There is nothing wrong with going down the road 311 took after "From Chaos" boiled off of the charts. They had already produced six great albums and had achieved fame for their brilliant live performances. The more open-ended and easy-going styles of "Evolver" and "Don't Tread on Me" are that of a veteran of the genre, which is exactly what 311 is at this point. Their first greatest hits volume was released in 2003, and the dash of tracks from "Evolver" on it will tell any surface-level fan that something changed on that album.
Only rarely now do 311 put the grooves of Tim Mahoney's sharp guitar riffs at the center-stage, nor do they rap for more than 15% of an album. While this is all nothing really to complain about at first, the inspired energy of their catchy melodies with call-return rapping and Hexum's warm vocal performance is quickly missed as one gets into "Evolver" and that has unfortunately become the group's choice of practice for that album, "Don't Tread On Me," "Uplifter," and "Universal Pulse."
But 2005's "Don't Tread On Me," the first post-greatest hits release and second record deep into their newly practiced veteran sense of alternative rock, should have come before "Evolver," because it comes back to some of the best things about the band that were lost on the 2003 release. DTOM kicks off with its title track, which is a typical 311 reggae tune sporting a powerful bridge that brings a smile, as you realize this sounds like the good ol' days. "Thank Your Lucky Stars" is up next, and is played on an acceptable, but not impressive, low guitar melody, while Sexton jams on a nice snare beat that is reminiscent of his grooviest jams. "Frolic Room" is the un-announced catchiest song of 2004, with spicey staccato picking from Mahoney and a chorus that is fun enough to cause goose-bumps.
For the rest of the time, 311 shuffles their two abilities to write pumped up alt. rock jams and island-themed reggae. The harder tracks like "Solar Flare" (The only cut featuring rapping) and "It's Getting Ok Now" serve the purpose of energy-fueled 311 song well, but don't bring anything new to the table. Then there are the rest of the songs, which are all good in a sense. "Speak Easy" is a top-notch upbeat island groove, "Waiting's" bouncy rhythm and strong reggae vibe are endlessly addicting. "Long For The Flowers," a solid yet simple harder tune plays smoothly on its remarkable melody (written and unused in the 90s) and flowing vocals from both SA and Hexum. "Getting Through To Her" is equipped with remarkable electric bossa-nova guitar melodies that are made bittersweet by SA's sometimes good sometimes not-so-good singing. "Whiskey and Wine" is an irresistible surf slow-jam and "There's Always an Excuse" has a great sunset feel that lasts for its first three minutes then is spoiled by a wannabe epic anthem.
Overall, the smooth seductive tropical tendencies of 311 are certainly their strongest on "Don't Tread On Me." It is a beautiful thing that almost brings a tear to the eye for not only reminding listeners how attractive their slow reggae/island grooves were in the past, but also producing their best cuts in the said style. The fact that these types of songs dominate the album is a blessing that brings a warm feeling to 311 fans. It's almost a confessed departure from their old sound, but it manages to feed every course they only gave you a light portion of in the past. The only shortcomings are SA's excessive singing that is at best, average, and the lack of Mahoney's best razor-edge guitar work. Other than that, DTOM is the last great 311 album to date.
