Very rarely do I like this kind of music. Yet 3 Doors Down do it so well, it's hard not to like it. They can manage to sound hard with a rock edge, yet manage to maintain a melodic pop quality to their songs. The lead singer may be in a rock band, but he has a great voice and doesn't have to resort to screaming.

"The Better Life" was good, but I think this album manages to top it. "When I'm Gone" has been the massive hit thus far and has become one of the biggest radio hits of the last year. It's been overplayed, but it's still listenable. The title track "Away From the Sun" is a definite stand-out track. It's slow, but I'd love to see it as a single...great chorus. "The Road I'm On" is one of the harder tracks and was the second single. "Ticket To Heaven" is another catchy rock/pop track that would make a good single. The star of this album is "Here Without You" definitely. Already proving to be a huge radio hit, it's a fantastic rock ballad and very relatable. "Changes" and "Dangerous Game" are ok too. "Sarah Yellin" definitely stands out from the other songs with a more serious vibe.

Overall, great album. "Away From the Sun", "When I'm Gone", "Ticket To Heaven", and "Here Without You" are the key tracks that make it wortha 5 star rating. The other songs are good and listenable, but these jump out at you. If you liked "The Better Life" there's a big chance that you'll like "Away From the Sun." Similar content and great music.

To take a CD like "The Better Life" and make a sophomore album off of that fanbase is a very difficult thing. I, being a previous 3 Doors Down fan, was severly awaiting the release of this installment for my collection for a long time. When, finally, I heard the song "When I'm Gone" on the radio for the first time, I knew the wait had not been in vain. On "Away from the Sun" they use "When I'm Gone" and then their title track to intensify the album right off the start. Then they go from track to track, mixing it up from an almost ballad-like song, "Here without You" to harder songs like "Dangerous Game" and "Going Down in Flames." All of the songs have the catchy and addictive nature that ruled their premiere and have a much more mature nature to them. Simply Awesome

This album is a lot more mature than the debut 3 Doors Down album. The guitar licks are more complex, the lyrics are more masterful, and the songs just have more "umph" to them. This album delivers in every way imaginable.

The title track, "Away from the Sun" is a favorite of mine. What a beautiful song. It gave me goose bumps the first time I ever heard it. Not too many song will do that to you. Other standout songs on the album include, "Going Down in Flames", "Changes", "Ticket to Heaven", "Here without You", and "When I'm Gone". I'm truly blown away by this album. It's really an incredible album. Check it out.

While Kryptonite keeps being their best song ever, Away From The Sun has enough material that's as much brilliant as most off their first album.

When I'm Gone, the first and successful single from the new album, attracts the attention from the very slow beginning and makes itself highly memorable thanks to incredibly catchy chorus. The signiture style of 3DD and their songwriting talent are both here and leave no noubt the guys happily go on with creating a good music.

The lyrics are their strong side, as before, and this time the words do a lot to help liking most of songs on the Away From The Sun. Really meaningful, thought-provoking, and not so depressing.

Going Down In Flames could be their next single, very easily, since that's one of their catchiest tunes from the both albums. This is almost a pop song, but in the best sense.

The list of other stand-outs would include: Changes, Here Without You, The Road I'M On, Dangerous Game, and, surely, This Time, the hidden track.

The rest is still good, but rather sounds usual.

I've already reviewed this disk, but I haven't given the track by track rundown that I'm so darn good at. Here we go:

1. WHEN I'M GONE (A-): Strong opening track and first single. Really embraces what this band is all about.

2. AWAY FROM THE SUN (A-): A great interpretation of mellow rock. This is a great road tune.

3. THE ROAD I'M ON (A): This song is skitzo! Humble verses, and an aggressive chorus. My favorite on this CD.

4. TICKET TO HEAVEN (A): Almost too good to be 3 Doors Down! It should have been the closing track.

5. RUNNING OUT OF DAYS (B-): Still good, but this song feels a little boring compared to it's predecesors.

6. HERE WITHOUT YOU (A): Be Like That was the softie on their first album. Be Like That wishes it could be like this.

7. I FEEL YOU (B+): the band's sound has fallen into a consistant groove...country/rock.

8. DANGEROUS GAME (B+): More country, better rock. I can see a Western shootout to this one.

9. CHANGES (A-): depressed to the point of anger/psychosis. Another Jekyl&Hyde song like track 3.

10. GOING DOWN IN FLAMES (A): this song is the fastest but also most melodic. This is a good sounding band.

11. SARAH YELLIN' (C): This one is the hardest. effects are cool, the bridge is too, but the rhythms get a little annoying.

12. untitled (D): might as well have left this one off. slow, dull, and now we know we won't hear anything like Kryptonite again. (but this is a good thing.)