That long winded explanation of my past leads to this point: I really only know, like, 3(?) 311 tunes. It's a band I'm told I would enjoy or should check out a lot, but I've never really taken the time. Well, tonight, that changes... Sort of.
I won't be delving deep into the 311 archives, but rather checking out their latest offering, Stereolithic.
I am sensing some sort of numeric pattern with this band...
And as my ears will be treading on somewhat unfamiliar ground, so will my taste buds. I have a beer I've never tried before: Ruthless Rye IPA. I hope I like it (Already one in... I do!). So before I get too many beers down, on to the review!
Album:
Alcohol:
"Ebb and Flow" opens the disc with a fun and bouncy guitar line. Vocals are nice. A little drone-esque, but it's fitting. I dig the slow groove in when the change up comes. The chorus is alright, but better is the outro of the chorus. The vocals change up a little in the second verse. Really cool groovy break down. Super trippy. And the subtle kick in is nice. It's so heavy but... Not.
Pick up with with same slow groove is "Five of Everything". Picks up a little with the vocals, and again such a cool heavy-but-not-really feel. The song is moving part to part and they are all pretty cool. Slight vocal change up again in the second verse. I still dig it. The bass lines are super fun as well, although, from what I know of the band, that has been a staple. Neat little rapish part. Cool fake out ending going into a really pretty guitar line and vocal interplay. End... Cool.
Pace picks up instantaneously as guitar opens "Showdown". The song settles into a nice little dub verse. Nice pick up back into a heavier chorus. Cool little interlude back into the dub verse. I actually really like the choral-esque vocals happening. Nice build again. Rap part again. Not bad, but feels a little afterthought. But the grow and kick back in wipe it from my memory.
A ringing tone ends the previous track and leads us into the crazy awesome guitar open to "Revelation of the Year". The guitar and bass interplay is awesome. And throwing in the plain-ish vocals is perfect for creating another layer without taking away from the awesomeness of the music. And this is the first natural feeling rap part. Transition out of it is clean too. I can dig it. That guitar is SOOO fun! It so cool how the vocals add on to the music rather than laying on top of burying it. Rap part again, liked it less this time around, but still seemed to fit. Nice little riff coming out of the second chorus. Really cool ending.
Brownout sound takes us into the slower feeling "Sand Dollars". This song is very pretty and groovy. Ooo. I like that pre chorus a lot. And the chorus keeps the pretty sound. And the settle back into the groove is nice. Nice almost epic feel into the bridge part. Love it actually. Diging the solo as well. And that'll take us to the end.
And taking off out of that is "Boom Shanka" and the guitar line is beautiful. Again the vocals just adding a complimentary layer. This song is really cool as well. There is a groove, but its... I can't really describe it. Edgy, like, almost punk, but more groovy... I don't know. I like it.
"Make It Rough" opens with a nice little riff before settling into a nice groove. Like, a really nice groove. Picking up again with that heavy-but-not sound. Ooo. I like that guitar solo thing. Really cool vocal flow in there. The vocals through the whole album have been spot on. They aren't flashy, but they aren't meant to be. They fit in with the music perfectly. I like.
"The Great Divide" opens with a cool little sample, and an neat guitar groove before settling into a really cool rap. Into a nice chorus. I dig this as a alt rap tune. Done really well. Don't know what more to say. The song isn't terribly intricate, but it's good. The guitars are cool, but it's really the flow of the raps and the general feel. This bridge is awesome too.. Building.... Opening up. More... Nice kick in of guitar keeping the voice pretty. And picking up pace into the end. Nice.
And slowing things down with the opening of "Friday Afternoon". I am continuing to be impressed by my auto correct on my new OS because shit... I am not typing as well as it would appear. That being said, this is nice... Slight groove triply.. Heavy-but=not again. Nice. And the drop out here is really cool. Keeping that slow groove going. Build.. And awesome guitar dive here. into a nice solo. Nice touch and go pacing in the rhythm section. End. Nice.
"Simple True" is a totally fuck fusion... Oh.. FUNK fusion song. Really cool feel. Love everything the guitar is doing, and the bass continues to be fun. Even when it picks up, the song still just has this groovy bob. Like this a lot. Neat little solo. I dig. Cool ending as the feedback swells and fades.
"First Dimension" punches out of that with an awesome riff. And the choral-esgue vocals come back in. Nice bouncy feel int he chorus>? I think?> And cool guitar and vocal interplay again coming out of that. Second vocals there. I really dig the change ups they have here. And that little guitar solo.. Oh, full solo. The rhythm section nd guitar interplay is aweomse. Nice "oooo" grow... And dorp. Cool simple.
Leads us into a bass synth swell on "Made in the Shade". And another sweet groove here that slows the pace. Really nice ups and downs on this disc. Holding the groove. And again, i ding. A lot of little fake outs litke it's going to kick in, but ends leaving us with a fart synth bass souch and a sample.
and a vocal sample starts "Existential Hero". The guitar comes in and the song sets itself ups to be another nice alt rap tune. Again simple, but well executed. It's so hard for me to really describe these sort of tunes. but... I like it. Nice little riffy interlude. Cool tune.
"The Call" bring up the pace on what is an almost pop punk tune with awesome groove. Really cool. There is this ouching drive with out loosing the drive. The pace switches back and forth really nicely. I like it. Drop out to voice and guitar. And immediate pick back up. Nice.
"Tranquility" closes the disck opening with a nice guitar and some samples. Settling into a nice slow pace. Pretty feel. Transistion ing in and out of that ooo part nicely. I'm a little eh about what feels like an almost auto tune vocals. but... The song isn't bad. Just really hate the robotty sound. Maybe I'm imagining that with the booze? Doesn't matter, cool guitar solo. Takes us to the end... Mmmm. Feedback. Good way to end a disc.
Final Thoughts:
One 311 song I've heard before tonight, "All Mixed Up". Is and accurate description of how I feel. I like a lot of this disc, but I have a few reservations. Some of the disc didn't gel, and I'm so much feels... The same? Kind of. There was a nice variety, but take this sampling over several albums, and I'm not feeling it as much. That being said, Stereolithic is a cool disc that I shall be shoving in my earholes again.
-Badhorse
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