Them VS. You VS. Me Reviews

• The 4th album

  
  By A2W36OONSDMA03 on 2007-03-06
  As much as I wanted to love this CD, I couldn't. I guess I need to come to terms on the fact that Finger Eleven will never make another album like their 2000 release, The Greyest of Blue Skies. In 2003 I ran to the store on the release date of their self titled album only to be disappointment in their change of sound. To be fair though, that CD has grown on me quite a bit over the years... but still it's not what I wanted. Enter Them Vs. You Vs. Me. An album that resembles very little to any of Finger Eleven's past work... This is a good or bad thing depending on the listener. The album starts off strong.. Paralyzer and Falling On, as trendy as they are, are very memorable. Then the album just turns into generic alternative rock. Track after track of radio friendly songs and more acoustic tracks thrown in. The ending track (F11 usually has a very meaningful last track on their albums) almost sounds like a joke. Finger Eleven continue to evolve.. but just what are they evolving into..? This CD wasn't worth the near 4 year wait in my opinion. Finger Eleven can do much better.. and will again, i hope
  
  

• A great departure

  
  By A27J609DXV2MV9 on 2007-03-07
  I rarely take the time to write a review for an item, but I was so surprised when I heard this cd I felt compelled to write a warning. As another reviewer notes, this album is nothing like their previous work. You can call it "reinvention" or "selling out" or pressure from their label: it's all the same. This cd is chock full of ridiculous poppy backbeats and obvious, trite lyrics. If this cd tried any harder to gain mass appeal, they would have had to change the title to "Radio Friendly."
  
  For all the effort made to boilerplate this album, there isn't a single song I genuinely liked. There are a few places where it seems like the old Finger Eleven is going to come out and temper the new, top40 Finger Eleven, but it never quite makes it. Needless to say, I'm very disappointed.
  
  

• Welcome Back.

  
  By AZSN1TO0JI87B on 2007-03-06
  We may never know why it took Finger Eleven four years to follow-up on their breakthrough, self-titled album, but then again, you just might not care. Because once you unwrap the plastic, take the CD out, press play and hear Scott Anderson's unique vocals in synch with the band we all know as Finger Eleven, all will be forgiven. It's like they never went away.
  
  One would think, with the crossover success of "One Thing," that the band would be desperate to recapture that magic and record an album of "Many Things," but they don't seem effected one bit by their lone hit. Instead, the eleven tracks that the band produces (with Johnny K once again at the helm) are different kinds of hits. Prime examples being the breezy anthems "Falling On" and "Talking To The Walls" or the funky, pulse-pounding "Paralyzer" -- a song which is impossible not to enjoy. "Window Song" is probably the closest they come to recapturing their sole hit, but even that's a stretch, as the song sounds more like retro-Beatles than Staind. Sure, songs like "Lost My Way" and "Easy Life" may sound like typical Finger Eleven, but for most of the album, the band tries to grow and stretch their limits further than they did before. And in all honesty, it works. This isn't blind fandom here, Finger Eleven have truly redefined themselves and delivered an album that sounds nothing like anything out there. This is an album where you will find something new with each listen.
  
  Much like their previous affair, "Them Vs. You Vs. Me" is a change in pace for the band, and some people might not like that. Those with an open mind, however, will be instantly hooked with the arsenal of quirky and unique songs Finger Eleven offer up on their fourth effort. However, if you are expecting something specific from "Them Vs. You Vs. Me," you may be sorely disappointed. These aren't quite the same guys who brought you "Tip" or "The Greyest Of Blue Skies" and you just might have to get used to that.
  
  

• Not too bad...Not too good

  
  By ANN9LM8HZM6DC on 2007-03-08
  Ok, lets get this out of the way real quick: Them vs. You vs. Me is NOT Tip, nor is it Greyest of Blue Skies, nor is it Finger Eleven: Self Titled...it is Them vs. You vs. Me. At first listen I, like many other people, started wondering after about 5 tracks if this was actually Finger Eleven. This record is not bad, it's different, and depending how you look at it, being different can be good or it can be bad. Finger Eleven will lose fans with this record, however let me be the first to point out one thing: Each F11 cd sounds different. No one can ever say F11 released "4 albums that all sounded the same", which you could say with alot of bands, perhaps those with an established sound. So with that said, I would be hard pressed to find many people that like the sound of all the records, however you have to give it to a band that it willing to use new sounds and expand their horizons.
  
