311's debut "Music" may have come at a time where alternative rock, grunge, and reggae-ska were in surplus. Factor in having heard such similar artists as Sublime prior to any exposure to this Omaha-based quintet's offering to the scene, and no doubt; parts of Music will come off a tad dry. Fortunately however, there is often redemption, for example the somewhat forced energy in the verse of "Freak Out" is eased immediately by its infectious sing-a-long chorus.
Outside of that flaw, "Unity" also carries an aura that feels punchy yet un-authentic. Thankfully, most of Music is full of addictive grooves that only suffer when the group tries to do too much using the undoubtedly low-quality recording equipment/process that plenty-a-90s band had to deal with circa. Sure they emulate most notably Sublime and other acts attempting to hop on the Reggae-rock train that came through in the 90s, especially on tracks like "Nix Hex" and the opener "Welcome" but both of these tracks have the razor-edged riffage of guitarist Tim Mahoney that does not eliminate the laid-back vibe, but rather elevates the energy higher than most of their peers dare to go.
Beyond that, "My Stoney Baby", "Plain," and "Feels So Good" all demonstrate that this group can merge blues, funk, and straight-up rock-rap in an accessible fashion; all elements that (at this point in their rawest form) would shape this band's signature sound for decades to come.
