Finger Eleven

Finger Eleven

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 17, 2003)
• Original Release Date: June 17, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Wind-Up
• ASIN: B00009MV2M
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (144 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,804 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In the almost two and a half years it took to make their third album, Canadian rage rockers Finger Eleven have undergone a radical transition. Gone are the overwrought guitars, gratuitous venting, and nu-metal posturing that marked their early work. In their place are some tightly constructed melodies and emotionally articulate lyrics weaved into a coherent song cycle that documents the disintegration of a relationship. This isn't to say the one-time headbangers have gone soft because they're writing love songs and featuring gorgeous acoustic guitar work. There are some bonecrushers among the 11 songs here, but the sturdy rockers are less prosaic than the band's earlier efforts, and it's clear that they have paid more attention to song structure and dynamics, although Scott Anderson's staccato delivery can give you whiplash. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good CD, June 20, 2003

By	Nick Walker (Ottawa Ont.) - See all my reviews

Finger Eleven's new album is more thoughtful and softer than The Greyest of Blue Skies or Tip. It still keeps to the F11 style, only gone on a more emotional adventure than their previous albums. Of course, TGOBS is my favourite CD by these guys, but they are still progressing so you have to give this album a chance. Here is my review of their self-titled album.

1. Other Light- Short, but a good way to open the new CD. 7/10
2. Complicated Questions- One of my favourite songs on the album. Scott does an amazing job on the vocals. 9/10
3. Stay in Shadow- Another awesome song. It's like the Drag You Down, except it's not as heavy. 8/10
4. Good Times- Like every CD when it comes out, this was the first single so I tend to skip over it, but still a cool song. 6/10
5. Absent Elements- Definitely in my top three. This song blows me away, I can't think of any way to describe it. The lyrics are really deep. 10/10
6- Thousand Mile Wish- Pretty good song 6/10
7- Conversations- One of my least favourites 4/10
8- Last Scene of Struggling- Haven't heard it enough, but it's pretty cool. 6/10
9- Panic Attack- AMAZING SONG!!!! 9/10
10- Therapy- Probably my favourite song on the CD. This song is so deep. I loved it the first time I heard it. 11/10
11- One Thing- A great softer song. 8/10
12- Obvious Heart- it doesn't have the same closing impact as Stay and Drown, but it's a good song nonetheless. 8/10

Like I said it's not as good as their last, and it's much softer, but in a good way, like White Pony was to Deftones.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Diverse feelings on a diverse band., December 20, 2004

By	incubus1 - See all my reviews

This is a great release from start to finish, but I'm still not quite sure of how I feel about it. It's got its songs that are truly amazing, but it's also got its songs that are relative duds. I would write them off as just another new band trying to be something they're not, but there's just too much diversity on this CD to be another typical rock band. This band has depth, which a lot of bands nowadays don't. When Finger Eleven is on, they're on. When they're not, it's nothing great. But luckily for us, they're on for about 90% of this CD.

The thing that sets this band apart from others is their range. They have songs that can make you rock your head, but then they have songs that are heartfelt and touching. One Thing, their single as of now, is one of those heartfelt songs. The simplicity of this song is why I like it so much. It's just emotional enough that you can feel the pain of the lyrics, but it's not sappy enough to make you cringe when you hear it. Thousand Mile Wish is another slow song that pushes the boundaries of sorrow. It's really a touching love song, and the acoustics make the song that much better. Complicated Questions is one of the harder songs on here. The guitar work is ear-catching, and the vocals are extremely original. Definitely one of the best on here.

A few of the best songs on here are Complicated Questions, Absent Elements, Thousand Mile Wish, and The Last Scene Of Struggling. All in all, this is a solid release. There are two duds on this CD, and that's really about it. All the others have something that makes it great. Finger Eleven have a very distinctive sound, and that's why I think they'll be around for quite a while.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Underrated, March 14, 2004

By	Mr. Censored (Maine) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Finger Eleven are one of those bands that has been under the radar for years. Their first two albums barely could crack the charts and it took almost 6 years for them to finally breakthrough with the single "One Thing." Over the past 8 months, this CD has steadily become a favorite of mine. It is extremely addictive and the songs get stuck in your head for days. To further my appreciation and newfound respect for the boys in F11, I saw them live last night, as support for Trapt & Smile Empty Soul -- those two bands delivered exceptional performances, but in their meager 5 song set, Finger Eleven totally blew them out of the water. They hold up just as well (maybe even better) live as on CD. I own all three Finger Eleven albums, and I must say, this is their best to date. It is full of infectious hooks, deep and often clever lyrics and accomplished musicianship. To say they sold out is just ignorant. The band have opened the door on a whole new sound; and if anything, the music on here is more intense than before. Hard rockers like "Stay In Shadow" and "Other Light" build on ear-catching riffs and are complimented nicely by slow ballads like "One Thing" and "Thousand Mile Wish." The closer, "Obvious Heart" stands as a favorite track, as do "Good Times," "Absent Elements" and "Complicated Questions." If you've been a fan of Finger Eleven for a while, give this disc a chance. If you ignore it because it is getting radio attention, you're only depriving yourself of a great piece of music. For anyone that can appreciate alternative/hard-rock, I recommend this. Hopefully Finger Eleven aren't dropped by their label like other bands that aren't instantly platinum sellers, but have been mainstays at their labels (the recent Cold/Geffen Records departure comes to mind). This band deserves to be heard.