With a name like Rainbow Butt Monkeys, it is little wonder that the Ontario based rock band Finger Eleven changed tits name. That is not the only change that has taken place in the six-year-old group.
The five-member band, including guitarist James Black and lead singer Scott Anderson, all call Burlington, Ontario, home.
Finger Eleven was picked up in 1996 by Mercury records, but after they released their first album, Tip, the label quickly dropped Eleven-thus forcing them to move to their current album deal with Wind Up Records.
After re-releasing Tip, the album sold more the 100,000 copies, building a strong underground fan base in the U.S. and Canada.
The reason you probably have not heard of this band is because their latest album was released at the same time and on the same label as Creed’s “Human Clay.” Talk about stealing thunder. However, the band has recently gotten exposure from opening up for such bands as Smashing Pumpkins and Foo Fighters. Now, with the release of their sophomore album, The Greyest of Blue Skies, the extra-fingered band will get a chance to steal the stage.
The overall album has a nice mix of music and emotion. From a heavy metal beginning to a toned-down middle, the album flows in an enjoyable fashion. The first three tracks keep an uninspiring same-three-chord play throughout.
The second song, “Drag you Down,” sounds far too much like Korn, from the vocals to the music, to make it very memorable.
However, the other featured track, “Sick of it All,” could be a keeper. The instrumentals and the lyrics very artistically done, as the lead singer Anderson delves into the scary realm of self-discovery. “How deep are you willing to look into yourself before you turn back in fear or disappointment of what you see.”
The scariest thing on the album is the eighth track, which sounds like something from Edwin McCain. Ughhhhh. As the album winds toward its finish, the group goes back to its cover days and plays a retooling of Depeche Mode’s “Walking in my Shoes.”
Overall, the album is a good attempt at the break into rock and roll the band wants. The lyrics are extremely complex dealing with tough issues in relationships and problems with self. However, when it comes to presentation, I will be waiting for something a little more creative.
Finally, to answer the question that has been bothering everyone since the beginning of this review is: What is Finger Eleven? Now don’t be perverted. The band says it is that finger that points in the other direction when the other 10 are pointing to something different. It is what gives them direction when writing their music.
It seems to have been doing a good job. C+
Finger 11 will be playing tonight at the Creepy Crawl if a live version better suits your tastes.
