The direction from Bob Rock (Motley Crue, Metallica) is evident from the tune’s “Hey You” crunchy opening riffs. However like lots of songs from 311 they don’t stay put too long. With the arrival of the verse, the guitars bring in an offbeat, cleaner reggae feeling. The dynamic shift makes the whole sound louder

The Omaha, NE based band comprised of Nick Hexum, vocalist and guitarist, Tim Mahoney, guitarist, S.A. Martinez, vocalist, P-Nut, bassist, and Chad Sexton, drummer, always did know how to effectively use volume. Their tendency for mixing reggae, metal, dance hall, funk, hip-hop and everything else is still evident on their new album, their first since “Don’t Tread On Me” released in 2005.

“Mix It Up” emphasizes reggae. On “Golden Sunlight,” guitarist Mahoney is found strumming oriental modalities while on “India Ink” he busts sitar sounds out. The sprightly drumming of Chad Sexton drives “It’s Alright,” along with P-Nut’s slap bass funk in contrast to the heavier and menacing “Something Out Of Nothing.”

On the melodic and poppy “Too Much Too Fast” Martinez and Hexum contribute some pleasing vocal harmonies, while “Two Drops In The Ocean” leaves you begging for sand beneath your feet and a cold drink.

Overall, there’s something old something new, and something quite familiar in a few cases. On “Jackpot” the syncopated guitar is reminiscent of the band’s older funk metal on “Unity” and “Homebrew.” The pseudo marimba sounds from “My Heart Sings” harkens back to “Amber” from 2001.

The stylistic hopscotch in theory doesn’t make a lot of sense, but in hearing it does work perfectly.