Who would have known that a group of guys from Omaha Nebraska could write songs that belong on the beach when they are so far away? 311 has done just that as well as rocked out hard over their career of genre-bending music. You can hear the metal, modern rock, funk, hip-hop, and reggae influences in almost every song. This disc went gold despite a rather large drop in fan support in the mainstream world. They managed to get a couple of moderate singles from the disc. I believe that this mature, sixth major label studio disc is the best thing that the band has done. They show the ability to make their music, which in the past has been fun but not always very deep, into something that has profound meaning and flows perfectly into one coherent piece of heaven.

Line-Up

Nick Hexum - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Programming
SA Martinez - Vocals, Phonograph, DJ
Tim Mahoney - Lead Guitar
P-Nut - Bass Guitar
Chad Sexton - Drum kit, Programming

Track List

1. "You Get Worked" 2:51
2. "Sick Tight" 2:44
3. "You Wouldn't Believe" 3:40
4. "Full Ride" 3:07
5. "From Chaos" 3:15
6. "I Told Myself" 4:10
7. "Champagne" 3:04
8. "Hostile Apostle" 3:44
9. "Wake Your Mind Up" 3:12
10. "Amber" 3:29
11. "Uncalm" 3:11
12. "I'll Be Here Awhile" 3:28


The disc has three of their best singles yet. You Wouldn't Believe rocks hard and provides one of the best modern rock choruses that I have ever heard. The lyrics are about misleading relationships and are some of the most insightful that he's written. Did I already mention the chorus? Yeah, it's flippin' amazing. SA and Hexum are at the top of their game and Mahoney's riffs are oil slick man.

"And he's got a head full of ideas
let me tell ya, that you wouldn't believe
and he's got a heart made of pure gold
and something else, so many tricks up his sleeve
you might think he's a jester
because he'll make you laugh till' you cry
and what else, you better come with your best
if you test him, unless you're ready to die"

Amber goes down smooth. It's a breezy "brainstorm" with a music video every bit as laid back as the track. The video consists of the band chillin' on the beach and even goes so far as to use a beer bottle casually as a guitar slide. The lyrics are every bit as lovely as the song. This song brings me the most complete relaxation. The guitar solo is FLAWLESS.

"Whoa, amber is the color of your energy
whoa, shades of gold displayed naturally
launched a thousand ships in my heart, so easy
still it's fine from afar, and you know that
whoa, brainstorm take me away from the norm
whoa, I got to tell you something"

I'll Be Here Awhile has a similar effect as Amber. The song just takes you to another place. The light guitar melodies and Hexum's flowing voice eases you into submission. The reggae feel of the song mixed with the soulful lyrics are just a bit of 311 heaven.

With these three great singles you would think that the rest of the tracks on the disc would just be a disappointment, but you would be very wrong. My absolute favorite 311 track of all-time resides on this disc. Uncalm is by far the most brilliant song that the band has ever or probably will ever release. The song's lyrics are beyond amazing. It's a love song with beautiful images and metaphors. The music has a very odd feel to it. The guitars have pretty heavy guitar riffs, but they somehow manage to make the song feel above love. SA gives his best vocal performance of his life and Hexum hits all the right notes. The following lyrics are just a small sample of the brilliance of this song.

"On the scales of desire your absence weighs
more than someone else's presence
I wanna kiss reason goodbye today
I wanna show it's purple essence
on your lips baby it'll fade away
return your natural iridescence
on the scales of desire your absence weighs
more than someone else's presence"

The amazing thing is that the other songs on the disc are also really good. Full Ride is what the kids today would call "BA" or "bad-a$$." The guitar riff is chunky and slow. SA and Hexum spit out some slick rhymes and the chorus is super catchy. From Chaos is another really good modern rock song. Hexum's finally found his voice on this disc and the band has also found the balance with the duel vocalists. SA's verses are sick and the guitar riff and drumming in the song kicks some serious butt.

I Told Myself pulls out some funky bass lines and tuned down guitar riffs. It's not the best song, but the bass line is enough to make the song worth a listen. Champagne has a spacey feel that empties your mind like good champagne should do. The song is in the same vein as Amber and is about as enjoyable. It's sweet in its own way.

"I follow you to sleep so I will find
your dream place and hey, I'm not an angel
but girl you make me feel like I know one, one"

Wake Up Your Mind sounds like something off of the '95 disc with fast paced guitars and rapping all over the place. It's a bit more refined than the older songs and lyrically superior. You Get Worked and Sick Tight follow in the same vein and will make you want to rock out hard like the best tracks from '95. The other track on the disc is the very unusual Hostile Apostle. The song has a crazy guitar intro that lets Mahoney show off a bit of his creative side. The pace of the song just feels different for the band. It's one of the more interesting tracks the band has done and a pleasurable experience.

Overall I would recommend this cd to anyone. I love this disc and it's definitely my favorite 311 disc. Fans of the band NEED to have this one in their collection and anyone who is looking to get into the band should start here.

cheers,

musicsucks