CD REVIEW: FINGER ELEVEN – Five Crooked Lines

Label: The Bicycle Music Company / Concord

Release Date: July 31, 2015

Rating: 9/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

I never knew much about Finger Eleven, but did enjoy a couple of their past hits.  Listening through the latest release from the band, I realize I need to go check out their back catalog.  “Gods Of Speed” kicks the doors wide open on this disc with guitars and drums charging at full throttle from first sound until the last.  Scott Anderson’s vocals add depth and energy to the track, while the bass anchors the runaway track.  “Criminal” follows the path cut by the opening track, but with less urgency and power.  The heavy rhythm section of bassist Sean Anderson and studio drummer Chris Powell feeds the sound while the vocals and guitars swirl into the mix.  “Wolves And Doors” brings pop sensibility to the table with a twist featuring cool guitar licks and riffs swirled with different textured percussion, along with fuzzy vocals and a cool tempo that gets the foot tapping.  “Not Going To Be Afraid” brings a cool groove to the disc, with a mellow rocker that has a fun anthemic feel at the chorus that permeates the rest of the track and keeps you engaged from open to close.  “Blackout Song” is one of the fuzziest tracks on the disc, including guitars courtesy of Black and Jackett.  The vocals sweep into the mix and keep the laid back feel of the track intact, along with lyrics that emphasize the mood of the song.  “Lost For Words” is a standard rocker that features a cool tempo and odd changes that help this track stand apart from other songs on the disc.

“Save Your Breath” opens with heavy vocals that are a bit more forced than some of the other songs, but the shift in vibe and sound at the pre-chorus take this track in a different direction, while fitting within the mold of the 12-track collection.  “Come On, Oblivion” is an ethereal rocker that blends different textures and sounds of the disc together in a cool track that gives you a different view of the band and their ability.  The guitar work from James Black and Rick Jackett on this song shifts gears several time, steering the mood and vibe of the song.  Title track “Five Crooked Lines” opens with a chugging riff and bass line that takes over and gets the song moving at a killer tempo.  The vocals kick in and add punch to the track, along with the steady timekeeping from the drums.  “Absolute Truth” relies heavily on the guitars and vocals to carry it.  The verses are tweaked and bring a different sound to the disc and give the band another weapon in their rock arsenal.  “Sensory Eraser” is one of the heavier sounding tracks on the disc, but the guitars and bass work well together to create a fun vibe underneath the vocals, which are catchy as hell at the chorus.  This track is one of the best on the disc and keeps the disc fun until the end.  Disc closer “A New Forever” brings a Pink Floyd sound to the disc, adding to the discs eclectic sound and mashup of styles that all seem to work together in the spectrum of this collection.  Now, off to the store to dig up other Finger Eleven gems…

Tracklisting: Gods Of Speed – Criminal – Save Your Breath – Wolves And Doors – Come On, Oblivion – Not Going To Be Afraid – Five Crooked Lines – Blackout Song – Absolute Truth – Lost For Words – Sensory Eraser – A New Forever

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Category: CD Reviews