I think the guys in Finger Eleven are starting to really mellow out. 2007's Them vs. You vs. Me found the band feeling comfortable in their sound. The album featured 4 singles ("Paralyzer", "Falling On", "I'll Keep Your Memory Vague" and "Talking To The Walls") which were all major radio hits. The band adopted a much more funk rock sound than in the past; combining the funk of their Rainbow Butt Monkeys days and the rock of modern Finger Eleven. When it came to writing the last album, each member did so from the comfort of their own homes and simply passed on ideas, riffs or beats via the Internet so that the next member could work on it until they had enough music collected to form an album. On this year's Life Turns Electric, it was difficult to pick any standout tracks. This is a much more subdued Finger Eleven than we're used to. The interesting little guitar riffs James Black and Rick Jackett are known for are seemingly absent on this album. The acoustic guitar seems to have won them over as it is much more present than on any other album. This comes as no surprise after the two guitar players released a country-esque album under side project pseudonym Blackie Jackett Jr. There also seems to be a lot of 80s-sounding harmonized guitar solos which is most obvious on track "Good Intentions", which comes off sounding like a ripoff of "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by Scorpions. Lead single "Living In A Dream" threw me for a loop as it sounds like a leftover track from the previous album. The only problem with that is I think it got me overly excited for this album. Being such a big fan of their last effort, I was expecting another Them vs. You vs. Me; Life Turns Electric is a different breed. New single "Stone Soul" comes off sounding like the most radio-friendly song they have ever written with its guitar effect-laden sound and steady rhythm. While "One Thing" got a lot of radio play, this will probably surpass "One Thing" in popularity due to its sheer popiness and catchiness. Track "Pieces Fit" takes an interesting turn in the guitar riff department. The acoustic guitar fills the gaps between the electric hooks. I could see this one being a single down the line. "Don't Look Down" is as close to funk rock as you'll get on this album though the track is missing signature wah-wah pedal effects to give it just the right tone. This album could most definitely be considered Finger Eleven's poppiest which I'm not sure how it will sit with fans. So far, certain tracks have grown on me after repeated listenings but nothing has caught my ear right off the bat (aside from "Living In A Dream"). Not wanting to be restricted to one sound though, I applaud them for branching out a bit. The more radio-friendly sound to these tracks may finally grant them more fans and attention, which they have earned. A good effort from the Burlington, Ontario boys, just not entirely the direction I figured they would take.
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