Word: sound
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Original probably isn't the first word you think of to describe 311. But come on, does any other band have a sound that even comes close to their ganjafied funk-rap-rock? And somehow the Nebraska natives manage to keep it all together, infusing their songs with enough melody to bind all the heavy beats and distortion together. That said, their new album Soundsystem doesn't actually break any new ground. It's your trusty old 311, complete with echoing vocal harmonies, staccato snares and spurts of laid back, good-natured rap. There's little innovation beyond the already...
...hard-core guitar riffs. On their Redshift EP, sometimes these diverse elements come together in an interesting mesh, but often the combinations are jarringly incoherent. "Waterbead" incorporates ethereal vocals, jungle beats and one heavy metal interlude in a disconcerting jumble that misses the mark. The jungle beats sound particularly strange, as they sit on top of the melody, instead of forming the undercurrent of the song. In contrast, "The Archer" is a smoother ambient track, reminiscent of Luscious Jackson...
...fact, the album calls to mind a litany of role models, with Trickyesque trip-hop rhythms and a funky bass that resembles Jamiroquai. The filtered vocals and heavy bass undercurrents of "Ironspy" could come right out of Portishead. While Splashdown's sound is not fully coherent, Melissa Kaplan displays a wide range on vocals that is at times beautiful, and if the group can manage to unify their sound, they may produce a stronger album. For the moment, this exploratory album gets...
...Gamma Rays is unique because it gives us five strong female roles, full of stark honesty and without sexual stereotypes. Though it is a bizarre story (see title), it is one that the audience can relate to: girl finds solace and escape from reality in her books and studies. Sound familiar to anyone...
...will "get people excited about the visceral aspect of theater." Producer Rachel Altfest insists that this production will change people's attitude toward JCS. "[This show] is often thought of as hippie-ish, but our [production] is more hip...and it really tells a story as well." An advanced sound system will add dimension to the show, creating a "right-in-your-face wall of sound," says Altfest...