Finger Eleven

There are a million reasons why I think Finger Eleven is one of the hardest working and most underrated bands in Canada. Quietly building a body of work, a long list of impressive live performances (which now include the Canadian opening slots on the current Ozzy Osbourne and Voivod dates) and the respect of those whose path the band has crossed, Finger Eleven continues to write poignant and important songs. This latest self-titled release is no exception with tracks like "Complicated Questions” and "Good Times” standing out for the lyrical flow and memorable riffs. But the record is also very striking for its delicate face. Amongst the driving forces that Finger Eleven has expertly cultivated in their sound over the years are songs that depend less on aggression and lean more on the well-built song structures that are reminiscent of those legendary songwriting duos of the past. Don’t mistake that statement to say that these guys are as good as Plant and Page or Lennon and McCartney but more to say there is definite staying power to the work produced on this disc. Scott Anderson’s vocals seem almost unstoppable (he just gets more confident in his approach). Producer Johnny K (Disturbed) has fostered a mature guitar style and anthem-esque rhythm section core (Sean Anderson’s bass line on the last track "Obvious Heart” deserves some props). My only hope for this record is that it catches the attention of the Canadian record buying public so it gets the attention it deserves. The beast to the south will definitely be stirred.