{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Universal Pulse | type = studio | artist = [[311 (band)|311]] | cover = 311-UniversalPulse(2011).jpg | alt = | released = July 19, 2011 | recorded = 2010–2011 | venue = | studio = [[The Hive (recording studio)|The Hive]] ([[North Hollywood, California]]) | genre = [[Reggae rock]]<ref name=IGN/> | length = 28:55 | label = 311, [[ATO Records|ATO]] | producer = [[Bob Rock]] | prev_title = [[Uplifter]] | prev_year = 2009 | next_title = [[Stereolithic]] | next_year = 2014 | misc = {{Singles | name = Universal Pulse | type = studio | single1 = [[Sunset in July]] | single1date = June 3, 2011 | single2 = Time Bomb | single2date = July 11, 2011 | single3 = [[Count Me In (311 song)|Count Me In]] | single3date = October 4, 2011 }} }}
'''''Universal Pulse''''' is the tenth studio album by American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[311 (band)|311]]. It was released on July 19, 2011 on 311 Records/[[ATO Records]]. their first release on their own independent record company.<ref>{{cite web| date=May 25, 2011 | title=New 311 album title | publisher=311 Official Web Site | url=http://www.311.com | access-date=2011-05-25}}</ref> It has a 57 out of 100 on [[Metacritic]], indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref name="metacritic.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/universal-pulse|title=Universal Pulse Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=2012-05-21}}</ref>
==Album information== Like its predecessor, ''[[Uplifter]]'', this album was produced by [[Bob Rock]]. Unlike previous albums where their record label requested that the drums be recorded at an alternate location, all tracks, including the drums, were recorded at the Hive Studio. To support the album, 311 invited [[Sublime with Rome]] to co-headline the 2011 Unity Tour,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punknews.org/article/42057 |title=311 / Sublime with Rome |publisher=Punknews.org |access-date=2011-09-11}}</ref> with special guests DJ Soulman and DJ Trichrome. The artwork was done by [[Sonny Kay]]. With only eight songs and clocking within less than thirty minutes, it's their shortest album to date.
The album's first single "[[Sunset in July]]" was released on June 3, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2011/06/exclusive-311-debut-funky-new-single/ |title=EXCLUSIVE: 311 Debut Funky New Single |publisher=SPIN.com |date=2011-06-03 |access-date=2011-09-11}}</ref> The album's second single "[[Count Me In (311 song)|Count Me In]]" was released on October 4, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|author=MusicRemedy.com / |url=http://musicremedy.com/3/311/songs/count-me-in-55451.html |title=311 - Count Me In - Listen/Watch Now |publisher=Musicremedy.com |access-date=2011-11-19}}</ref>
==Reception==
{{Music ratings | MC = 57/100<ref name="metacritic.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/universal-pulse|title=Universal Pulse Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=2012-05-21}}</ref> | rev1 = [[Allmusic]] | rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name=CoS>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/universal-pulse-r2219436 |title=Allmusic review}}</ref> | rev2 = ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'' | rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2011/07/album-review-311-universal-pulse/ |title=CoS review}}</ref> | rev3 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' | rev3score = (B−)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2011/07/22/albums-july-29-2011/|title=Albums: July 29, 2011 (311, ''Universal Pulse'')|last=Anderson|first=Kyle|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=2011-07-29|access-date=2012-05-21|archive-date=November 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121112052/https://ew.com/article/2011/07/22/albums-july-29-2011/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev4 = [[IGN]] | rev4score = {{Rating|7.5|10}}<ref name=IGN>{{cite web |url=http://music.ign.com/articles/118/1182484p1.html |title=IGN review |access-date=2011-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102102540/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/19/311-universal-pulse-review |archive-date=2012-11-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | rev5 = [[PopMatters]] | rev5score = {{Rating|6|10}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Rausch |first=Will |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/148300-311-universal-pulse/ |title=311: Universal Pulse |magazine=PopMatters |access-date=2013-02-16}}</ref> | rev6 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' | rev6score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/universal-pulse-20110802 |title=Rolling Stone review}}</ref> }} [[Allmusic]] editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave ''Universal Pulse'' a 2.5/5, commenting "Within the sharp relief of Bob Rock’s immaculate production, this can mean that the fuzz-toned guitars and crunching riffs are strenuously underlined: they are the foundation of this unusually rock-oriented 311 album yet in this crystal-clear atmosphere they drill, not pummel." and concludes that "''Universal Pulse'' can be wearying even at its half-hour length."<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/universal-pulse-r2219436 |title=Universal Pulse - 311 |website=AllMusic |date=2011-07-19 |access-date=2011-09-11}}</ref> ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'' gave the album a 3.5/5 and declares that it's the band's best album since ''[[From Chaos]]'', saying "Once this album has completed its first full rotation, there’s an immediate urge to play it again. It’s short, sweet, and a perfect follow-up to where the band was in 2009."<ref name="CoS" />
==Track listing== {{track listing
| title1 = Time Bomb | lyrics1 = {{hlist|[[Nick Hexum]]|Doug "SA" Martinez|Aaron "P-Nut" Wills}} | music1 = {{hlist|Hexum|Tim Mahoney}} | length1 = 3:16
| title2 = Wild Nights | lyrics2 = {{hlist|Hexum|Martinez}} | music2 = {{hlist|Chad Sexton|Hexum}} | length2 = 3:38
| title3 = [[Sunset in July]] | lyrics3 = {{hlist|Hexum|Martinez|Wills}} | music3 = {{hlist|Hexum|Sexton}} | length3 = 3:56
| title4 = Trouble | lyrics4 = Hexum | music4 = Hexum | length4 = 3:32
| title5 = [[Count Me In (311 song)|Count Me In]] | lyrics5 = {{hlist|Hexum|Martinez}} | music5 = Hexum | length5 = 3:27
| title6 = Rock On | lyrics6 = {{hlist|Hexum|Martinez}} | music6 = Sexton | length6 = 3:29
| title7 = Weightless | lyrics7 = {{hlist|Hexum|Martinez}} | music7 = Hexum | length7 = 3:19
| title8 = And a Ways to Go | lyrics8 = {{hlist|Martinez|Hexum}} | music8 = {{hlist|Hexum|Wills}} | length8 = 4:18
| total_length = 28:55 }}
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable" !align="left"|Charts !align="left"|Peak<br>position |- | U.S. [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] ||align="center"|7 |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Billboard charts#Albums|Rock Albums]] ||align="center"|2 |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Billboard charts#Albums|Digital Albums]] ||align="center"|4 |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Billboard charts#Albums|Independent Albums]] ||align="center"|1 |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Billboard charts#Albums|Alternative Albums]] ||align="center"|2 |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Billboard charts#Albums|Tastemaker Albums]] ||align="center"|1 |}
==Personnel== Credits are adapted from album’s liner notes.<ref name="linernotes">{{cite AV media notes|title= Universal Pulse|year= 2011|type=CD booklet|publisher=[[ATO Records|ATO]]|id=ATO0115}}</ref>
;311 * [[Nick Hexum]] – vocals (lead vocals on all tracks), guitar * [[SA Martinez|Doug "SA" Martinez]] – vocals (lead vocals on 1–3, 5–8) * [[Tim Mahoney (guitarist)|Tim Mahoney]] – lead guitar * [[P-Nut]] – bass * [[Chad Sexton]] – drums, mixing
;Production *[[Bob Rock]] – producer, engineer *Giff Tripp – engineer *[[Joe Gastwirt]] – mastering *Jason Walters – studio manager
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Metacritic album}}
{{311}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Universal Pulse}} [[Category:311 (band) albums]] [[Category:2011 albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Bob Rock]]