December 2002
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ENTERTAINMENT

"The Greyest of Blue Skies": A Review of Finger Eleven's Second Release
By Matt Wiebe, Grade 12, Garden Valley Collegiate, Winkler, MB

The Greyest of Blue Skies is the enigmatic title of Finger Elevens' second release since the 1997 release of "Tip." Produced by Arnold Lanni, finger Eleven have created yet another unique blend of oddball chord changes and ambient effects with seizure-like timing and the unmistakable vocals of singer Scott Anderson.

Finger Eleven has come a long way since their first signed band, The Rainbow Butt Monkeys, and many are glad for that! The change in style and image was a 180-degree turn. The Greyest of Blue Skies is purely a hard-rock album, but completely different from what most ears are hearing on the radio.

Finger Eleven makes good use of heavy and soft dynamics in songs such as "My Carousel" and "Sick of it All." Other songs like "Drag You Down" and "Suffocate" offer a metal edge, while "Broken Words" and "Bones & Joints" show a softer side without aggression. For fans of Depeche Mode, the album includes a cover of the tune "Walking In My Shoes." The final track of the album, "Stay and Drown," is sure to be an epic song, perfect for an ending track and grand finale of concerts. The CD insert contains no lyrics, or "thank yous," just track listings and pages of sketched artwork done by guitarist James Black.

While the large use of dynamics sets Finger Eleven apart from the boring "nu-metal" of today, I find that the transitions could be more subtle, something they might have done on their previous album. That may be something for the future. There is a small lack of middle ground on the album, the transitions from quiet to loud and small to big come as a shock. All in all, The Greyest of Blue Skies is a great album. Surely F11 fans will be satisfied.

Finger Eleven's website


     



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