311 – “Too Much to Think”

Meh

 

One of their better ones recently

 

Sounds like.......311. I still have no idea how, up until as late as 2013, these guys still headlined ampitheaters.

 

Uh... why did they not release this tomorrow?

 

this song was produced by John Feldmann, btw...and I think they will release another tune tomorrow, just a hunch

 

oh they still do, and will be doing so again this summer :)

 

I don't consider myself a big 311 fan, but for some reason I really loved Stereolithic. Looking forward to their next album now.

 

I really like this song actually. Been a fan pretty much all my life, but it seems like most people in my case do not like when 311 tries to go for this poppy sound. I actually think the hook is pretty well crafted and the production seems a lot tighter than even Stereolithic. I feel like this song is going to be an outlier on the record in terms of sound because all of the other clips we've heard from the new record have been pretty dark. Stoked about having 17 new songs either way though.

 

Because they come original

 

definitely sounds like it was produced by feldy.. there were a couple points where i expected there to be a transition into a scream from Matt Skiba haha.

 

I actually think the verse structure sounds a lot like what Feldmann's done on some recent Goldfinger records too

 

I didn't understand this comment yesterday, then I wrote down today's date and it hit me

 

They still have a pretty big fanbase! Up until recently, I wondered how a band like OAR are still touring year round and are still playing amphitheaters in the summer. I think this summer is the first one they're not headlining.

 

Literally every person I went to high school with loves 311 and Dave Matthews Band. No matter what else happens or what other opinions they have, those two bands are crowd pleasers.

I'd guess that's just he way it goes for people of a certain age - some bands just never stop being a draw no matter what for some people.

 

Plus, with bands like that, they never really "go away". Maybe in the mainstream eye they do, but 311 still releases an album every few years and haven't missed a Summer tour in probably 20 years. They also alternate big events every year, an 80-song show in New Orleans for 311 day one year and then a three-day cruise the next. Stuff like that, their Grassroots Uplifter vaporizer, their "Amber Ale", etc. always keeps them in the conversation with their fans without having any real hits in the last decade. They never really take a hiatus; they just hibernate during the winter.

 

I will never understand how Dave Matthews got so popular. His audience ranges from stoners to frat bros and everyone in between. I don't get it but I know his "retirement tour" will sell out every single date.

 

Let's have some fun. How does everyone rank their discography (worst to best)? I won't count Damnit! or Unity as they are WAY old and before the core lineup was solified. For me it goes: Stereolithic, Don't Tread On Me, Uplifter, Universal Pulse, Evolver, Transistor, Grassroots, Music, Soundsystem, s/t, From Chaos

 

No love for Stereolithic? Most fans seem to like that one.

Best (the top four always switch for me)
Soundsystem
Transistor
Grassroots
S/T

Music
From Chaos
Stereolithic
Evolver
Universal Pulse
Uplifter
Don't Tread on Me

 

Stereolithic was fine just felt like 311-by-the-numbers. It was also a bit long but, given that they now work to satisfy the hardcore, having more songs is always a plus even if some of them are iffy.

 

I kind of agree with that to a certain extent. There is a stretch of songs towards the end ("Simple True", "First Dimension", "Made in the Shade", "Existential Hero") that is probably one of my favorites ever. Still a good chunk of songs I could probably do without towards the beginning though.

I'm hoping this new record is less of the "ok what do our fans want from us?" and more just whatever they want to try. This new single, although it maybe catering to people who are fans of "Amber", is at least a little bit of new territory. Evidenced by the fact that so many of the hardcore fans don't even like the song because it's too different. haha.

 

Because Dave Matthews is awesome.

 

Yeah. Soundsystem, Transistor, and S/T are as good as it gets.

 

whoa you didn't like Stereolithic? I thought it was better than much of what they've done since Evolver, at least...

 

fuck.... i like this. I have absolutely no hate for these guys. They make enough great tunes to keep me interested.

311 at riot fest!