If you need a summer pick-me- up, Universal Pulse is the one to listen to. 311’s tenth album is full of upbeat lyrics, bass and fantastic funk. Going strong since 1993, 311 has kept their original sound, but somehow they’re still managing to be as hip as ever. They’re keeping it real, keeping it fresh and keeping it fun so that just about anybody can listen to these eight songs and find something to appreciate.
The album immediately starts off with “Time Bomb,” which is jammed packed with heavy guitars, light vocals and fun lyrics. Although the band seems to be anything but tough, they make a statement with this track saying they’re, “ticking like a time bomb, watch me go off.” Nick Hexum displays some of his best rapping efforts on this track with, “Innovation ruling the nation. The dancehall’s back. What you know about that?”
The album goes on with many more fun danceable, yet rocky tunes. But “Trouble,” is a little bit more on the experimental side. Heavy bass, a reggae beat and a wailing lead guitar make this track a unique find for dedicated fans. The lyrics get explicit as Hexum sings, but even with some negative connotations, it keeps a positive feel. Hexum explains to his fans that the bad-boy lifestyle is no longer for him, and even though “trouble,” always seems to always find him, he’s trying hard to stay out of it.
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While each song has a different message on its own,“Weightless” takes the album in a different direction all together. In this one, the band gets to make a deeper statement about humanity. Listening to the lyrics in combination with the airy guitars, you might start to feel like you’ve been transported to space. But the main message here is that we are, or all should be equals as human beings. This is where fans will definitely hear the “universal pulse,” beating on, as the band reaches out to the world. Hexum sings in his monotone rapping voice, “We are beyond supposed separations. All of those are just our creations. Caught up in the ways of instating this. Everyone of us is weightless.”
What makes 311 great is that they know what they do best. They’ve incorporated so many different genres into their alternative style that there won’t be any need to change. Whether you like alternative, hip-hop, reggae, rap or funk, there’s a little bit of everything to keep you listening. Here at B-Sides, we appreciate the variety, the originality and of course, the fun. It’s not that often that you find a true rock album that makes you just want to smile. But we definitely found one here.
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