  I don't think this record is "radio friendly", and I think the lyrics are still meaningful and thoughtful, as they have always been with F11. If this record was "radio friendly" then all the songs would sound like "one thing", which was their mainstream radio hit. I would say the closest to "one thing" is "i'll keep your memory vague" which is a good ballad if i must say.
  
  I'm still listening to this cd and allowing it to grow on me, and I think it will. My advice to anyone who has not heard F11 before "one thing" or "paralyzer" is to pick up Greyest of Blue Skies, and to not expect this record to sound entirely like "paralyzer". To those who have heard F11 before, judge this record as a new entity..NOT in comparison to their previous work.
  
  

• Seems like most bands change for the worst...

  
  By AT8YRST5SZKIC on 2007-03-20
  Most rock bands start off real good and then drastically change their music causing crappy albums like this. This album compared to greyest of blue skies sucks REAL bad. Other artists that are following this trend are Taproot, Staind, Creed, and some others. Why cant more bands be like Disturbed and just make good music every album they made like on their first album?
  
  
• So sad
  By A2KBM9VIDMW60W on 2007-04-29
  I waited a long time for this album and what a bad surprise when i heard it for the first time too pop too light and only two inspired songs.
  Please go back into studio now to make a real album
  
  
• It's Awesome
  By A3RH2AWHZA8DG6 on 2007-06-01
  I got into Finger Eleven for their track 'One Thing'. That was a really good song, excellently composed but it did not make a serious fan out of me. That is until the new album 'Them-Vs-You-Vs-Me'.
  
  I find Soctt Andersons vocals consistent throughout the entire album. Yes it is more alternative rock but don't be put off by being classified as a label when it comes to what you listen to. This is a very enjoyable cd.
  The tracks, Paraylzed, Falling On, and Taking To The Walls are outstanding in terms of more of the rocking type tracks.
  
  However, this is only a treat before we get some real amazing vocals on some of the more acoustic type tracks.
  Real bonus to the CD are the following:
  
  * I'll Keep Your Memory Vague. 5/5
  "This won't break your heart, But I just think it could, coz I haven't tried as hard as I should..to..to seperate you from everything I do...but I would never wanna come between us 2" - This entire line is the best vocal I've heard this year for an intro.
  
  * Window Song 5/5
  "All The Windows are playing their game...we won't see outisde again...til I ride all the fog away...I'm putting words in their place...but all of the fog is erased & I write all the words I never said"
  
  * Talking To The Walls
  -Excellent Intro & again great lyrics. i.e. "Look at the shape I'm in, talking to the walls again'
  
  They have staying power, for the people that have mocked this album, it's been unfair, bands need to evolve.
  
  I would definitely like to extend my gratitude of thanks to Finger Eleven, they put out an album I can really relate to.
  
  Come tour in Auckland, NZ some time.
  
  
  
• Copy Protected - Avoid
  By A13UGPZRLK3WRW on 2007-08-07
  I bought this album expecting to use it the way I use hundreds of others I own - on my computer while I work. This album is copy protected and won't play in the computer's DVD player. I assume they don't want people to rip the songs or make mp3s, but I consider that a legal use of the material when paid for.
  
  I am returning this album and will never own another album by either Finger Eleven or Sony. If I need any songs from them I'll record them from the radio.
  
  
• Not the Finger Eleven I used to Know
  By A1435P5AMCPB3X on 2007-03-07
  This album is a very large departure from the band that made "The Greyest of Blue Skies" and "Tip", two really good hard rock albums. After their last self titled album, the very polished and good mix of pop and power that they had has been all washed away, and we are left with a sugary sounding album "Them VS You VS ME". Unfortunately, this album will loose a lot of their previous fans, but pick up a lot of young and more "new rock" fans. Paralyzer is about the best and most logical first single from this album, because it is about the only one I can halfway like. Falling on is not a bad track either, but then this album just looses itself in monotany. It burns itself out after about 4 tracks (Track 4 "Lost My Way" says it all. and sounds a lot like Paralyzer). It sounds like are struggling to finde another "One Thing" (which I'm still amazed that did that well, since thier were better songs on the last album). Finger eleven needs to go back and start finding tracks like "First Time", "Suffocate", and "Quicksand", songs that hooked me into following these guys. Even their Rainbow Butt Monkeys stuff was more distinguishable than this.
  
  Overall, this is a reasonable album, and I will likely grow to like it more the longer I listen to it, but it is not one of the "instant classics" albums. Pick this up for a reasonable sale price if you must.
  
