Transistor (311 album)

Last updated

Transistor
311 transistor.jpg
Studio album by
311
ReleasedAugust 5, 1997
RecordedFebruary–April 1997
Studio NRG (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length66:11
Label Capricorn
Producer
  • 311
  • Scotch Ralston
311 chronology
311
(1995)		Transistor
(1997)		 Omaha Sessions
(1998)
Singles from Transistor
  1. "Transistor"
    Released: June 30, 1997
  2. "Prisoner"
    Released: 1997
  3. "Beautiful Disaster"
    Released: December 13, 1997

Transistor is the fourth studio album by American rock band 311, released on August 5, 1997, by Capricorn Records. The album saw a change in musical style as fewer songs feature rapping in comparison to the band's previous albums. Intended as a double album, 311 opted to release the album on a single CD in order to make it more affordable to their fans.

Contents

Upon its release, Transistor received largely mixed reviews from critics, who felt it was overlong and self-indulgent. Retrospectively, however, the album has been more positively received, and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Music

Clocking in at 67:59 and with twenty-one tracks (or twenty-three, counting both hidden tracks), Transistor is 311's longest album and, until their 2017 album Mosaic , was their only album to contain more than sixteen tracks. Transistor was originally intended to be a double album, but all songs were instead placed onto one disc. [2] In a 1997 interview with Billboard , drummer Chad Sexton said that the band had recorded 29 songs for the album, but decided to cut the album's songs down to 21 to fit on a single CD instead of two (the vinyl release still featured two LPs) in order to make the release affordable to their fans. [3] As 311 were only contracted for 11 songs, meaning they would not be paid for including any more songs, the band effectively gave away 10 of the album's songs for free. [3] Nick Hexum admitted that doing too many songs in not enough time for Transistor was a mistake. [4]

While still utilizing their alternative rock sound in many songs, Transistor saw 311 moving away from their hip hop-influenced sound of their previous albums [5] for more of a reggae-influenced sound, [6] as shown in songs such as "Prisoner", "Inner Light Spectrum", "Running", "Rub a Dub", and "Stealing Happy Hours". Although, their rap rock style is still present in some songs, such as "Galaxy", "No Control", "Tune In", "Starshines", and "Borders". Transistor also contains elements of dub, [7] space rock and stoner rock. [5]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The A.V. Club Unfavorable [1]
Entertainment Weekly F [8]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Philadelphia Inquirer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Spin 2/10 [12]
USA Today Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Wall of Sound 64/100 [14]

Transistor received a mixed review from Allmusic, who commented that "a project of this magnitude is almost doomed to fall on its face, and Transistor nearly does," and noted there were enough good songs for a 30 to 40 minute album, but had too much filler. They nominated the title track as the only Track Pick from the album. [7] The album has received criticism from The A.V. Club, who says "With 21 songs spread out over 68 minutes, the record has taken plenty of critical punishment for its excessive length alone," and calls it a "joyless, tedious exercise in white-boy reggae, white-boy rap, white-boy dub and white-boy rock," concluding that the band could suffer a "Spin Doctors-style career combustion" in the future. [1] Entertainment Weekly also panned the album, stating that it features "some of the weakest rhymes and derivative white-bread dub in recent memory" and concluded that the band did not know "the thin line between experimentation and self-indulgence". [8] Rolling Stone criticized the album, saying it was "trying too hard to expand their sonic horizons", and commented how they seem to unwillingly change their musical style. [6]

