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Song Review: 311, “Hey You”

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Remember 311? Those five dudes from Omaha, NE, who blasted onto the charts in the mid-’90s with their stoner-friendly, reggae-meets-rap-rock tunes like “Down” and “Beautiful Disaster”? Well, a decade later they’re still at it, and (thanks be to Jah!) they haven’t changed a bit — just check out their brand new tune “Hey You” below!

The lead single from their ninth studio album, Uplifter (out June 2), “Hey You” draws from 311’s characteristic sound: a wall of electric guitars taper off into a reggae staccato, raps from Douglas “SA” Martinez, and a verse buoyed by Nick Hexum’s dreamy, upbeat croon that praises his lifelong companion, music.

But there’s an important addition to the formula: Go-to rock/metal producer Bob Rock (Metallica, the Offspring), who toughens the track’s hardest rockin’ sections while keeping its smooth, Caribbean influences warm and mellow. Irie, indeed!

Listen to “Hey You” below. Then smoke out in the comments section.

LISTEN: 311, “Hey You”

Catch 311 on tour this summer. See all dates below.

311 tour dates:
4/15, Tucson, AZ (Rialto Theatre)
4/16, Albuquerque, NM (Sunshine Theatre)
4/18, Iowa City, IA (Univ. of Iowa Field House)
4/19, Wichita, KS (The Cotillion)
4/21, Knoxville, TN (Valarium)
4/22, Myrtle Beach, SC (House of Blues)
4/23, Charleston, SC (Music Farm)
4/25, Orlando, FL (Earth Day Festival)
4/26, Clearwater, FL (Ruth Eckerd Hall)
4/29, West Palm Beach, FL (Sunfest)
4/30, St. Augustine, FL (St. Augustine Amphitheatre)
5/1, Birmingham, AL (Crawfish Festival)
5/3, Memphis, TN (Beale Street Music Fest)
5/4, Asheville, NC (Orange Peel)
5/5, Asheville, NC (Orange Peel)
5/7, Bossier City, LA (Riverdome at Harrah’s Casino)
5/8, Orange Beach, AL (Amphitheatre at the Wharf)
5/12, Austin, TX (Music Hall)
5/14, Tulsa, OK (Cains Ballroom)
5/15, Springfield, MO (Shrine Mosque)

Summer tour w/ Ziggy Marley
6/5,Santa Barbara, CA (Santa Barbara Bowl)
6/7,Eugene, OR (Cuthbert Ampitheatre)
6/8,Seattle, WA (WaMu Theatre)
6/11, Salt Lake City, UT (Usana Amphitheatre)
6/12, Denver, CO (Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
6/14, Chicago, IL (Charter One Pavilion)
6/16, Cleveland, OH (Time Warner Amphitheatre)
6/17, Columbus, OH (Lifestyles Communities Pavilion)
6/19, Detroit, MI (Freedom Hill)
6/20, Cincinnati, OH (Riverbend Amphitheatre)
6/21, Indianapolis, IN (The Lawns)
6/23, Saratoga, NY (SPAC)
6/24, Boston, MA (Comcast Center)
6/25, New York, NY (Central Park Summerstage)
6/27, Holmdel, NJ (PNC Bank Art Center)
6/28, Washington DC (Nissan Pavilion)
6/30, Philadelphia, PA (Penns Landing)
7/1, Virginia Beach, VA (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)
7/3, Charlotte, NC Verizon (Wireless Amphitheatre)
7/4, Atlanta, GA (Lakewood Amphitheatre)
7/5, Raleigh, NC (Walnut Creek Amphitheatre)
7/7, St. Louis, MO (Verizon Amphitheatre)
7/10, Phoenix, AZ (Dodge Theatre)
7/11, San Diego, CA (Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre)
7/12, Irvine, CA (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre)