Things kick off with "Ebb and Flow" a solid rocker with frontman Nick Hexum's familiar vocals working their way through the funk soaked interludes and providing for a familiar environment to the dedicated 311 fans who have stood by them all these years. The best song on the disc is the album's first single, "Five of Everything" a steady, reggae infused rocker with those familiar 311 rhythms working their way and P-Nut's insatiable bass licks providing the soundtrack to a terrific track that encapsulates the retro sound that the band were aiming for, hearkening back to their 1999 effort Soundsystem. "Revelation of The Year" is a decent rocker that features some dense electronic elements a la 1997's Transistor that give some listeners a hint of diversity and some retro musical images that take you back to the band's heyday, but mixed in with some of their newer material makes this song a bit jumbled and convoluted. "Sand Dollars" mixes in some elements from "Amber" off of 2001's From Chaos, and attempts to maintain our attention span with some earth tones and breezy ocean imagery that gives us a passable track to unwind to in the meantime. "Make It Rough" allows for an enjoyable stay with some seaside rhythms working their way into your consciousness and Nick's comforting vocals providing for an appropriate interlude as we dash into the second half of the effort.
The second half begins with the relaxing "Friday Afternoon", a delicately tuned track with ethereal guitars and a sun kissed melody that soars the second half into uncharted waters and presents a different sort of tempo than what was presented to us in the first portion. "Simple True" features a varied instrumental arrangement that runs the gamut all throughout the spectrum that has some promise, but comes across as being a tad bit overdone and suffers greatly in the process as a result. SA Martinez's vocals make up for the lack of effort here and prop the song up to a passable stage. "First Dimension" is a more complete band effort allowing you to see what happens when the full dynamic of the band is hard at work, making sure that their creative vision is being fully realized and that everyone is in tune as well. The disc's final three tracks feature "Existential Hero" a full fledged reggae-rocker that features dynamic shifts in vocals and instrumentation that echo classic 311 and feature a great deal of depth and variance that present itself quite well in the big picture. "The Call" has some sleek guitar riffs that are provided from Tim Mahoney and solid drumming from Chad Sexton give the album a late charge as we get ready to close out the album. "Tranquility" closes it out with a sonically eerie number that sows everything together in fine 311 fashion and presents us with a pathway as how we got to this point and where the cornerstones for the album were laid along our journey to the finish line. I have been a 311 fan since high school, and I have always respected them for sticking to their guns and doing what they want to do, not what corporate record label execs tell them. I think they should have done this DIY method a long time ago where they could have their own record label, their own finances, no one else to turn to but themselves to deliver quality music that fully satisfies their musical quest.
All in all, a decent and solid effort all around from 311, who are moving into the next phase of their careers as a band who have their own sense of self-identity and motivation that has accumulated all these years and coming to the realization that they are their own boss.
Album Score: 3/5
Track Listing:
- Ebb and Flow
- Five of Everything
- Showdown
- Revelation of the Year
- Sand Dollars
- Boom Shanka
- Make It Rough
- The Great Divide
- Friday Afternoon
- Simple True
- First Dimension
- Made In The Shade
- Existential Hero
- The All
- Tranquility
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