Retrospective reviews

In contrast, the album was retrospectively received positively by Consequence of Sound, comparing it to The Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band . Commenting that "the singles aren't what make Transistor great. It's the deep cuts that you play over and over again, trying to catch the meaning", they conclude that the album is "one of a kind". [5] Over time, Transistor has developed a cult following and become a fan favorite, eventually leading to the band performing the album in its entirety on August 6, 2011, in front of over 10,000 fans. This was done at their very own Pow Wow Festival, created to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the album. [15] In 2017, the Willamette Week ranked Transistor as 311's greatest album. [16]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
0."Transistor Intro" (Hidden track that can be accessed by rewinding from the index of the first track by 1:36) Nick Hexum, Chad Sexton Instrumental1:36
1."Transistor"Hexum, SA Martinez, SextonNick Hexum3:01
2."Prisoner"Hexum, MartinezHexum with SA Martinez2:50
3."Galaxy"Martinez, SextonMartinez2:50
4."Beautiful Disaster"HexumHexum3:58
5."Inner Light Spectrum"Martinez, SextonMartinez3:40
6."Electricity"HexumHexum2:32
7."What Was I Thinking"HexumHexum2:37
8."Jupiter"Hexum, Martinez, SextonHexum with Martinez2:43
9."Use of Time"HexumHexum4:24
10."The Continuous Life"Martinez, SextonMartinez3:29
11."No Control"Hexum, MartinezHexum with Martinez3:08
12."Running" Tim Mahoney, MartinezMartinez3:43
13."Color"SextonInstrumental1:54
14."Light Years"HexumHexum2:26
15."Creature Feature"Martinez, Aaron Wills Martinez2:36
16."Tune In"Martinez, SextonMartinez2:16
17."Rub a Dub"HexumHexum2:40
18."Starshines"Hexum, Martinez, SextonHexum with Martinez2:36
19."Strangers"HexumHexum2:40
20."Borders"Martinez, SextonMartinez with Hexum2:42
21."Stealing Happy Hours" (contains hidden track "Enter Space")Hexum"Stealing Happy Hours": Hexum; "Enter Space": Instrumental5:50
Total length:66:11
Japanese release bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
22."Gap"Hexum, MartinezMartinez with Hexum2:10
Outtakes
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
25."Grifter (The music of this song turned into "Long For The Flowers" on the album "Don't Tread On Me" released in 2005, the original demo version leaked during the DTOM sessions)"Hexum, MartinezHexum with Martinez2:53
26."Writer's Block Party"Hexum, Martinez, Sexton, WillsHexum with Martinez2:54
27."Earth People"Martinez, SextonMartinez2:20
28."The Quickening"MartinezMartinez2:23
29."Everything"Martinez, SextonMartinez1:46
30."Old Funk"HexumInstrumental2:39
31."Space Funk"HexumInstrumental2:35
32."Lemming"Hexum, SextonHexum4:06
33."(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" (The Clash cover; appears on Burning London: The Clash Tribute )  3:52

Personnel

Credits adapted from album's liner notes. [17]

311
Additional musicians
Production

Charts

Album

ChartPeak
position
US Billboard 200 4 [18]

Singles

SongChartPeak
position
"Transistor"U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 14 [18]
"Transistor"U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 31 [19]
"Beautiful Disaster"U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks21 [20]
"Prisoner"U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks21 [21]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Thompson, Stephen (March 29, 2002). "311: Transistor | Music | Music Review". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  2. ↑ Contributed by Nathan Manley. "What is the 411 on 311? | The Eagle Online". Eagle.ceu.edu. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Borzillo, Carrie (July 5, 1997). "311 Considers Its Fans No. 1". Billboard . 109 (27): 11–12. Archived from the original on March 18, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Q&A". 311.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "Dusting 'Em Off: 311 – Transistor « Consequence of Sound". Consequence.net. January 8, 2011. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 "311: Transistor : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone (Unfinished review)". Rolling Stone . July 24, 1997. Archived from the original on May 15, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 Thomas Erlewine, Stephen (n.d.). "Transistor - 311". AllMusic . Archived from the original on April 25, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  8. 1 2 Grad, David (August 8, 1997). "Music Review: Transistor". Entertainment Weekly . p. 79. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ Masuo, Sandy (August 8, 1997). "Album Reviews: 311 Repeats Strengths, Weaknesses". Los Angeles Times . p. F14. ProQuest   421158530.
  10. ↑ Moon, Tom (August 10, 1997). "New Recordings". The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. F10.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ Dark, Jane (October 1997). "Reviews". Spin . Vol. 13, no. 7. p. 138. Archived from the original on March 18, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  13. ↑ Gundersen, Edna (August 19, 1997). "311 needs 911; Whiskeytown has kick". USA Today . p. 07D. ProQuest   408714267.
  14. ↑ Graff, Gary. "Wall of Sound Review: Transistor". Wall of Sound . Archived from the original on February 11, 2001. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  15. ↑ Dean, Bill. "Reggae-rock band 311 hosts three-day music festival". Ocala StarBanner . Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ Singer, Matthew; Cottell, Pete (March 7, 2017). "The Definitive Ranking of Every 311 Album". Willamette Week . Archived from the original on March 18, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  17. ↑ Transistor (booklet). Capricorn Records . 1997.
  18. 1 2 Billboard. "Transistor - 311". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  19. ↑ "311". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  20. ↑ Billboard. "Beautiful Disaster - 311". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  21. ↑ Billboard. "Prisoner - 311". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
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