We Are Drugs

We Are Drugs is a studio EP by American alternative rock band Third Eye Blind. The first single, "Cop Vs. Phone Girl" was released on July 25, 2016. The EP itself was released on October 7, 2016.

Background

As early as 2012, Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins stated that following the release of their fifth album, they would cease releasing full albums, in favor of smaller EP releases.^[1] After the release of their fifth album, Dopamine, in June 2015, Jenkins stated that there were five to six recorded songs from the Dopamine sessions that he stated he'd want to release upon having time to finish them after touring in support of Dopamine.^[2] In early 2016, Jenkins began discussing plans for a new EP release in mid-2016.^[3]

Writing and recording

Contrary to the band's prior few albums, Out of the Vein (2003), Ursa Major (2009), and Dopamine (2015), which were recorded over the course of four to six years, for We Are Drugs, the band was limited to a one week period in a studio in Texas in early 2016.^[4] Jenkins stated that the success of Dopamine lead to him to be able to not obsess over his perceived perfection of the lyrics as he had in the past.^[5] The band focused on continuous sessions that would take a song from conception to completion.^[4] No guidelines or definitions of what the music should be or sound like were allowed in the sessions, allowing for complete freedom in creating the music they felt in the moment.^[4] The lyrics and vocals for the track "Weightless" were completed outside of the initial sessions, with Jenkins not completing them until September 13, 2016 - three weeks prior to the EP's release.^[5]

Themes and composition

Jenkins states that the EP's name is meant to tie into their prior album, Dopamine, with drugs being something that affects one's dopamine levels.^[5] The EP's first single, "Cop Vs. Phone Girl", was very socially and politically themed, containing lyrics that reference Black Lives Matter,^[6] police brutality,^[7] and racism.^[8] The song lyrics were based on the events of the "Spring Valley High School Incident" in 2015 when a campus police officer violently removed an African American student out of her seat during class.^[8]

Release and promotion

The EP's first single, "Cop Vs. Phone Girl", was released on July 25, 2016.^[8] The single release was right after the band entered the national spotlight for their comments regarding the Republican Party.^[9] On July 19, 2016, the band had played a benefit concert for "Musicians on Call", a charity organization, in close proximity to the Republican National Convention. The band took the opportunity to speak out against the Republican Party, criticizing their views on science and LGBT rights, and playing tracks specifically critical of their stances, including "Jumper" and "Non-Dairy Creamer".^[10] The event inspired the band to release a political single.^[4][7][11] The EP's opening track, "Company of Strangers", was made available for streaming on September 8, 2016 - the same day of the reveal of the track list and announcement of the release date - October 7.^[12]

The band will play the 2016 iteration of Lollapalooza to promote the EP as well.^[13]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Stephan Jenkins; all music composed by Third Eye Blind. 

^[12]

Personnel

Band

• Stephan Jenkins – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Kryz Reid – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Alex LeCavalier – bass
• Alex Kopp – keyboard
• Brad Hargreaves – drums

Charts

References

External links