Nobody

That's Life, Three Miles Out's second album, bears a 2001 copyright; this third album arrives seven years later. That's a long time between releases, especially for a regional band, but the gap may have been justified. On That's Life, Three Miles Out came off as a competent but unexceptional hard rock band steeped in tradition without offering much to differentiate it from its many predecessors. With Nobody, they have not so much taken the time to change their approach fundamentally as to refine it in nearly every way. To begin with, the album represents a sonic upgrade from the grenade-explosion sound of That's Life and its 2000 predecessor TMO. Working with producer Lawrence Gelburd, the band has achieved a much better studio sound. They are also playing better, their arrangements are more intricate, the lead vocals are more expressive, and the harmony singing is much tighter. These differences are especially notable on the two remakes of songs that appeared on That's Life, "Reaching Out" and "Knock Me Down." Three Miles Out's increased skill as musicians allows them to vary their styles somewhat, adopting a more pop-oriented feel on such tracks as "Ordinary." But for the most part, they have stuck to their guns. Take it or leave it, this is an old-school hard rock band, devoted to big guitar riffs and driving rhythms. Despite the technical improvements, they are still only a couple of steps removed from the generic, but they know what they like, and they have shown determination in carrying on this long. The results are on display on Nobody, by far their best album.