With Ron St. Germain (Bad Brains, Tool) back on the production helm for a third time around, Omaha hip-hop/reggae rockers, 311, spent the past year writing, recording, and mastering what is now their seventh full length album, Evolver.
Appropriately named, the LP's title takes a spin off of The Beatles 1966 release, Revolver. While the band admits to being huge fans of the fab four, they had more things in mind when naming the record. In a message posted on the band's website, lead singer and guitarist, Nick Hexum wrote, "After 14 years together as a band, I think we've really grown and evolved as people, musicians and songwriters…The new album will have plenty of classic 311 rockers, but as we take another step forward in the evolution of 311, the record also branches out into some new territory. All of this led us to the title Evolver. We think it suits the album perfectly."
It appears that Hexum wasn't lying when he alluded to the uncharted territory. The five-some, which consists of Hexum, co-vocalist S.A. Martinez, bassist P-Nut, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, and drummer Chad Sexton explore new grounds on Evolver, perfecting everything about their already distinct style, blending melody and harmony with an edge and spirit of adventure that fans might associate with past albums such as Transistor, 311, Grassroots, or Music.
Stand out tracks include the Beatles-esque "Seems Uncertain" where Hexum's call for unity is accompanied by acoustic guitar, a mellotron keyboard, and a hip-hop drum tap.
With "Beyond the Gray Sky" the boys prove that they can noodle and croon with the best of their reggae and jam-band influences. The song resonates in airy guitars until Mahoney hurtles into a climactic solo towards its end.
Their self-proclaimed original funk and dancehall mixture is most evident on songs like the bass-happy "Don't Dwell," "Give Me A Call," and "Crack the Code." Meanwhile, the hard hitting first single "Creatures (For Awhile)," Grassroots-like rocker, "Other Side of Things" and the catchy "Still Dreaming" bring back a sense of intensity and force found on earlier efforts.
While that level of intensity may vary from album to album, Evolver displays a degree of musicianship that the band has truly grown into. The best evidence of this would be the closing track "Sometimes Jacks Rule the Realm," a rhapsody of sorts that includes the use of acoustic guitar, a warm bassline, and a mandolin that sway into a melodic bass instrumental entitled "Coda."
As opposed to their two previous releases, Soundsystem and From Chaos, this, the latest edition to the 311 catalogue, comes with a blend of styles that sounds much more natural and organic. Lyrically, it is much more personal and mature overall. And like any intriguing adventure in music, Evolver elevates, soars, dips, swerves, crashes, and rebuilds. 311 has survived with this new effort, ensuring there presence until the next time around.
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