Finger Eleven - Them vs. You vs. Me [2007]
Posted by admin on April 28th, 2008
There have always been vague underpinnings of funk in Finger Eleven’s rhythms, but it still comes as a bit of a shock that “Paralyzer,” the opening track of their fourth album, Them vs. You vs. Me, finds the Canadian quintet embracing the full-on disco-rock that started to emerge when they released their last album in 2003. Four years later, this sound isn’t exactly passé — plenty of bands are still pushing it — but it’s not exactly fresh either, except within the context of Finger Eleven, where it does add some welcome new dimension to their traditional ’90s alt-rock sound. Sure, it’s hard not to see it as a little bit of a desperate bid for relevancy, but even if the move comes across as calculated, the occasional dash of disco-rock gives Them vs. You vs. Me a little bit of needed new hue to a collection of otherwise colorless but capable by-the-book alt-rock, pitched partway between Read the rest of this entry »
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The Dresden Dolls could never be accused of being shy and retiring, but on their second full-length, Yes, Virginia…, they sound more confident than ever, igniting their cabaret-rock with more crazed inventiveness and you-are-there immediacy. While there’s nothing as instantly captivating as their first album’s winsome “Coin-Operated Boy” or the defiant “Girl Anachronism,” Yes, Virginia… is a more powerful and consistent set of songs overall, moving from musically and emotionally complex ballads like “Delilah” and the album closer, “Sing,” to shouty, forceful numbers such as “Necessary Evil” and “Sex Changes.” Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie’s production adds to the bigger, more rock-inspired sound of the album, which invigorates Amanda Palmer’s character sketches. While the highly theatrical, stylized sound of the Dresden Dolls 
Inevitably, music will have leaders as well as followers, and both have their place. It’s unrealistic and foolish to think that every artist who comes along should be a trendsetter; people who shake things up as intensely as Charlie Parker, the Sex Pistols, John Coltrane, the Beatles, or Nirvana are the exception instead of the rule. But when someone does come up with something that is truly fresh, he/she deserves applause — and there is plenty of freshness on this self-titled CD by the Dresden Dolls, a Boston-based duo that successfully blends alternative pop/rock with German cabaret. Lead singer Amanda Palmer brings an unlikely combination of influences to this release, and they range from Kurt Weill and Marlene Dietrich to goth rock, punk, and the riot grrrl movement. Palmer has been greatly affected by the emotional catharsis of PJ Harvey, 
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