Multiplatinum alternative rock group 311 returns Tuesday with its ninth studio album, “Uplifter,” produced by Bob Rock, who guided the Offspring’s 2008 comeback album.
TRIVIA: 311 has said it took its name from the police code for indecent exposure in its hometown of Omaha, Neb.
STANDOUTS: Fans of the group’s laid-back hit “Amber” may appreciate the straightforward approach of “Golden Sunlight,” with its quiet verses and big chorus.
FANS DIG: Bleached-blond hair.
ANDY SAYS: Do you remember when you were a kid, and you would play cook by mixing together every liquid you could get your hands on? 311’s music is like that. The group’s latest again blends rock, rap, punk, reggae, metal and pop. The result, like that childhood concoction, is an indigestible mess.
GRADE: C-minus
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“Rose City,” Viva Voce
WHY CARE: The husband-wife team releases its second album for Seattle’s Barsuk Records.
TRIVIA: The group moved from Alabama to Portland, Ore., in 2002.
STANDOUT: Despite building its lyrics around a cliche, “Good As Gold” has a nice stomp to it that contrasts well with the light touch of Anita Robinson’s voice.
FANS DIG: Tie-dye and paisley designs.
ANDY SAYS: Viva Voce want you to know it misses the 1960s, when “the protest songs have tambourines.” However, the group’s latest collection of psychedelic pop and classic rock never quite takes you there. The end result isn’t a bad trip, but it falls short of the desired highs.
GRADE: B-minus
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
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