Pat Metheny Side-Eye III+
Consensus is still forming across 4 professional reviews. Pat Metheny's Side-Eye III+ reconfirms his appetite for genre-blending and ensemble conversation, pairing warm, textural soundscapes with moments of muscular interplay that critics say make the record worth attention. Across four professional reviews, the consensus score of 84.5/100 reflects praise for long-form compos
The best song is “Don't Look Down” for its expansive, episodic post-bop lyricism and standout piano solo.
Side-Eye III+’s core strengths are Metheny’s warmly familiar guitar voice, thoughtful collaboration, and polished production.
Best for listeners looking for orchestral collaboration and long-form compositions, starting with In On It and Make a New World.
Full consensus notes
Pat Metheny's Side-Eye III+ reconfirms his appetite for genre-blending and ensemble conversation, pairing warm, textural soundscapes with moments of muscular interplay that critics say make the record worth attention. Across four professional reviews, the consensus score of 84.5/100 reflects praise for long-form compositions and polished production, and points to several recurring standout songs that frame the album's strengths.
Reviewers consistently singled out “In On It”, “Make a New World” and “So Far, So Good” as some of the best songs on Side-Eye III+. Critics note “In On It” for its bright, fluid guitar and choir-backed drift, “Make a New World” for ten-minute expansiveness that fuses post-bop lyricism with Brazilian rhythms, and “So Far, So Good” for its tender, joyful close. Other frequently praised moments include “Risk and Reward” and “Don't Look Down”, which reviewers highlight for episodic development, trio interplay and textural layering that balance accessibility with technical ambition.
While most reviews celebrate the album's warmth, orchestral flourishes and collaborative spirit, some critics register mild reservations about occasional sentimentality and world-music touches that verge on familiar territory. Still, the professional reviews agree that Metheny's choice to foreground ensemble interplay and refined engineering yields an album that both honors his past work and engages younger collaborators, making Side-Eye III+ a rewarding listen for longtime fans and curious newcomers alike.
The following full reviews unpack those points in detail, track by track, and place Side-Eye III+ within Metheny's recent trajectory of fusion, post-bop and Americana-tinged experiments.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
In On It
3 mentions
"From the very first strains of the opening cut, “In On It,” the music is vintage Metheny"— Glide Magazine
So Far, So Good
3 mentions
"It all comes together and breaks into a segment that would not be out of place as part of the soundtrack"— The Spill Magazine
SE-O
3 mentions
"the continued use of that keyboard (by James Francies) on “SE-O,” a streamlined, uptempo number"— Glide Magazine
also present on “Urban and Western” and “Make A New World,” others may find the world music suite sensations a bit too much
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
In On It
Don't Look Down
Make a New World
Urban and Western
SE-O
Our Old Street
Risk and Reward
So Far, So Good
The short list, not the firehose.
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 4 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Pat Metheny's Side-Eye III+ finds its best tracks in the album's expansive long-forms, most notably “Don't Look Down” and “Make a New World”. The reviewer lingers on how “Don't Look Down” unfolds as an 11-minute episodic exercise in post-bop lyricism, and how “Make a New World” juxtaposes melodic intimacy with Brazilian rhythms, making them the standout tracks. Even opener “In On It” proves essential, moving from a group cooker into a choir-backed drift of atmospheric bliss, so listeners searching for the best songs on Side-Eye III+ should start there. The closing ballad “So Far, So Good” confirms the album's tender, joyful finish, rounding out why these are the best tracks on the record.
Key Points
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The best song is “Don't Look Down” for its expansive, episodic post-bop lyricism and standout piano solo.
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The album's strengths are long-form compositional scope, lush orchestration, and lyrical guitar-ensemble interplay.
Themes
Critic's Take
From the opening passages of Side-Eye III+ Pat Metheny and his trio craft a warm, otherworldly soundscape that rewards repeat listens. The best tracks on Side-Eye III+ are clearly “Urban and Western” and “Risk and Reward”, with “Urban and Western” building from sparse beginnings to a stirring climax and “Risk and Reward” showcasing electric interplay between guitar and keyboards. The album closes beautifully with “So Far, So Good”, a mellow finale that lets Metheny shine while the band gradually asserts itself. This is accessible, well-produced music that both jazz fans and casual listeners can return to often.
Key Points
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“Urban and Western” is the album’s standout for its emotional build and layered vocals.
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The album’s core strengths are warm melodies, tight trio interplay, and accessibility to non-jazz listeners.
Themes
Sp
Critic's Take
Pat Metheny returns with Side-Eye III+, a record that trades in electric surprises and reflective interludes. The review repeatedly points to the best songs as “In On It” and “SE-O” for their muscular, fiery moments, and to “Our Old Street” and “So Far, So Good” for the album's quieter, more tender peaks. The narrative voice here is appreciative but cautious, noting that these best tracks showcase Metheny's knack for interplay and sudden shifts, even when the world-music flourishes occasionally feel sentimental. Overall, the best tracks on Side-Eye III+ exemplify why fans of Metheny's wide-ranging catalog will find much to like.
Key Points
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The best song is the opener “In On It” because it escalates into raucous drums and synth fury that highlight the group’s power.
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The album’s core strengths are dynamic interplay, sudden stylistic shifts, and a blend of fiery fusion with reflective acoustic moments.
Themes
Critic's Take
In this review Doug Collette privileges the collaborative spirit behind Side-Eye III+, noting how Pat Metheny’s choices yield standout moments like “In On It” and “Make a New World”. He writes in a measured, admiring tone about Metheny picking and banding rather than simply leading, so the best songs on Side-Eye III+ feel both familiar and freshly arranged. The account highlights the bright, fluid guitar of “In On It” and the ten-minute chemistry of “Make a New World” as central to why these are the album’s top tracks. Overall the narrative emphasizes warmth, technical polish, and emotional resonance as the reasons listeners seeking the best tracks on Side-Eye III+ should pay close attention to these numbers.
Key Points
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“Make a New World” is the album’s centerpiece due to its ten-minute span of careful arrangement and spirited improvisation.
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Side-Eye III+’s core strengths are Metheny’s warmly familiar guitar voice, thoughtful collaboration, and polished production.