{{about|the album|other uses|Third hand (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = The Third Hand | type = studio | artist = RJD2 | cover = Rjd2.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|2007|03|06}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|Hip-hop|electronic|rock|pop}} | length = {{Duration|m=47|s=05}} | label = XL Recordings | producer = RJD2 | prev_title = Magnificent City | prev_year = 2006 | next_title = The Colossus | next_year = 2010 | misc = {{Singles | name = The Third Hand | type = studio | single1 = You Never Had It So Good | single1date = 2007 | single2 = Work It Out | single2date = 2007 }} }} '''''The Third Hand''''' is the third studio album by RJD2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://drownedinsound.com/news/1464342-album-news--rjd2-shows-his-third-hand|title=Album news: RJD2 shows his Third Hand|work=Drowned in Sound|first=Kev|last=Kharas|date=January 4, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016|archive-date=April 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414171642/http://drownedinsound.com/news/1464342-album-news--rjd2-shows-his-third-hand|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was released on XL Records on March 6, 2007.<ref name=metacritic/> It peaked at number 190 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart,<ref name=billboard200/> number 5 on the Heatseekers Albums chart,<ref name=heatseekers/> and number 23 on the Independent Albums chart.<ref name=independent/> ''The Third Hand Instrumentals'', an instrumental version of the album, was also released in 2007.<ref name=allmusic/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/rjd2-third_hand_instrumentals|title=RJD2: The Third Hand Instrumentals|work=Exclaim!|first=Pierre|last=Hamilton|date=August 14, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 60/100<ref name=metacritic>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-third-hand/rjd2|title=The Third Hand by Rjd2|work=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=October 10, 2015}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-third-hand-mw0000577840|title=RJD2 - The Third Hand|work=AllMusic|first=John|last=Bush|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The A.V. Club'' | rev2score = B−<ref name=avclub>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/review/rjd2-emthe-third-handem-7928|title=RJD2: The Third Hand|work=The A.V. Club|first=Noel|last=Murray|date=March 13, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Billboard'' | rev3score = mixed<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/1326426/review-rjd2s-the-third-hand|title=Review: RJD2's 'The Third Hand'|magazine=Billboard|first=Jeff|last=Vrabel|date=February 27, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev4 = ''MusicOMH'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/rjd2-the-third-hand|title=RJD2 – The Third Hand|work=MusicOMH|first=Steve|last=Hands|date=March 5, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev5 = ''NME'' | rev5score = 5/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/rjd2/8252|title=RJD2: The Third Hand|work=NME|first=Emily|last=Mackay|date=March 2, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev6score = 3.7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9966-the-third-hand/|title=RJD2: The Third Hand|work=Pitchfork|first=Nate|last=Patrin|date=March 9, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev7 = ''PopMatters'' | rev7score = {{Rating|5|10}}<ref name=popmatters>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/review/rjd2-the-third-hand/|title=Rjd2: The Third Hand|work=PopMatters|first=Dave|last=Heaton|date=March 8, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Spin'' | rev8score = mixed<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2007/03/rjd2-third-hand-xl/|title=RJD2, 'The Third Hand' (XL)|work=Spin|first=Keith|last=Harris|date=March 15, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Stylus Magazine'' | rev9score = C+<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/rjd2/the-third-hand.htm|title=RJD2 - The Third Hand|work=Stylus Magazine|first=Jeff|last=Weiss|date=March 8, 2007|access-date=March 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309152628/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/rjd2/the-third-hand.htm|archive-date=March 9, 2012}}</ref> }} At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 60, based on 28 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref name=metacritic/>
Noel Murray of ''The A.V. Club'' gave the album a grade of B−, saying: "About half of ''The Third Hand'' is given over to dub exercises and soundtrack-ready soundscapes, while the other half pushes fairly conventional alt-pop, heavy on the Beatles-esque flourishes."<ref name=avclub/> Dave Heaton of ''PopMatters'' gave the album 5 stars out of 10, saying: "You may have to listen past a few layers to be satisfied, but there is a level of satisfaction to be found."<ref name=popmatters/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | title1 = Intro | length1 = 1:00 | title2 = You Never Had It So Good | length2 = 4:04 | title3 = Have Mercy | length3 = 3:18 | title4 = Reality | length4 = 3:01 | title5 = Work It Out | length5 = 3:26 | title6 = Laws of the Gods | length6 = 2:10 | title7 = Get It | length7 = 3:30 | title8 = Someday | length8 = 1:22 | title9 = The Bad Penny | length9 = 4:04 | title10 = Beyond the Beyond | length10 = 3:57 | title11 = Sweet Piece | length11 = 4:00 | title12 = Rules for Normal Living | length12 = 4:03 | title13 = Paper Bubbles | length13 = 2:49 | title14 = Just When | length14 = 3:28 | title15 = The Evening Gospel | length15 = 2:53 | total_length = 47:05 }} {{Track listing | headline = iTunes edition bonus tracks | title16 = The Past Time | length16 = 9:22 | title17 = The Wilderness | length17 = 3:42 | total_length = 60:09 }}
==Charts== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;" border="1" !scope="col"| Chart !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- !scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref name=billboard200>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/rjd2/chart-history/tlp/|title=Rjd2: Chart History (Billboard 200)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 5, 2018}}</ref> | 190 |- !scope="row"| US Heatseekers Albums (''Billboard'')<ref name=heatseekers>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/rjd2/chart-history/tln/|title=Rjd2: Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 5, 2018}}</ref> | 5 |- !scope="row"| US Independent Albums (''Billboard'')<ref name=independent>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/rjd2/chart-history/ind/|title=Rjd2: Chart History (Independent Albums)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 5, 2018}}</ref> | 23 |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|56324|The Third Hand}}
{{RJD2}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Third Hand, The}} Category:2007 albums Category:RJD2 albums Category:XL Recordings albums