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Epicurus.com - Don't Tread on Me
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List Price: $18.97
Our Price: $18.97
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Volcano
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0828766952223
Label: Volcano
Manufacturer: Volcano
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Volcano
Release Date: 2005-08-16
Studio: Volcano
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Editorial Reviews:
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311’s place in rock ‘n’ roll history seems secure. Unfortunately, so does its sound. Unlike other funk-inflected acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Incubus, 311’s never fully expanded on the promise of its initial musical vision. On Don’t Tread On Me, the band’s eighth studio release, P-Nut and the gang seem intent on mining the same familiar terrain they have since their 1995 self-titled classic. Fans of albums such as 2001’s From Chaos and 2003’s promising Evolver will likely find Tread familiar and perhaps even comforting, but it’s unlikely to invite a new horde of fans as the album often sounds like an imitation of the bands 311 helped inspire in its decade-plus career. There are some nice touches. "Speak Easy," "Waiting" and many of the other tracks evoke images of sandy beaches and warm summer breezes, but none are strong enough to help Don’t Tread On Me stands out from the herd. --Jedd Beaudoin
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Decent, But Awful By Comparison
Comment: Given the funky, reggae laiden rock that 311 is known for, this album is terribly bland and not creative at all.
While still better than any "rock" album recently released, this album is a really watered down version of 311, where the rap influenced singing is replaced by some of the most feminine singing Nick has ever done.
I'm a big 311 fan, but I will not pretend this album is good. I want my slap bass, my hip hop influenced drumming, funky guitars and fresh lyrics.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great CD to have in your 311 collection
Comment: I had to have this CD after a friend let me listen to the first song. Don't Tread On Me is a great song and the message it has is great. It's a fun and playful song. I love 311 and think they are great music to listen to especially in the summer time. They have a reggae feel about them and their music just makes you feel calm, relaxed, and happy. If you haven't given 311 a chance you need to.
Customer Rating:
Summary: 311 fan from way back
Comment: I have been listening to 311 for a long time. I have seen them live twice. They really are amazing. But I found evolver and from chaos to be lacking. And bought this record with low expectations. 311 has said they presonally are not that happy with this record because it was rushed. At first I was thinking if this record was going to be a dud but after listening to it I loved it. The track frolic room is amazing it has a great beat an Nick sounds great. SA also has a little more time singing on a few tracks. SA gained my respect when I saw him live so give the tracks Whisky & wine and getting through to her a listen to. Soalr flare is a good track about politics and one of the best song's on the record it does not sound much like electricty but reminds me of that song for some reason. Thank your lucky stars is a track that shows 311 is still about positivity. This album is the best one they have put out since Sondsystem.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I'm almost speechless..
Comment: This album is an absolute disaster..an embarrassing turd that 311 tried to pass off as genuine with the hopes that their devoted fans wouldn't think it was disgusting. Well it is and 311 has obviously become lazy sell outs since the release of Soundsystem. One word sums it up: "Waiting." Are you kidding me?? This album is such a joke it should be listed under the comedy section. It's so disappointing to see a band who gave us classics like Music, Grassroots, the blue album and Transistor devolve into this mindless pop drivel and lame contrived fake melodies. It's mind boggling what happened to these guys and as far as I'm concerned 311 ended their studio careers in 1999..that last four albums have gotten progressively worse and should be stricken from the record. Don't waste your money this album is a complete and utter disgrace.
Customer Rating:
Summary: I long for the flowers that I remember
Comment: THE NEW SCHOOL, 2002-?
Evolver (2003)
7th Studio LP: Evolver succeeds in a lot of ways that From Chaos fails. It truly brings in the next era of 311's evolution. While it is a better LP than From Chaos, it further embraces melody over rap. I would describe this album as good but not great. This is my 6th favorite 311 album.
Greatest Hits '93-'03 (2004)
Their Greatest Hits CD does have a lot of good studio-recorded songs, but the best part is that all of them (even from 2003) are digitally re-mastered for the best possible sound, and the early rocker "Homebrew" is even updated with a sorely needed remix. The two new tracks clearly belong in this new era started by Evolver. It is disappointing that the rocker "How Do You Feel?" feels under-developed and brief, as if a guitar solo was left out just to keep it simple and more easily digestible to the casual fans. Still a good song though.
Don't Tread On Me (2005)
8th Studio LP: 311's most recent album is a little more on the funky reggae side of their current phase. Unfortunately, this release is a decline in quality, sliding back down to the From Chaos level. And the rap-rock is reduced to one song here, "Solar Flare." The absence of any other rap makes it feel like its use is almost completely obligatory, included merely as an attempt to placate their old school fans. I am proud of 311 for using that song and "Thank Your Lucky Stars," two of the best songs on this album, to convey their position against the war without becoming a political band. However, the best riff-oriented song from this album's recording sessions, "Little Brother," was created to be a rock-rap, re-recorded with melodic vocals, and then finally cut from the album. Disgusting. I find it ironinc that one of the other best songs that made it on the album is called "It's Getting OK Now" because it seems that 311 has gone from awesome to great to just OK. Also, the song "Long For The Flowers" is actually an outtake from Transistor that is somewhat reminiscent of "Beautiful Disaster" (1997), and I actually like this song better. It is both ironic and amusing that the new lyrics suggest that "the flowers" we "long for" are the older-style 311 songs. I don't expect the New School 311 to be able to go back to their 90's-styles, so when I long for the flowers that I remember I just play a 90's 311 LP instead of this album. There are a few great songs on this release, but this LP is still tied with From Chaos as my least favorite album.
THE FUTURE ?
I don't know where 311 will go from here. With no new studio LP this year, 311 is finally breaking the every-2-year cycle of new album releases since 1995. The band has reported a new album will come out in 2008, but will it continue the current style that started with Evolver? Will the extra time off bring a new era for the band? Will they give up rap completely? Regardless of style, will the next album be better than Don't Tread On Me? I hope so, but only time will tell.
"Be positive and love your life"
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