It has always been difficult to describe the music of 311, and Uplifter makes this even harder. What other band releases their riskiest, richest record after almost 20 years together? What other band had its biggest radio hit in the mid-90's but is more popular than ever a decade later, selling out amphitheaters even when they haven't had a new album in almost four years? What other band is so intent on challenging themselves while inspiring listeners to have an open mind? Clearly, there are no other bands that are quite like 311, a band that blurs borders between styles so thoroughly that they wind up blurring preconceptions of what a rock band can be. Uplifter, their ninth studio album, stands as the best evidence of 311's eclecticism and is, in many ways, the boldest, best music they've ever made.

"We hit the restart button," says drummer Chad Sexton. "We thought our last album seemed a little forced, so why force it anymore? Let's get back to basics." Reconnecting to their roots has revitalized 311, giving Uplifter a kinetic charge. "I honestly feel this last period in the studio has been a real rebirth," continues vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, "when the dust settles, this is going to be the beginning of a new era for 311. It feels like we have the excitement of when we first started the band." But Uplifter is more than exciting --it lives up to the hopeful promise of its title, giving off a positive, inclusive vibe. "I think the music is inspiring," says Chad. "It's a breath of fresh air right now." 311 has always been energetic and positive but Uplifter reaches new heights, sounding so fresh it could be mistaken for the work of a new band...that's because, in a way, it is. For the first time, 311 took an extended break, taking four years to deliver a follow-up to 2005's Don't Tread On Me, but just because there was a break doesn't mean the band was idle: they spent the time taking their music out on the road via three headline amphitheatre tours, and taking the time to get their new album right. They took the time because, as is the case with any long-term relationship, 311 needed some time apart in order to grow together.

 "We've been on such a manic cycle that we took a little time off and decided let's get back to the fun that we had in the earliest days," explains Nick, "which was getting in touch with the music fan in us. We had a lot of freeform jams and that got us communicating about how we want this music to sound." With the juices flowing, 311 brought in a rock heavyweight to help the band channel their creativity: legendary producer Bob Rock, best-known for his blockbuster work with Metallica, Motley Crue and Bon Jovi. "It was a perfect match with us and Bob," says Nick. "He has such a wealth of experience that we could ask him to do anything musically and we all trusted him so much that he became a real unifying force." Chad takes it a step further: "He's kind of like Phil Jackson, the coach of the Lakers --he's a Zen master, nothing ever gets out of control, just calms everyone down."

The key to realizing the band's potential didn't lie in changing the band, but rather strengthening their existing identity. "We were trying to be bold and expressive, never compromising and being as eclectic as possible," says bassist P-Nut. Chad recalls, "Bob said 311 is a band that has a characteristic sound and he wanted to take those characteristics and enhance them and simply bring out the best of 311." Nick agrees: "We explored our diversity with hard rock, reggae, power-pop, etc. To me, the music is positive and fun. It reflects the mind state we were in when we made it. There are themes of personal struggle in the songs, but as always with 311, there is a resolution. There are some songs about relationships ("Two Drops in the Ocean") that are straight from the heart. There's a balls-to-the-wall burner about the fun of touring ("Never Ending Summer"), a thank you to the fans that I think is destined to be a live anthem. There's a heavy song about the magic of creativity ("Something Out of Nothing"). And our first single, "Hey You" is an ode to music itself...our "constant companion." Nick continues, "To me, it sounds like 311 taken to the next level.  The reggae, rock, and hip hop are there, but there are new guitar textures and tones that will surprise people.  There is a funkiness to the reggae that I love and a danceable-ness to the rock that is new. Space in the riffs that makes you want to move."

This diversity has been part of 311 since they formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska (where all 5 band members grew up).  After two independent releases, the group relocated to Los Angeles and signed with Capricorn Records who released the band's major-label debut Music in 1993. 311 supported Music by literally living on the road, playing show after show, and building a fan base that thrives to this day. They saluted this burgeoning following with the very title of their second album, 1994's Grassroots. The album that broke the doors down for the band was the following year's 311, commonly called the Blue Album. 311 gave the band their breakthrough hit "Down," a single that climbed all the way to number one on the Modern Rock charts, as well as produced another Modern Rock Top Ten hit in "All Mixed Up," songs that helped the album go multi-platinum in the US and turned the group into an international force. 

311 continued to gain momentum in the back half of the '90s, as they released Transistor in 1997 --which generated the hit "Beautiful Disaster" --and then 1999's Soundsystem, which gave them another Modern Rock Top Ten in "Come Original." The most dramatic evidence of 311's increasing popularity was the institution of "311 Day" in March of 2000 --311 Day being a celebration of the band's music and fans, where the group throws a huge concert in New Orleans every other year, playing sets lasting well over 60 songs. Following From Chaos in 2001, the band signed with Volcano/Jive Records, releasing Evolver in 2003. After having a hit with a cover of the Cure's "Love Song" --featured in the Adam Sandler 2004 film 50 First Dates -- they released Don't Tread on Me in 2005. While the record may not have sold as much as its predecessors, 311 began selling more concert tickets than ever, regularly playing to audiences as large as 18,000 people, all without the presence of a current hit single. Encouraged by these dedicated fans, the group continued to tour every summer, knowing that they had an audience of faithful that would be willing to wait for the right album, just like how the band was willing to wait.   

"We have this frontier of music we're aggressively pursuing and I think we're making what is our most vital stuff ever. I feel like I'm learning from the crowd each time we play a show. In some ways, it would be appropriate to credit 311 fans on the album. During our last tour, I was writing music every day, taking the excitement from the road and putting it in the songs." This energy can be heard throughout Uplifter. It's an album that is as vibrant and exciting as the band's early albums, but showcases a band with a deep musicality, an album that is positive and bright, speaking to our present. It's an album filled with good vibes because that's what emanates from the band. "I think we maintain an attitude of gratitude," says Nick. "We really feel very fortunate to be able to do this, and that makes us work hard to make sure we're putting on a really good show every night. We never miss a chance to thank our fans because we're living the dream."