311 Albums (10)
What The Critics Say
Now entering its third decade, 311 has cemented its status as a muscled touring machine, capable of selling out venues across the country without the assistance of high-charting singles or current albums. Uplifter, the band's ninth studio release (and first album in nearly four years), is streamlined accordingly, wielding a polished mix of tour-worthy anthems and lighter-hoisting ballads that seem destined to fare better in concert than on record. This is standard 311 fare, stuffed with the requisite flourishes of alternative rock, reggae, and frat boy funk that made the band popular some 15 years prior. Bob Rock produces the rock numbers with a beefy hand -- 311 has rarely sounded so heavy before -- while allowing the band to retain its sonic calling cards: the heavy chorus effect on Nick Hexum and S.A. Martinez's harmonies, the watery strum of Tim Mahoney's guitar, and the crispness of Chad Sexton's snare drum. Uplifter may be better suited to a concert set list than a stereo, as some of these songs lose their vitality on record. Even so, the album is strong enough to keep the flames fanned, and returning 311 fans should be pleased. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Over 311's decade-plus span they've fused reggae to crunchy rock chords, helped pioneer rap-rock, and made the occasional foray into jam band territory. They grew increasingly curious as songwriters on later efforts like Transistor and From Chaos, and made a veteran record with 2003's Evolver, which incorporated all the elements of their sound for a flawless, if just reliably good (not great) album. Released in 2005, Don't Tread on Me could be Evolver, Pt. 2. It has a few high points and very, very few lows, but ends up leveling off somewhere in the middle. It's 311 in sepia tone. "Speak Easy" returns S.A. Martinez to his rap persona over a viscous throwback groove; bombs, botox, and the culture of fear and complacency are some of the subjects drawing the activist ire of Martinez and Nick Hexum. "Frolic Room" is a tribute to the Hollywood Boulevard hangout, and appropriately has a great lyrical narrative and a combo of heavy chords and sunny Hexum/Martinez harmonies. The sinewy reggae punch 311's been perfecting for years rises again on "Waiting," while Martinez handles lead vocals impressively on "Getting Through to Her." In its "Life is not TV" mantra, the latter cut's also one of the numerous allusions on Tread to finding true reality around the corner or in yourself, instead of on the tube. Like that positive outlook, it's nearly impossible to dislike 311. You're never far away from an organic dub turn or heavy moment, and there's always a drum-tight, elastic rhythm snaking underneath the two-vocalist setup and trebly guitars. (Both the title track and "Thank Your Lucky Stars" are notable for this.) At the same time, arriving nearly two years after Evolver and with a greatest-hits album in the middle, Don't Tread on Me suggests 311 are playing it just a little safe. There are no missteps on the album, and the group's faithful will have plenty to rock with. But Don't Tread on Me still feels like one to grow on instead of one to remember. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
311 are the grizzled graybeards of alternative music. For nearly ten years their funkified, left-field take on the rap-metal zeitgeist has been soundtracking dormitory keg parties -- that's a thousand lifetimes for some of these fly-by-night alt combos. In that stretch they've had their ups (1994's Grassroots) and their relative downs (the clunky Transistor), but they've always stayed creative, quietly building a reputation for consistency. In keeping with the band's creational verve and veteran status, Evolver at first seems to be their Statement Album, complete with a hilariously overwrought cover painting, and that snarky referential title. But it's a bit misleading because musically, the album turns out to be built from the usual 311 components. It's not their best work, but fans will enjoy it and there's little of the filler that's plagued the past few offerings. "Creatures [For a While]" is Evolver's "Come Original," its inescapable riff wrapped around stinging snare hits and S.A.'s endearing/annoying drop-ins. "Crack the Code" and "Sometimes Jacks Rule the Realm" account for the stylistic departure portion of the album, the former drifting lightly between dubby electronica and an S.A.-sung rasta rock lilt, the latter weaving acoustic guitar and echo around co-vocalist Nick Hexum's earnest lyricisms. Feel free to get a refill during these songs. However, with "Same Mistake Twice," an explosive standout, Evolver hits its best stretch, followed by "Still Dreaming" and "Give Me a Call." The tracks embody each tenet of 311's sound, from synth-based atmospherics through thick guitar chording, unique vocal phrasing, and bleary eyed reggae interpretation. Though it looks like a statement album, the prog masterpiece that the fizzling Transistor never was, Evolver is actually a rephrasing of what 311's always been saying. In a word, it's reliable. And isn't that what veterans are for? ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Upon 311's vigorous return, vocalist S.A. Martinez declares, "I'm on a new high with a pen and a pad, and for fun I attend a jam that's super bad." While the members of the Omaha-bred quintet aren't lyrical rocket scientists, these disciples of positivity have nonetheless re-emerged "on a new high" with "a jam that's super bad." From Chaos astonishes and impresses with considerable energy and focus, proving itself as the album 311 has always been capable of making. With Tim Mahoney's razor-edged riffing and Nick Hexum and Martinez's super-charged vocals, their Volcano label debut rocks harder and rides smoother than each preceding effort. Amidst their signature hip-hop/heavy rock/reggae hybrid, 311 additionally blends surf guitar over jungle beats, merges punk guitar with dancehall, and introduces ska, à la Hexum's autobiographical "I'll Be Here Awhile," to their sonic repertoire. Tracks such as the carpe diem-inspired "Wake Your Mind Up" and the boastful "Sick Tight" prove the quintet hasn't forsaken their old-school formula, while the amorous "Amber," perhaps their most charming composition, exhibits a melodic versatility and musical ambition unlike many of their pigeonholed contemporaries. Under the technical lead of veteran producer and engineer Ron Saint Germain (aka Saint), From Chaos effectively "captures the energy of the live shows," per bassist P-Nut, and despite the band's growing musical complexity, each selection remains a perfect candidate for the well-traveled road ahead. Drummer Chad Sexton affirms "it's our best-performed record," and despite the album's semi-ironic title, he couldn't be more right. Moreover, this enhanced CD provides entertaining eye candy, which offers bandmember interviews, studio photos, and trailers from both Enlarged to Show Detail videos. Whether employing the computer or stereo for amusement, From Chaos is the sonic cornerstone for remarkably original rap-metal. ~ Jacob N. Lunders, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
