Soundsystem (311 album)

Soundsystem
Studio album by 311
Released	October 12, 1999
Recorded	March 11 – June 1999
Studio	The Hive (North Hollywood, California)
Length	46:39
Label	Capricorn
Producer	311 Hugh Padgham Scotch Ralston
311 chronology
Live (1998) Soundsystem (1999) From Chaos (2001)
Singles from Soundsystem
"Come Original" Released: 1999 "Flowing" Released: 1999 "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

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
The A.V. Club	Unfavorable[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	C[4]
Hit Parader	B[5]
Metal Hammer	8/10[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[8]
Spin	5/10[9]
Wall of Sound	72/100[10]

"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".[7]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Freeze Time"	Nick Hexum, SA Martinez	Nick Hexum with SA Martinez	3:22
2.	"Come Original"	Hexum, Martinez, Aaron Wills	Hexum with Martinez	3:43
3.	"Large in the Margin"	Hexum, Chad Sexton	Hexum with Martinez	3:27
4.	"Flowing"	Hexum	Hexum	3:10
5.	"Can't Fade Me"	Hexum, Martinez	Martinez with Hexum	2:09
6.	"Life's Not a Race"	Hexum, Tim Mahoney, Martinez	Hexum with Martinez	4:25
7.	"Strong All Along"	Hexum, Martinez	Hexum with Martinez	3:28
8.	"Sever"	Hexum, Martinez, Wills	Hexum with Martinez	4:43
9.	"Eons"	Hexum, Sexton	Hexum	3:14
10.	"Evolution"	Hexum, Martinez, Sexton	Martinez with Hexum	4:17
11.	"Leaving Babylon" (Bad Brains cover)	Earl Hudson, Paul Hudson, Daryl Jenifer, Gary Miller	Hexum	4:00
12.	"Mindspin"	Hexum, Martinez, Sexton	Hexum with Martinez	3:58
13.	"Livin' & Rockin'"	Hexum, Mahoney, Martinez	Hexum with Martinez	2:43
Total length:				46:39

B-Sides & Outtakes

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
13.	"Blizza" (Available via 311 website)	Hexum	Hexum	1:16
14.	"Cali Soca" (Available via 311 website)	Hexum, Sexton	Instrumental	3:36
15.	"Dancehall" (Appears on the Enlarged to Show Detail 2 bonus EP)	Hexum, Martinez	Hexum with Martinez	2:51
16.	"Seal the Deal" (Available via 311 website)	Hexum	Hexum	3:22

Personnel

Credits adapted from album’s liner notes.[11]

311

• Nick Hexum – vocals, rhythm guitar, programming
• Chad Sexton – drums, percussion, programming
• Doug "S.A." Martinez – vocals, DJ
• Tim Mahoney – lead guitar
• Aaron "P-Nut" Wills – bass

Production

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

Charts

Album

Chart	Peak position	Certification	Sales
US Billboard 200	9[12]	RIAA: Gold[13]

Singles

Song	Chart	Peak position
"Come Original"	U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	6[12]
"Come Original"	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	39[12]
"Flowing"	U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	17[12]

References

1. "Soundsystem - 311". Allmusic.
2. "311: Soundsystem". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on July 20, 2012.
3. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). "311". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE Inc. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
4. Weingarten, Marc (October 22, 1999). "Soundsystem Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
5. Hit Parader Staff (April 2000). "Hit or Miss". Hit Parader. No. 427. p. 70 – via Internet Archive.
6. Gabler, Pete (December 1999). "Under the Hammer". Metal Hammer. No. 69. UK: Future plc. p. 69.
7. Chonin, Neva (October 28, 1999). "311: Soundsystem : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 12, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
8. 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.
9. Berrett (November 1999). "Reviews". Spin. Vol. 15, no. 11. SPIN Media, LLC. pp. 186, 188.
10. Graff, Gary. "Wall of Sound Review: Soundsystem". Wall of Sound. Archived from the original on April 15, 2001. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
11. Soundsystem (booklet). Capricorn Records . 1999.
12. "311 - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
13. "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2012.