Sunday, June 28, 2009
A+E, Music, Reviews

311

“UPLIFTER”  (VOLCANO)

The general criticism of 311 is that, like many of its jammy brethren, the quintet’s albums are only blueprints for a contagious, high-energy live show.  Perhaps the group decided to take time crafting a different approach in the studio, waiting four years and bringing in noted hard-rock producer Bob Rock before releasing new music.

    If that’s the case, the sabbatical wasn’t well spent. “Uplifter” is yet another characteristically professional release from a group who, nearly two decades into its career (and still sporting the original lineup), remains reliably tight and focused. But there’s little here that couldn’t slot comfortably into any other 311 album, not exactly what a four-year layoff should yield. The rockers rock a bit harder, as does Nick Hexum’s guitar in general, but otherwise, this disc slips inauspiciously into the band’s existing catalog. A few musical twists, such as the sitar break on “India Ink,” seem like afterthoughts, attempts to tinker ever so slightly with the typical, some might say stereotypical, 311 sound.
 
    Mr. Rock polishes the rough edges into a somewhat slicker surface, one that highlights singer SA’s sing-songy vocals as they weave between indie rock, hip-hop, punk and the occasional foray into reggae.

    Existing fans will enjoy such bouncy, pump-your-fist-in-the-air singalongs as “Never Ending Sunshine” and the summery pop confection “It’s Alright.” But even they might admit that after two decades, more innovation in 311’s eclectic, crowd-pleasing yet frustratingly predictable style is definitely in order, if not overdue. 2.5 STARS—Hal Horowitz