311 have been called a lot of things -- primarily some variation of either funk metal, rap-metal, or ska-metal -- but they don't fit neatly into any of these particular subgenres. They borrow from all three styles, plus reggae and new wave, creating their own skatepunk sound that vaguely recalls such contemporaries as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, No Doubt, and Sublime, but never quite sounds exactly like them. Part of that is due to the vocal interplay of singer Nick Hexum and rapper S.A.; their interchanges are unique among skatepunk. 311 also have different ambitions -- ever since their 1995 commercial breakthrough, 311, the band seemed intent on making a great album. Its successor, Transistor, was a flawed effort the length of a double album, and its studio follow-up, Soundsystem -- a 1999 album that followed a live 1998 record -- has its own aspirations. Longtime producer/engineer band associate Scotch Ralston worked with Hugh Padgham (the Police's former producer) on Soundsystem, and the differences are immediately apparent. Benefiting from Padgham's professional skills, Soundsystem is a tighter record, clocking in at 45 minutes. Padgham also helps the band incorporate its various influences into a more digestible form. Though they never come up with a single as strong as "Down" anywhere on the album, the increased focus makes their musical mélange potent. Often, they come close to tying together a vast array of styles -- metal riffing, funk bass, rapping, hip-hop scratching, melodic choruses, trippy reggae vibes, Latin, and ska rhythms -- into something distinctive. It's not necessarily radio-ready, but that's not necessarily a detriment, since they have more musical character than many of their peers. Where most bands are content to ride one groove, 311 pack as many as three or four into one track. This may be at the expense of a pop hook, but it does give them identity, and -- in a weird way -- musical integrity, since their ever-shifting musical gears are clearly the result of a band intent on pleasing itself and its hardcore audience, not a pop market. That means Soundsystem will not play to fans of "Down," even if it's punchier than Transistor. But that additional focus and punch makes it their best album since 311, a fact their hardcore fans will appreciate. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Essentially a souvenir for fans, Live doesn't really shed any new light on 311's appeal; although the band's energy level remains consistently high throughout, the performances largely fail to deviate from -- or improve upon -- their studio counterparts. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
311, the eclectic musical quintet whose unique and hypnotic blend of reggae, funk, hard rock and hip-hop reached a world audience with the success of their self-titled 1995 album, return with Transistor, their fourth release for Capricorn Records and their most fully realized and ambitious recording yet. It's a heady blend of styles that makes the amalgam that is 311 work so wonderfully, and as guitarist-vocalist Nick Hexum has said, "Transistor is our way of saying that all living things are connected, that we are all conductors of electricity -- that we're all part of the same massive energy source and in this way, we're all equal." Tracks like the mesmerizing dub cut of "Inner Light Spectrum," the funk of "No Control," the hip-hop flavor of "The Continuous Life" and almost brutal soundscape of "What Was I Thinking?" (complete with walkie-talkie vocal sounds) showcase the band's love for diverse musical styles and their ability to blend them together into something new, fresh and compelling. Out of respect for their fan base, the group manages to cram all 21 songs onto one compact disc, saving their mavens a little loose change left over for T-shirts, stickers and posters, all advertised on the inside. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It is the seamless way the songs on the eponymously titled 311 combine the band's influences into a potent blend of rap, funk, and rock that renders this album a cut above those of their competitors. These riff-heavy and radio-ready songs are underscored by a tight drum sound (often with a piccolo snare), the scratching of turntables, and the crunch of heavy guitars: a formidable backdrop for this surprisingly melodic effort. The rhythms of reggae and ska percolate through this mix, and the harmonies of Nick Hexum and S.A. Martinez lend the band an edge not found in the majority of bands that feature rapping over rock beats. ~ Peter Stepek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A stylistic improvement over its predecessor, Grassroots presents a more focused and inventive 311, evenly balancing the band's rap-metal intensity with reggae vibrations, Grateful Dead-like jams, and hallucinogenic ambience. Perhaps one of the 1994's most underrated releases, Grassroots artistically ignores corporate rock's temptations of conformity, which consequently threaten the possibility of mainstream airplay. Despite suffering from relative obscurity, 311's sophomoric effort remains an invigorating listen, and its multi-tempo compositions flow together remarkably from the grinding guitar assault of "Homebrew" through the laid-back Caribbean groove of "1,2,3." In addition, Nick Hexum's and S.A. Martinez' potent alteration between rap and melodic vocals represents a polished development over Music's comparatively inferior efforts. While Grassroots lacks any hit-worthy singles, it does offer plenty of highlights including the rhythmically eclectic "Omaha Stylee," the desirous sing-along "8:16 A.M.," and funky hip-hop/rock hybrid "Applied Science." The album's remaining tracks prove equally essential as they individually piece together the Grassroots puzzle, which combined provides a splendid overview of 311's signature diversity. Unfortunately, the overall muddy production undermines P-Nut's bass wizardry and transforms Chad Sexton's drumkit into an assemblage of garbage cans and cardboard boxes. Despite the less-refined outturn, Grassroots remains 311's finest moment artistically, and listeners of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime, and Rage Against the Machine will find this CD an indispensable addition to their music collections. ~ Jacob N. Lunders, All Music Guide
