On paper, Third Eye Blind's drug-themed hit "Semi-Charmed Life" should be as grating as the worst Spin Doctors song: With its half-rapped, pitter-pat delivery and "doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo" chorus, it should sound like this year's "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong." But "Semi-Charmed Life," like the remainder of the San Francisco band's heavily hyped debut, is far better than it should be: It's an exhilarating little song that seems custom-designed for airplay on car stereos and beach-bound boom boxes. It's a lot of fun, but it may just be outstripped by future Third Eye Blind singles like "Losing a Whole Year," "Burning Man," and "Narcolepsy." Of course, if "Semi-Charmed Life" is the massive hit it was made to be, you'll probably be cursing Third Eye Blind's soon-to-be-overexposed name by September. But until then, pick up the group's remarkably consistent debut and celebrate its infectious, dynamic charms.
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