  
  
  
• Finger Eleven As Always
  By AHK2A96R8LD7L on 2007-03-07
  The one thing that Finger Eleven always is, is surprising. As their fourth major release, "Them Vs. You Vs. Me" is very different from any of their other albums, but this is exactly the thing that is amazing about F11: Every album is totally different from the last. The difference between this and their 2003 self titled release is not as big as usual, but the new album does a good job of expanding on ideas presented in their self-titled one. Of course, if you've heard the lead single, "Paralyzer" it's easy to guess that they've added a touch of funk into the mix, going back to their days as small-time Canadian rockers, then known as the "Rainbow Butt Monkeys." This is, of course, enhanced by the fact that F11 is backed by one of the best bassists in the business and drummer who really knows how to support the music
  
  The album itself is simply fun to listen to, especially on the tracks that are pure rock (standouts include Paralyzer, Falling On, Sense of a Spark). The arrangements are good as they always are, and they manage to surprise the listener on occasion. On the whole it's just good songwriting. The album also includes several "ballad" style songs (I'll keep your memory vague, Change the World) that are still solid (allbeit not particularly strong tracks). The problem here is that the lyrics on "Them Vs. You. Vs. Me" have for the large part taken a step backwards. While the vocal melodies are just as they were, the lyrics are less insightful and seem less sincere than on previous albums. For me, the problem for the ballads is that they will always be compared to "Thousand Mile Wish" which is their most sincere and deep song lyrically, but also features some of their strongest songwriting.
  
  All in all, the album is well put together, although I would have favored a more raw production as found in their self-titled album, but this is a worthy addition to their discography. I don't think it's their finest work, but F11 resists the temptation to remain stagnant after commercial success (however marginal).
  
  
• Truly Underwhelming
  By AM6W1BH93WYZQ on 2007-04-02
  I first heard Finger Eleven when, on a recommendation, I bought The Greyest of Blue Skies. This turned out to be one of the best albums I had ever heard with the perfect combination of darkness, heaviness and beautiful melody. I have since checked out Tip, their excellent debut, and while their self-titled third album didn't live up to their earlier brilliance it still had its moments.
  
  Their latest effort is a great disappointment - very flat, very forgettable, very predictable. Most of the songs plod along without taking any unexpected or interesting turns and even after several listens don't stick in the head the way most of their earlier work did. I'm not sure if the success of One Thing, the most dull, unimaginative song the band have ever written, have encouraged them to keep it nice and simple but the end result is very disappointing.
  
  Highlights - not many, in my opinion. My personal favourite is closing song Easy Life while Window Song, Change The World and Gather and Give are quite pleasant-sounding. Least favourites were So-So Suicide and Talking To The Walls.
  
  Overall a big let down, especially having had to wait for a couple of weeks for it to arrive from the States. Finger Eleven join a whole host of bands, including Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown, whose earlier work thrilled but whose latest efforts have been truly underwhelming.
  
  
• Buy Greyest of Blue Skies Instead
  By A2TIC56PO0ZTB6 on 2007-10-13
  If you want to hear Finger Eleven at their absolute best you have to listen to "Greyest of Blue Skies". There were so many modern rock songs on that cd that should have been radio release hits it's not even funny. They never got the exposure they deserved when "Greyest of Blue Skies" was out. Their first cd under the name Finger Eleven was "Tip" and it was great as well. I caught them live with CREED back in the "Greyest..." days and they were great. I just don't care for the new sound that these guys have developed. They are a super band but I am stuck on the "Greyest of Blue Skies" cd!!!! It's totally different than anything else they have done.
  
  
• Fozzy's new CD destroys this.....similar vibe but way better songs
  By A3B8MI055LTPSD on 2008-04-11
  Fozzy's new CD All That Remains Reloaded was similar in approach vocally, yet Jericho believe it or not is a far more interesting singer and has better melody. Fozzy is heavier than Finger Eleven, but yet it's much easier to find yourself singing along to Fozzy. Check out the Fozzy CD and do yourself a favor.........
  
  
• A little confused here...
  By A1SO8IONFJBOTR on 2007-03-08
  First off, I've been a huge Finger 11 fan for many years. Ever sense I heard "Tip" I was blown away...Grayest of Blue Skies and even the self titled I really enjoyed. These guys are a great band and offer one of the best live shows that I have honestly ever seen as you can tell that they get into their music.
  
  Now...on to Them vs you vs me. I'm not sure what happened here, it seems like they completely changed their sound. One of the things I liked from their previous works was the dark tones and feelings you got...this CD is nothing like this. The lyrics are completely different than what one would be used to and it's...different. It's still a pretty good record in its own right but this just isn't what I fell in love with when I first heard this band. Still, the music is pretty original and it's still good but it will lose a lot of fans but probably gain more from the younger crowds. At $10 I'd still recommend buying its still good...it just doesn't feel right.
  
