recalls Kenny Wayne Shepherd -- it's representative of the album's predominantly mid-tempo arrangements that focus on Arnold's contemplative lyrics. He doesn't proselytize like Creed's Scott Stapp, nor does he rely on obvious nu-metal clichés like Saliva's Joey Scott. Instead, Arnold's lyrics lean more towards the first-person confessional style favored by Southern rock mainstays such as the Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd. While Universal/Republic might lump them in with the chest-thumpers and active rock doomsayers, Away from the Sun makes it clear that 3 Doors Down are really more comfortable where the sky is always blue.
That said, the band doesn't yet have the hooks to remain consistently interesting for an entire album. Besides the unstoppable melody of the title track, and "Ticket To Heaven," which shows some real songwriting depth in comparison to the band's debut, many of Away From The Sun's 11 tracks sound too similar. It's an accomplished, often rocking, and sometimes genuinely emotional set, but there just isn't enough variety to sustain it. On the plus side, 3 Doors Down and producer Rick Parashar (Pearl Jam, Blind Melon) didn't go overboard on the effects, as can often be the case with sophomore releases. Instead, a string section drifts in and out of a few tracks, with the ballad "Here Without You" benefiting particularly nicely. There's a good chance Away from the Sun is the transition record 3 Doors Down needed to make, in order to separate themselves from the glut of sound-alikes and establish their future as a viable, album-oriented Southern rock act.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Stacia Proefrock
Hailing from the small town of Escatawpa, Mississippi, 3 Doors Down hit their peak in the 2000s with a string of post-grunge singles, most notably "Kryptonite," "When I'm Gone," and the ballad "Here Without You." "Kryptonite," with its minor-key shuffle and references to Superman, was the catalyst for the band's career, generating an unprecedented buzz at a local radio station -- Biloxi's WCPR -- during the band's independent days. Such support helped make 3 Doors Down a regional favorite, enabling them to draw relatively large crowds to their local live shows and, consequently, extending their popularity beyond the Deep South to internationally famous clubs like New York's CBGB.
The founding members of 3 Doors Down -- vocalist/drummer Brad Arnold, guitarist Matt Roberts, and bassist Todd Harrell -- were raised in Escatawpa, a cozy town of 8,000 people. Although brought up in religious households, the musicians also felt the call of rock & roll at an early age, eventually forming a rock trio in 1994 to play a friend's backyard party. As the years progressed, so did the band's sound, and the group soon added guitarist Chris Henderson and retained a studio drummer so that Arnold could come forward and sing live. After touring the Gulf Coast's venues, the band made its way to New York, where a showcase at CBGB brought 3 Doors Down to the attention of Republic Records. A subsidiary of Universal, Republic Records signed the musicians and issued their major-label debut, The Better Life, in early 2000.
Away from the Sun
The Better Life became one of the biggest-selling albums of 2000, going platinum four times during its first year of release and spawning several singles. The band furthered its success with 2002's Away from the Sun, which debuted at number eight on the Billboard Top 200 and, like its predecessor, climbed to multi-platinum status. 3 Doors Down toured steadily throughout 2003 and 2004 in support of Away from the Sun, and issued the live EP Another 700 Miles in November 2003 as a holdover between studio efforts. The group returned with a heavier album, Seventeen Days, in early 2005. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and went platinum in its first week of release. A self-titled album, which followed in May 2008, repeated its predecessor's success when it too debuted at the top of the Billboard 200.
Time of My Life
3 Doors Down toured throughout 2009, released a digital-only acoustic holiday album at the end of the year, and began to work on their next album in 2010. With Howard Benson serving as producer, the guys shuttled themselves between L.A. and Tokyo, recording the album in both cities and eventually emerging with 2011's Time of My Life. The following year saw the release of the band's first Greatest Hits collection, which featured three brand-new tracks. These songs also offered fans their first look at incoming guitarist and former guitar tech Chet Roberts, who replaced founding member Matt Roberts (no relation). By 2013, bassist Todd Harrell had also departed, opening the door for another new member, Justin Biltonen. Sporting a new lineup, 3 Doors Down set about recording their sixth LP with producer Matt Wallace. Us and the Night appeared in March 2016.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
********************
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