Search - Finger Eleven :: Them Vs You Vs Me

Far better than you remember...

Andrew Ellington | I'm kind of everywhere | 10/15/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Finger Eleven has been pretty much my favorite band since I was about fifteen years old. I still remember the first time I heard `Suffocate' (on the `Scream 3' soundtrack) and I was instantly smitten. `Tip' was great, `The Greyest of Blue Skies' was brilliant, their self titled third album showed a range they were just starting to get comfortable with and then there came `Them Vs. You Vs. Me'. I'm not sure why, but this album got a bad wrap right out the gate. With the success of `One Thing' it seemed that Finger Eleven was starting to sell out in an attempt to become more commercial. When they dropped `Paralyzer' I felt that my worst fears were being realized. I like the song, but it is a carbon copy of Franz Ferdinand, who was having their spot in the limelight at that moment, and so it really felt like Finger Eleven was losing themselves to find an audience. At first glance through this album I felt that it was weak. That saddened me because I really wanted this to be amazing. Instead, I thought that it was a cheap attempt to become something new.



Years later, upon recent reflection, this album is FAR better than I initially thought.



The album is actually reminiscent of what they did on their self titled album, just not as focused in parts. My biggest disappointment comes in the form of the title track, which sadly closes the album. Finger Eleven had always, in my eyes, closed their albums brilliantly. From `Swallowtail' to `Stay and Drown' to `Obvious Heart', their best tracks have always been saved for last. `Them Vs. You Vs. Me' is just kind of a throwaway track in my eyes. There is no emotional punch. There is no punch at all, really.



You can tell that the `One Thing' success made an impact when you hear `I'll Keep Your Memory Vague'. The song is nice and sweet, nothing spectacular, but it certainly has the same vibe as their big crossover hit. `Window Song' hits the nail a little harder, delivering a masterful track that has such a mellow yet refined vibe and that capitalizes on the marvelous vocals at their disposal. `Change the World' opens sweetly, but I just find the repetitive and clichéd nature of the chorus to be underwhelming.



The best tracks on the album show off Finger Eleven's fun side. `Falling On' is one of the best tracks they've ever released. It could go toe to toe with the freshness and intensity of anything off `Tip'. They really hit a stride with that track. `So-So Suicide' reminds me of their third album a lot. It opens with a faux sense of intensity, but it evens out beautifully when the chorus hits. The bridge work is flawless (toned down effortlessly). `Sense of a Spark' is another one that recalls some of the better work that Finger Eleven has done.



`Lost My Way', `Talking To The Walls' and `Gather & Give' are decent tracks that seem like filler. They are definitely Finger Eleven songs, and they carry their signature sound, but they fall to the wayside when you put them up against some of the stronger songs on the album. `Gather & Give' has a nice Southern Rock sound to it that gives it a freshness and the bridge work on `Lost My Way' is, at first, effortless but it does tend to drag the song on longer than it should have.



In the end I am pleased to say that this album gets better and better with each listen and serves as a worthy entry in the catalog of Finger Eleven hits. I just wish that it never received the unfair scrutiny.



For those of you interested:



1) Falling On

2) Window Song

3) So-So Suicide

4) Sense of a Spark

5) Paralyzer

6) Gather & Give

7) I'll Keep Your Memory Vague

8) Talking to the Walls

9) Change the World

10) Lost My Way

11) Them Vs. You Vs. Me"