New Music Tuesday: 311 "Universal Pulse"

In stores today is “Universal Pulse,” 311’s tenth studio album that finds the Nebraska-based band returning to their irresistible blend of rock/rap that made them nearly unavoidable in the nineties. 

Producer Bob Rock returns on “Universal Pulse,” who also produced the band’s last album, 2009’s “Uplifter” and is 311’s first to be released on their new label, 311 Records. 

There are no ballads to be found on the album and “Universal Pulse” is actually more of an eight song EP rather than a full album.  After repeated listens, every track is solid and the band has truly chosen quality over quantity, much in the same vein as The Strokes or White Stripes.     

I have always been a fan of 311 from the early days of “Music” to some of their more mellow offerings over the past decade and can say that “Universal Pulse” is easily some of their best material in years. 

-Will Fisher, The Showbiz Kids

The Showbiz Kids Rating- 8.5 out of possible 10