Rocktrospectiva: The Breakout Debut And Succesfull "The Better Life" Turns 25

Released on 8 February 2000, "The Better Life" was the debut album by 3 Doors Down, the band's breakout album that spawned four singles "Kryptonite", "Loser", "Be Like That" and "Duck And Run", three of the four singles entered the Hot 100, and the album became the 11th., best selling record of that year. 

 

Back in the year 2000, and awful period when Nu Metal was taking over, the pop punk enjoyed a certain success, a time when Disney acts such a N Sync and Britney Spears were massive stars, there was this Mississippi band ready to conquer the world, and they did it indeed. This is 3 Doors Downs debut album The Better Life which, for several critics is the best of their three albums so far and the least commercial, unfortunately each album the band released has sadly been more mainstream than the last and less interesting. 

 

Most of the songs on "The Better Life" are the I heaviest and most original, the songs arent completely repetitive unlike their other two albums and Brad has some of the best lyrics hes written from the entire album. The opener "Kryptonite" was the solid and massive hit, with a nice video about a superhero that captures the MTV airwaves back then, is easily the most recognized song from the album and a solid song as well, "Loser" was a fairly solid track, the lyrics are okay and the music is pretty quiet for the first half, "Duck and Run" had some nice lyrics about how tough it is living in the world and great music, with some of the best bass, "Not Enough" had a nice intro with some guitar and okay bass, the ballad "Be Like That" was one of the saddest songs by 3 Doors Down, the song can really choke with some excellent music.

 

The half part began with "Life of My Own" unsurprisingly starts of slow but builds up around the one minute mark. The lyrics in this song are pretty much about living your own life, feelings, and learning along the way. "Better Life" was the title track without the first word, and definitely for many the best song of the set, "Down Poison", had a really great, heavy intro tricked nearly a heavy song, but slows down quickly. "By My Side" was another heavy intro with some of the best guitar and bass work, and finally "Smack" one of the shortest song with nice lyrics and a heavy sound but easily repetitive, and finally "So I Need You" with an intro with the guitar and effects, a clearly a love song.

 

One of the best records in the early 2000s, this was a great debut album for the band that still active nowadays.

 

The Better Life Track List: 

 

1. Kryptonite

2. Loser

3. Duck And Run

4. Not Enough

5. Be Like That

6. Life On My Own

7. Better Life

8. Down Poison

9. By My Side

10. Smack 

11. So I Need You