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311
It's rare good friends make a successful group. Usually, there's a weak link and its either time to say goodbye or that person drags the show down. A group also puts pressure on relationships that make it all the more difficult. But 311 is one of the few groups that's managed to maintain a stable line-up.
Forming in Nebraska's music capital, Omaha, in '90, 311 is a collection of "friends for life" according to singer/guitarist/spokesperson Nick Hexum. The other "friends" were Rapper/turntable wiz Doug "S.A." Martinez, bassist P-Nut (a.k.a. Aaron Willis), guitarist Timothy J. Mahoney and drummer Chad Sexton.
A year later the Alt./Rap/Rockers bounced to L.A. where they signed with Capricorn Records. Their debut "Music" rolled out in '92 with "Grassroots" showing up the following year. But it was their self-titled third release (a.k.a. "The Blue Album, " due to the deep blue cover) that served as their breakthrough with the mid-tempo "All Mixed Up" and the sonically denser and driving "Down."
Amid a frantic year of touring the group produced what was essentially a home movie of their life on the road. "Enlarged To Show Detail," filmed in Kansas City and Denver, sold over a million copies.
In '97, the double CD "Transistor" hit and 311 set off on a worldwide tour that resulted in the "Live" CD. '99 saw the release of "Soundsystem" with "Freeze Time" and "Eons."
311 confidently rolled through the early part of the century with a quartet of releases. "From Chaos" was on the shelves in '01. It was followed two years later by "Evolver." '04 had "311 Day: Live In New Orleans." Then the group issued eighth studio album, '05's "Don't Tread On Me." The title track went to #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart and #1 on Radio & Records (R&R). Subsequent singles didn't fare nearly as well.
After a break, 311 recorded a cover of Toots & the Maytals "Reggae Got Soul" for the "Surf's Up" soundtrack.
"Ulifter," containing the single "Hey You," arrived in '09. "It's definitely more Rock than our last two records were," said Sexton. "We explored the sounds that we've done and a few new ones. Our Reggae stuff is on there, our hard Rock stuff, some Funk going on." Martinez called the set "our finest album yet" while Hexum claimed it was the "heaviest 311 has ever been." It made its debut at #3 on the Billboard 200, the band's highest chart position in the U.S. to date.
Produced by Bob Rock, the set was available in a standard version and a deluxe edition that included a DVD documentary titled The Road to 3-11 Day. 311's month-and-a-half-long Summer Unity Tour commenced in Bakersfield, CA - a day after the album's release.
311 issued their 10th studio effort, "Universal Pulse," in '11. First week sales put in album in Billboard's Top 10.
Studio Albums:
1993 Music
1994 Grassroots
1995 311
1997 Transistor
1999 Soundsystem
2001 From Chaos
2003 Evolver
2005 Don't Tread On Me
2009 Uplifter
2011 Universal Pulse
Give it to "311" and "From Chaos" as the prime CDs. Interestingly, Ron St. Germain produced both albums. "311" has the early hits. "From Chaos" features the Grunge-to-Rap title track, "You Wouldn't Believe" and "You Get Worked" which is in the same vein as "Down" (from "311"). CDs recorded between '95's "311" and "From Chaos," six years later, chart the group's transition from Funk (though they still incorporate many of those elements) toward Metal. "Soundsystem" stands as the best from this era. But the indulgent "Transistor" should be avoided. The twenty-one tracks jam styles and influences without much cohesion or effectiveness. Of 311's early '90s releases "Music" is the one to get.
Jumping forward, "Universal Pulse," is a good album though it's more of a placeholder. A concept album was abandoned prior to the recording of "Universal Pulse" (which certainly sounds like a concept album title). So the plan may have been to forget the 'big idea' and put together a set referencing career points to coincide with a summer tour. In that context it works.
"Uplifter" is aptly titled. "Hey You" leans toward riff-Rock but not at the expense of bouncy feeling - instantly appealing. "Too Much Too Fast" melds mainstream Rock with Art Rock embellishments but keeps the latter in check for another winner. The surprise is "Daisy Cutter" which sounds like it could be a Wallflowers song while the Reggae infused "It's Alright" is the set's 'feel good' track.
Of course, 311 still gets down and dirty on "India Ink" "Something Out Of Nothing" and the Rap-Metal "Jackpot." These dense, Nu-Metal tracks, off-set the lighter moments but doesn't obliterate them.
"Don't Tread On Me" is a friendly, melodic Rock album with Reggae, Punk and Rap influences. It's accessible, catchy and fun with songs "Thank Your Lucky Stars," "Waiting" and the title track. Rap/Rocker "Solar Flare" is upbeat and edgy but hardly angst riddled.
The earlier "Evolver" has a tougher sound in "Creatures (For Awhile)," which has a Stevie Wonder type synth percolating through it, and the mainstream Rock song "Reconsider Everything."