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 Uplifter uplifts your world Oct 03, 2009
i still remember the exact moment i first heard "down" on the radio. i was at a swimming competition at a local pool waiting to be called to the race. i was 10 years old. 15 year later "down" still reigns as my favorite, along with "all mixed up," "sweet," "purpose" and countless others. while 311 has had some gems on each album (even Don't Tread On Me had "getting through to her," a beautifully written piece, carried by sa's harmonies) the only album that remained fairly consistent in song quality was Soundsystem. granted Soundsystem didn't create the biggest stir in the musical world, or produce singles that are extremely well known (like the blue album's masterpieces), but it sounded well arranged, and you could pop it in your car cd player without needing to skip songs. well, fortunately, another album has come along that surpasses Soundsystem's accessibility AND makes you feel good just by listening to it. Uplifter takes all the elements of 311: rock, reggae, beach themes, rap, pop, indie, and guitar solos and arranges them with lyrics containing positive, uplifting messages of being happy and making the best out of every circumstance. you would think that would be a recipe for success for any band. but, admittedly, there are flaws with this formula. for one, 311's singing isn't the best on this album. nick hexum's melodies on Uplifter are awesomely constructed, every song is well thought-out. but, his, as well as sa's vocal ranges are maybe not as innovative as their older singles like "amber" or "beautiful disaster." the singing is great, but not stellar. the guitar work, though, is quite stellar. mahoney lets you know he is every bit as creative and prone to random solos as ever, and it's refreshing. the base lines are also beautiful. "it's alright" shows off p-nut in a way you haven't heard in years-here he rivals flea from rhcp. and the drumming actually carries several songs. the way sexton drums is very blue album-ish is the best way i can describe it. it's reminscent of mid-late 90's alt-rock beats. so, would i recommend this album to everyone? of course! but, would everyone like it? probably not. what keeps this album from being the next big thing ala kings of leon, lady gaga or whatever, are 3 things: song structure, singing quality, and lyrics. the songs are structured with your typical intro, chorus, bridge, chorus, outro. however, the bridge is extended into a solo on several songs, which, while great to hear at live concerts, may cause casual listeners to loose interest in songs. secondly, the aforementioned singing quality. hexum carries each song well, but, i guess you could say his vocal range isn't quite as spine-tingling amazing as say brandon boyd is on "are you in?" (which, i might add, as a singular song probably characterizes the "sound" of Uplifter as a whole). lastly, the lyrics are meant to be celebratory. as such, they are filled with lines like "clap your hands to the beat," and "311, come down and mash-up the place" in a very cool reggae accent. some lyrics are more profound than others such as those on the songs "too much too fast" (which, i think just about anyone would get a kick out just by sheer innovation), "two-drops in the ocean," or "my heart sings." but, overall the lyrics are essentially the quality of 311's other albums in that they aren't that great and they aren't that bad. somewhere in the middle. yet, i would contradict myself if i didn't note that the lyrics are "uplifting," in the sense that they encourage you to be happy, have fun with your friends ("never ending summer"), and be successful in your endeavors. so, that's cool. as it stands compared to other 311 albums, Uplifter is by far the best in terms of consistency. every song is easy to get into, makes you feel like you're having fun at a concert, and, most importantly, allows you to put the cd on repeat without having to skip songs (as i found myself doing on other 311 albums-even on the blue album!). as a matter of fact, i even recommend listening to this cd as you go to work everyday just to pump yourself up. i was kinda harsh in my criticism of the album in the beginning, but that's because i see so much potential in 311, and wish they would fix their short-comings to break the musical ceiling and become a mainstream powerhouse once again. with bob rock as producer on this album they're so close! but, given 311 sells out concerts around the country, perhaps pleasing fans that have been with them all these years is what they care most about for now. i'm quite "down" with that, and after enjoying this album you'll have hope more great stuff from 311 yet to come.
 Not very good. Uninspired at best. Sep 16, 2009
311 has been going down hill as far as inspiration goes for a while. Who knows why. These songs sound like the band was forced into the studio to make an album. Of course this happens to many bands. I think it is the style of music they put out. There is only so many directions to take it in before you either get overlap or it simple falls apart all together. The songs on this album sound like starting points for good songs that never got finished. Is there any coming back from this place .... who knows. True fans will love it because they love 311. They will make themselves believe it is a great album. And by doing so tell 311 it is OK to go on making these types of albums.
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 Lacks substance Aug 12, 2009
As a long-time 311 fan, I wanted to give a fair review in opposition to all the positive feedback on this site. I give every album (from any artist) a fair chance before writing a review, but I'm sorry to say that Uplifter isn't near the caliber of music we're used to getting from 311. I really want to like this album, but too many of the songs just make me cringe. More than half the songs are about love, spending time together, and love (yep, again).
The band continues to explore new styles and clearly has mellowed out since their early days, but as we saw with Don't Tread on Me there is very little energy or edge to what they're doing now. Forget about rock, reggae, and rap, because you only get these in very small doses on Uplifter. P-Nutt has a cool bass solo in "It's Alright" and Chad stills lays down some good beats, but there is barely a song where all the elements come together. "Jackpot" is a solid song, and "India Ink" isn't too shabby but the rest lack substance.
If you liked Don't Tread on Me then you will probably enjoy this album as well. If you miss the style and intensity of their first 6 studio releases, then save your time and money and don't bother with this album.
One of their Best Jul 11, 2009
This album encompasses all of the Best elements of 311 music: hard rocking songs, mellow melodic tunes, positivity, and above all, excellent musicianship, vocals, and songwriting. For me. this album ranks among 311's best (especially as a complete, consistent-throughout listening experience.) My other favorite 311 albums (in no particular order) are Transistor, Sound System, and Evolver (I have all of their CDs, though). You can't be disappointed with this music; it's a huge step up from Tread on Me. 311 are definitely peaking right now!
Great album Jul 10, 2009
Great album. It's a party album, meaning not one song is unsatisfactory. If you liked 311 in the past but didn't think they were heavy enough, this album may change your opinion (as Uplifter is 311's heaviest album yet). For those of you who DID like 311 in the past, buy it. It won't fail you.
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