Ah, 311... A group who's style you just can't live without. They combinde alternitive rock, punk, metal, ska, rap, reagae, jazz & classic rock into one. They have alot of laid-back tunes, yet alot of edgy tracks. Here of course showcases their greatest hits as the title says. I know it's missing Prisioner, but was that a hit anyway? This was my starting album from 311. Don't get me wrong, I've always liked them since Come Original came out, that was when I first heard of them. They became big in 95 or 96, you decide and their breakthrough hit was Down which is still their most well-known hit today. Very awsome & simple little classic. Nick Hexum is the vocalist & sometimes guitarist, SA Martinez is the rapper & DJ of the bunch, and he is a talanted rapper. Nick used to rap occasinally, but i've never heard him really rap since I haven't heard any of their albums yet. Oh well, I prefer it where SA Martinez is the rapper. They are a very talanted band, the other 3 members are awsome as well. I will say which songs were included on the original albums, then do the song-by-song thing.
Down, All Mixed Up, Don't Stay Home (311 Year: 1995)
Flowing, Come Original (Soundsystem Year: 1999)
Amber, I'll Be Here Awhile, You Wouldn't Believe (From Chaos Year: 2001)
Beautiful Disaster, Transistor (Transistor Year: 1997)
Creatures (For A While), Beyond The Grey Sky (Evolver Year: 2003)
Do You Right (Music Year: 1993)
Homebrew (Grassroots Year: 1994)
Love Song (50 First Dates Soundtrack Year: 2004)
How Do You Feel, First Straw (previously unreleased Year: 2004)
1. Down: Ah yes, the well known classic with tounge-twisting rapping from SA & Nick delivers the classic chorus. 10/10
2. Flowing: I think it was a minor hit, has a technotic intro & then changes to a more metal Yellow Submarine-type beat, then a little metal background on the verses. Nick is basically solo on it with nice, emotional lyrics. 9/10
3. All Mixed Up: One of my favorite songs of all time. Repetiave but very awsome. Another well known classic. I like the way SA sings on it. Awsome beat. 10/10
4. Amber: A reagae ballad, another pretty big one, although I never heard it on radio. Relaxing & bluesy. 8.5/10
5. Come Original: The song that sort-of got me into 311. It's a really awsome tune with nice fast rapping from SA again and Nick is just great on the chorus & short verses. 9/10
6. Beautiful Disaster: It's not a disaster, but it's certianly beautiful! Another classic from their most underappricated album.
Very ska influenced. 9.5/10
7. Creatures (For A While): One of the most recent hits, another classic. Nick's voice is slightly different, well, he's a growin man. He also has black hair now, no more mr. dirty blonde. Guess that's his teen look. He still can sing. :-D 10/10
8. Do You Right: Not really a hit since it's from Music and it wasnt their breakthru, but it shouldve been, I love it. I love how it changes the mood. 10/10
9. I'll Be Here Awhile: Another song with reagae/ska influence, nice melody. 9/10
10. You Wouldn't Believe: I liked them even more when this came out, brings back great memories of 2001. Another popular song from From Chaos, but it couldve been a much bigger hit. Sounds in between Down & Beautiful Disaster. Nice riff before the chorus & SA delivers awsome lines. 10/10
11. Transistor: Probably my least fav on the album, still good. I hope Transistor is as good as this & Beautiful Disaster are. 7/10
12. Don't Stay Home: Minor hit from Blue Album, really good. 8/10
13. Homebrew: Yes, Nick raps on this one! But I have to say, he's not that good of a rapper. No pun intented. Awsome song from Grassroots tho. 8.5/10
14. Beyond The Gray Sky: Probably the slowest ballad 311 has ever done. It has the wawas reminincent of Amber. Not as much reagae influence. SA sings again, but kinda high-pitched. Kind of out-of-place on the album since it was a flop, couldve replaced it with Prisioner. Still really good. 8/10
15. Love Song (Cure cover): Nice cover, but I think Nick's trying a little too hard to sound like Robert Smith on it. Much more mellow than The Cure's version. Overplayed. 8.5/10
16. How Do You Feel?: A bit of a nu-metal-ish attempt here, still really good. 9/10
17. First Straw: The most recent hit, pretty different from almost everything they've done. I don't understand why everyone hates it, I like it alot, I jam to it often. SA sings again & he's still not a bad singer. 8.5/10
Awsome compliation, recomended to anybody who hasnt heard of 311, i'm telling you, theyre one of the best bands youll ever hear.