Review Summary: In the olden days of Finger Eleven, A rougher, edgier side is shown, unlike the electronic, controlled sound you hear today.
When looking at pop music today. It is usually with a grimace. When thirteen year old girls know more about Rihanna then the Deftones,(woot) we have a problem. To be more specific, the majority of pop rock is a bunch of sold out bands that really possess not much originality and copy off each other. Now I find Finger Eleven an exception to this. While no where near the top acts today, they show a lot more credibility when they go about things. For example: They have previous albums, like Tip, that have been in the dark and not many people own it. To go back further, the silly antics of the old skin of Finger Eleven, The Rainbow Butt Monkeys, also proves that the band has earned the commercial success they have today. Also, Finger Eleven has really showed a way of reaching me. Rick is a great vocalist and his lyrics are rather impressive. But back to my first point, Most pop- rock today is not very great. But what about pop- rock ten years ago?
Tip is Finger Eleven's first release since the name change from Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Which is a wise move on their part. "You're back on MTV, now we've got the new premiere from The Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Here is Paralyzer." (bad shot at comedy, i know, but thats beside the point.) Now since I am still a music nube, my first purchase was Them Vs. You Vs. Me. I liked it, a nice mellow yet, stable, lets say, rock record even though it didn't try to push any borders of the genre.
Now that I've backtracked to Tip, I feel this record shows enough difference from any other record. Mome of the songs on here have a more punk-harder edge feel to the songs. Songs on Them Vs. You Vs. Me seemed a bit more controlled and electronic for some reason. This is seems a little blander, in the harsh sense, but edgier, in the lighter sense. In comparison to Them Vs. You Vs. Me, I think a rougher and half grunge feel to Tip, and a mellow, catchier
Them Vs. You Vs. Me.
I think i find both of them equally enjoyable. I think their sound has adapted with the times. In 1998, with Rage Against The Machine and Pearl Jam in full throttle, Finger Eleven's sound is a lot more ballsy, and it seems to still have the same tricks as the band usually does. The nice riffs that play good contrast with the choruses. The best track on the album and possibly of the band is "Quicksand." The opener to the album shows a great chorus and an even better outro that I really can't get out of my head. Some songs fall through the cracks(Shudder, Condenser, Costume for a Gutterball) just lack significance within the album. the interesting and ironic "Awake and Dreaming." show a very mellow and dazed track, kinda feels like a hangover. "Thin Spirits." shows a darker, kinda, side to the band. With a rough chorus, it definitely stands out and is great. Glimpse has a moronic and annoying guitar at the beginning and really isn't worth listening to. The bulk of the tracks are well thought out and executed well. The production values arn't great and it's nice to see when bands put in some effort with production. Some smoother transitions would be appreciated.
All in all, a solid album from a band who doesn't surprise you, but leaves you satisfied. Tip offers a less melodic, rougher side that has it's advantages and disadvantages. I will recommend this, but there are way better music albums out there. This is great for what it's worth but is no classic. Finger Eleven shows, that through their career, they are able to change their sound a little, while still maintaining the band's vibe and feel.
