Finger Eleven: Together Right
Jackhammer percussion, searing guitar riffs, intense vocals, and a big production makes this a winner.
By Kerry Doole
Finger Eleven - Together Right (Craft Recordings): This Ontario hard rock band has never been a darling of the critics but has certainly been one of the most commercially successful Canadian rock groups of the past two decades. That fact will be reinforced with the release of a first Best Of collection, Greatest Hits, due out on CD and digital on June 16, followed by the band's first vinyl edition on Aug. 25.
Along with news of this collection is the release of the band’s first new single in more than seven years, Together Right. In a label press release, frontman Scott Anderson explains that "Together Right is about unity. It’s about the bonds between people and how far bonds can extend before they are broken. The song has an optimistic-sounding chorus but it’s really a desperate plea from one party to another, asking, please stick around; let’s go down with this ship together.”
Recorded in Toronto last year with drummer/producer Steve Molella, the song showcases the enduring strength of Finger Eleven's mix of melody and muscle. Jackhammer percussion and searing guitar riffs bolster the intense vocals, and the big screen production ensures this is rock radio-friendly.
The Greatest Hits album is crammed with rock radio chart-toppers, including FE's blockbuster smash, Paralyzer. That cut earned a record-setting quintuple platinum designation in Canada, and it would go on to enjoy massive airplay, taking a record for most consecutive weeks at #1 by a Canadian band on the Canadian Rock charts. It was also a mega-hit in the US, spending 52 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, a unique feat for a rock band.
Other hits on the collection include One Thing, Falling On, and Living in a Dream, and bonus cuts include a previously-unreleased cover of Pink Floyd’s Welcome to the Machine (a longtime live staple) and Slow Chemical – a 2002 cover and remix of wrestler Kane’s entrance theme.
The band’s original core of Scott Anderson (vocals), Rick Jackett (guitar), James Black (vocals, guitar), Sean Anderson (bass), and drummer Rob Gommerman (later replaced by Rich Beddoe) began playing together in high school, and in 1995 released their debut, Letters from Chutney, under the moniker, Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Giving that highly dodgy name the finger was definitely a smart move.
This summer, Finger Eleven will appear at a variety of festivals across North America. For more info, visit the band’s website.
Links
Publicity: Amanda McCauley, Indoor Recess
Management: Dave Morris / Cornerman Music and Zeke Myers
Booking: Tom Kemp / Feldman