  
• A Disappointment
  By AIPPVVZFHWS8L on 2007-03-19
  After I got Tip years ago, I was sure to be at the store for Finger Eleven's new releases the day they came out. I heard Paralyzer on the radio and thought it was a catchy tune. A little more poppy then what I'm used to, but a good jam. It didn't get any better then that on the album. I always thought that Finger Eleven's weakest tracks were their slower ones. Most of the stuff on this CD is pretty mellow for them. The dark, distinguishable feel is gone, replaced with a pretty un-unique, watered down sound that you'll hear on most radio stations. The lyrics are tired and unimaginative. Scott does show off his great voice throughout this album and the songs are well arranged. It's a decent CD, but won't get as much play as their other 3 in my CD Player. These guys are rockers, I hope they return to their roots. I'm afraid I won't be at the store the day of release for their next album, I'll wait and see...
  
  
• Below Expectations
  By A6EOEG1BKPWKP on 2007-03-30
  I've been an F11 fan since "Tip" (you can see my review of their previous album from a few years back) and have always loved the drastic changes from disc to disc. They've always had a unique style and tried new things to keep the sound modern. On "Them VS. You VS. Me," the quality musicianship is still there, but the overall sound and vibe just doesn't work for me. You still hear some F11 signature traits in the songs, but it has too much of a classic rock vibe for my taste. Instead of sounding new and modern, it sounds old. It's just very surprising. The best comparison I can give is the transition Pearl Jam made after Vitalogy. The songs are decent, but there is nothing that makes you want to listen to them again.
  
  I will still listen to this disc out of the respect F11 has earned up to this point (hoping it will grow on me), but I hope this isn't a permanent direction. This band used to help define the modern rock landscape, but other than a few riffs here and there, this lacks the groundbreaking qualities I've come to expect. To wait 4 years for this is disappointing at best.
  
  
• Them VS. New VS. Old
  By AFXEZNN08JXIL on 2007-04-06
  I like the album, but F11 is changing a lot, and becoming more mainstream. Their unique sound is starting to fade into what I hear on the radio. Don't get me wrong, I love the album and think it's sweet, but there's only a few songs on it that I can continuously listen to without getting sick of. If you like F11, buy the album and you be the judge. I like it, and I'm seeing them in concert on April 5th with Chevelle.
  Do enjoy...
  
  
• Just bought it
  By A3EHBDQQ20M9M3 on 2007-05-19
  This is my first exposure to Finger Eleven. I bought this CD because of Paralyzer, a good track. I have read some of the other reviews on this production, and I am perplexed. Perhaps being my first exposure without a comparison of previous works. But, that is not how I work. Read my other reviews and you'll see how I work. This is a good CD. I will enjoy it periodically throughout the years to come. It is not the greatest thing to ever grace my ears, yet I was satisfied with my buy, and did not feel as though I were cheated. Check out "Gather & Give", or any of the other tracks on this CD, but take them for what they are, don't compare them to previous works. You're only disappointing yourself if you expect the same thing every time they put out a CD.
  
  
• No more paralyzers?
  By A20O400TF7H9YO on 2007-07-08
  I love Paralyzer.. it has a harder sound to it which I was hoping to hear on the rest of the album. Unfortunately, I only liked the first track and found the rest to be a bit of a disappointment. Seems like "Paralyzer" should have been done by Disturbed. The only reason I gave the album a 2 was because it has one song I can't get enough of. Otherwise, it's a zero. Generic and poor lyrics = radio friendly. Not what I'm looking for.
  
  
• notice a pattern here?
  By A2TEMFRHXK802Y on 2007-07-09
  notice how everyone who says this is my first time hearing F11 i love it and they give it 5 stars? yea..cuz its a good album..all you 1 star guys own greyest of blue skies and your wanting a repeat...well f11 dosent do that... thats like watching and loving super troupers then renting their 1st release called puddle cruisers and hating it because you wanted another super troupers out of it....but would you have liked the movie if youd never seen super troupers?..most likely....NEVER judge someone on their other works. and you won't ruin the music for yourself.... if them vs you vs me was released my ohh say...some band called cheetah lol and you heard paralyzer...youd prob like the album...
  
  
• Just lacking something...
  By A35NP5JI6K3H9A on 2007-08-21
  It's not that this album doesn't sound like anything they've done previously - I enjoy creativity and variety in everything I listen to. However, this album is just really lacking something and seems very derivative, especially when you consider how interesting their other three efforts were. All the soul seems to have gone out of this band, they're going through the motions but it's just not registering or breaking through. Let's hope the next album has something worth listening to.
  
