Published on Aug 16, 2000
This one didn’t leave my CD player for a long while. I think
I’ve become a bald faced craven fan of 311’s music. When I went to
the concert promoting this album I realized I’m also one of the
most aged 311 fans. Jeez, how many clone-like frat boys and overly
made up girls can you pack into Nissan Pavilion? I’m only 27, for
God’s sake! I felt as though the fact I graduated college and was
no longer living a ramen filled life was looked upon with hearty
suspicion by the MTV styled denizens. If I see one more tongue
ring…
The concert was astounding. It somehow impressed me despite the
incredible hangover I acquired through my bachelor party the night
before. But the show was not as cool as the album itself. After 10
years, five albums, tons of touring, and scads of puzzled (if not
angry) music critics, 311 has garnered itself quite the rock
acumen. This album sounds great.
Soundsystem is only the latest encapsulation of the 311
sound. This sound is ever-shifting, something especially apparent
if you compare
Soundsystem to
Transistor, their 1997 release. Not all the songs are great,
but most are good and contain the requisite heaviness I respect. As
with any 311 release, you must be in it for the music since the
lyrics are a bit silly; however, 311 are far more potent musically,
and at least less lame lyrically, than any of the current so-called
rap-metal bands.
Featuring a mélange of grooves, guitar tones, styles, and
exclamation points,
Soundsystem is the second best rock album I’ve heard this
year. First place goes to Rage Against The Machine and
The Battle Of Los Angeles – a stunning tribute to innovation
in rock, even if they are a bunch of elitist, pinko-commie
scumbags.
311 songs like “Large In The Margin”, “Sever”, and “Mindspin”
capitalize on the band’s flowing metallic grooves. I love the way
guitar player Tim Mahoney pulls off this proto-glam shit and makes
it sound new. I think what moves me is the octave divider (a guitar
effect that divides the guitar note in two, with the second tone an
octave lower than the original note) creating that bottomless
crunch. Couple this effect with a seven string guitar and you have
some heavy doo-doo.
While “Strong All Along” contains elements of afterschool
special music, it’s a really positive tune about stone cold
chillin’ on a nice day. I think. Anyway, 311 stretches out and uses
a nice two guitar harmony attack to mimic reggae horns and such
(though a lot of times, as on
Transistor‘s “Beautiful Disaster”, this method ends up with
more of a Judas Priest thing going on).
“Flowing” is the one track on the album I’m not fond of. Sounds
like 311 copped the verse from Green Day and the bridge from their
earlier album
Grassroots. Additionally, I’m guessing most listeners will
be turned off by the dub fantasy of the Bad Brains’ “Leaving
Babylon”, but I find it to be a nice culmination of the dub sound
they experimented with on
Transistor. And “Life’s Not A Race”, while throwing some
great guitar tidbits our way, is too much of a lick ass Santana
tribute.
And when it gets to the sweet “Black Magic Woman” breakdown, a
great groove that gives a slobbery nod to Carlos Santana, the band
cuts it far too short. Oh well. Haven’t we had enough Santana for a
while? When a rock star starts a new shoe line in the name of
activism, I think the love affair is over. He’s just another red if
you ask me.
If you have a subwoofer tied to your soundsystem, this album is
a great way to hear that puppy. I’m not kidding when I say
Soundsystem is an exquisite recording. It kicks ass. 311 is
one of the few rock bands out there doing it out of love. You may
not dig the sound, but they mean it. Plus, it’s great to listen to
guys so uncynical. Maybe it’s their midwest founding, but I can’t
think of another band this side of CCM so positive, yet
uncheesy.