311 Live
Forming in 1988, 311 has been one of the pioneers of successfully blending elements of funk and rock together in harmony. Forget Linkin Park or any of the hip-hop to rock transitions of the mid-90’s; 311 have been treading sometime before any of that went mainstream. Hailing from Omaha, Nebraska, 311’s liberal platform has been consistent throughout all of their albums with a simple message throughout; unity. Though their pro-marijuana stance and skepticism over the origin of their name has led to some controversy in the bands past, they’ve not failed to deliver to audiences as all of their albums have debuted in the Billboard top 200.
Our picks for 311’s top 5 are great examples of their ability to cross genres and engage their audiences lyrically. Be sure to check out 311’s free music downloads after reading our selections.
1. All Mixed Up
Coming off their second album, All Mixed Up made it to the top half of the Billboard charts and garnered some mainstream attention for the band. This was their second single and differed a bit from Down, focusing more on the funk rhythms of guitars and drums and concentrating more on the vocals. This track is a great example of how the two vocalists from the 311, Doug Martinez and Nick Hexum, add a unique feel to every 311 track they’re both on.
2. Omaha Style-E
A personal favorite, Omaha Style-E premiered of their first studio album, Grassroots, and as the track may suggest, this is 311’s fun way of letting you know all about them. They admit their influences from reggae, funk, and hip-hop as well their roots in Nebraska. A light hearted fun song fueled by distorted guitars meshed with an insanely catchy chorus and the underlying approach of connecting with the musician–by the end of the song you feel as if you’ve been following 311 since they originally formed.
3. Come Original
Their second track off of the 1999 release, Soundsystem, Come Original is regarded as 311’s debut into the mainstream audience. Though their presence was well established by now, it wasn’t entirely accepted by those influenced by other hybrid groups such as Linkin Park and the Lost Prophets. Having these bands fill the airwaves acted as a blessing in disguise for 311, who helped shape the genre as is and catapulted with a catchy enough tune to skyrocket past their competitors. Coincidentally, the track is all about staying true to your roots, so it was ideal that its popularity came while their competition increased.
4. Down
Down was from their second album and was a violent shove in the rock direction for 311. There are really no elements of funk in the song as their last album, Grassroots, encompassed this in practically every track. Heading in a different direction, Down opens up the second album with thrash guitars and Doug Martinez’s high-pitched vocals. It’s fast, swift, and confrontational; a fantastic way to engage a new audience and to get some airtime amidst other rock acts.
5. Beautiful Disaster
Nick Hexum’s Beautiful Disaster might not sound it at first, but it is the perfect combination of rock, funk, and hip-hop. It’s almost as if the song is inverted as the verses are all heavy while the choruses are light with a scratchy guitar riff leading over it. It was the third single of their Transistor album and fell a bit into obscurity in the realm of radio. This song shines when the band plays it live. It’s an anthem for fans to rally together at concerts and became an encore for their tours.