Soundsystem (311 album)

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Soundsystem
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 12, 1999
RecordedMarch 11 – June 1999
StudioThe Hive (North Hollywood, California)
Length46:39
LabelCapricorn
Producer311
Hugh Padgham
Scotch Ralston
311 chronology
Live
(1998)
Soundsystem
(1999)
From Chaos
(2001)
Singles from Soundsystem
  1. "Come Original"
    Released: 1999
  2. "Flowing"
    Released: 1999
  3. "Large in the Margin"
    Released: 2000

Soundsystem is the fifth studio album by 311, released on October 12, 1999. Soundsystem, which was certified Gold by the RIAA, was the last 311 album on Capricorn Records before the band switched to Volcano Records in 2000. Recording processes for the album began on March 11, 1999.

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
The A.V. ClubUnfavorable[2]
Entertainment WeeklyC[3]
Rolling Stone[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]
Spin5/10[6]
Wall of Sound72/100[7]

"Soundsystem" was met with mostly mixed reviews from critics, with Rolling Stone discussing their mix of various genres, commenting "they offer their most ambitious fusion yet -- each track is a whirlwind tour of their soulful influences. Alas, the ingredients usually refuse to mix in 311's hands, resulting in disjunctions that veer between the bland and the unintentionally funny".[4]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Freeze Time"Nick Hexum, SA MartinezNick Hexum with SA Martinez3:22
2."Come Original"Hexum, Martinez, Aaron WillsHexum with Martinez3:43
3."Large in the Margin"Hexum, Chad SextonHexum with Martinez3:27
4."Flowing"HexumHexum3:10
5."Can't Fade Me"Hexum, MartinezMartinez with Hexum2:09
6."Life's Not a Race"Hexum, Tim Mahoney, MartinezHexum with Martinez4:25
7."Strong All Along"Hexum, MartinezHexum with Martinez3:28
8."Sever"Hexum, Martinez, WillsHexum with Martinez4:43
9."Eons"Hexum, SextonHexum3:14
10."Evolution"Hexum, Martinez, SextonMartinez with Hexum4:17
11."Leaving Babylon" (Bad Brains cover)Earl Hudson, Paul Hudson, Daryl Jenifer, Gary MillerHexum4:00
12."Mindspin"Hexum, Martinez, SextonHexum with Martinez3:58
13."Livin' & Rockin'"Hexum, Mahoney, MartinezHexum with Martinez2:43
Total length:46:39
B-Sides & Outtakes
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
13."Blizza" (Available via 311 website)HexumHexum1:16
14."Cali Soca" (Available via 311 website)Hexum, SextonInstrumental3:36
15."Dancehall" (Appears on the Enlarged to Show Detail 2 bonus EP)Hexum, MartinezHexum with Martinez2:51
16."Seal the Deal" (Available via 311 website)HexumHexum3:22

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from album’s liner notes.[8]

311
Production
  • Scotch Ralston – producer, engineer, mixing
  • Hugh Padgham – producer, engineer
  • Alex Rivera – assistant engineer
  • Cameron Webb – assistant mix engineer
  • Joe Gastwirt – mastering

Charts[edit]

Album[edit]

Chart Peak
position
Certification Sales
US Billboard 200 9[9] RIAA: Gold[10]

Singles[edit]

Song Chart Peak
position
"Come Original" U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 6[9]
"Come Original" U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 39[9]
"Flowing" U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 17[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Soundsystem - 311". Allmusic.
  2. ^ "311: Soundsystem". The A.V. Club.
  3. ^ Weingarten, Marc (October 22, 1999). "Soundsystem Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Chonin, Neva (October 28, 1999). "311: Soundsystem : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 12, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  5. ^ Cross, Charles R. (2004). "311". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 813. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ^ Berrett (November 1999). "Reviews". Spin. Vol. 15, no. 11. SPIN Media, LLC. pp. 186, 188.
  7. ^ Graff, Gary. "Wall of Sound Review: Soundsystem". Wall of Sound. Archived from the original on April 15, 2001. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  8. ^ Soundsystem (booklet). Capricorn Records . 1999.
  9. ^ a b c d "311 - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  10. ^ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2012.