  
• One hit wonder, as everyone should know
  By A2O6XJP22WDLC9 on 2007-08-27
  The only valid reason to buy this disc is for "Paralyzer"; it's the one semi-original, decent tune on the entire disc, and if you're familiar with how the mainstream record industry works, you'll know that's all you should expect. They'll milk one song, push the record on the strength of that given song ad nauseum until not even the one song is listenable, then move on to the next victim. The only reason this album as a whole would be a good buy is if you're expecting extremely substandard, dime a dozen mainstream rock that's as uninspired and unoriginal as the thousands of other sound-alike bands polluting the airwaves at this very moment.
  
  
• Well It's Ok...
  By A27JYJ0AAGOA2C on 2007-09-11
  I bought this album (like most people I would guess) because I enjoyed the song "Paralyzer" so much. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is nowhere near the intensity of this opening track. The remaining songs are mostly slow or mid-tempo and definitely do not rock as hard. In fact in some places I heard a Fall Out Boy like tone which is definitely not something I am interested in and if I had known I wouldn't have bought the album. If you really like "Paralyzer" I recommend you just download that song somewhere and leave the album for the hardcore fans.
  
  
• BORROW A FRIEND'S!!!
  By AIQZMTI2EZKV on 2007-09-26
  I have, with this purchase, bought 3 dogs in the past month. I fell for A song, (Paralyzer) bought what I thought would be a rockin' album only to find emo in every direction!!!! (Saliva's Blood Stained Love Story - for Ladies and Gentlemen - and Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight - for Bleed it out - were the other 2 dogs.)
  
  DO NOT buy this album without sampling to all the tracks...go to your local Borders if you have to!! Save your money!!! I wish I had.
  
  
• Not so good ...
  By A3V6TSXVZMYWL2 on 2007-10-13
  I've listened to this album many times, and just can't get into it. It's very generic, and sounds like everything else nowadays on the radio. If you're looking for something better, try Chevelle's newest album, or even old Iron Maiden. In my opinion, Finger Eleven is a waste of your precious listening time.
  
  
• Generic
  By A2Y6HL9F49K1F3 on 2007-12-27
  With the exception of the first song, "Paralyzer", this whole album felt completely generic. It sounds like I've heard this album a dozen times before by other artists, and little was added to this one to make it unique at all. Very disappointed by this purchase.
  
  
• Just buy "Paralyzer" as a single.
  By AHX9453BM6T7H on 2008-02-23
  I'd heard some of Finger Eleven's earlier work, and thought there was some potential there. When "Paralyzer" started playing, I really liked the sound, picked it up, and played the CD on the way home.
  It was something of a let down, as the CD was not cohesive and no other songs stood up to the expectations the single created.
  The album's not BAD, it's just BLAND.
  I'd say stick to the single.
  
  
• Not the Finger Eleven I used to know
  By A1435P5AMCPB3X on 2007-03-07
  This album is a very large departure from the band that made "The Greyest of Blue Skies" and "Tip", two really good hard rock albums. After their last self titled album, the very polished and good mix of pop and power that they had has been all washed away, and we are left with a sugary sounding album "Them VS You VS ME". Unfortunately, this album will loose a lot of their previous fans, but pick up a lot of young and more "new rock" fans. Paralyzer is about the best and most logical first single from this album, because it is about the only one I can halfway like. Falling on is not a bad track either, but then this album just looses itself in monotany. It burns itself out after about 4 tracks (Track 4 "Lost My Way" says it all. and sounds a lot like Paralyzer). It sounds like are struggling to finde another "One Thing" (which I'm still amazed that did that well, since thier were better songs on the last album). Finger eleven needs to go back and start finding tracks like "First Time", "Suffocate", and "Quicksand", songs that hooked me into following these guys. Even their Rainbow Butt Monkeys stuff was more distinguishable than this.
  
  Overall, this is a reasonable album, and I will likely grow to like it more the longer I listen to it, but it is not one of the "instant classics" albums. Pick this up for a reasonable sale price if you must.
  
  
• What??
  By A2C0AFAH3NAIET on 2007-03-23
  Rock is Dead! I going to put these super songs in my Ipod and see if my shadow will disco dance to it.
  
  
• Below Average and boring by their standards
  By A3AT7DTU3947U2 on 2007-04-10
  Finger 11 has made some incredible music in the past. Check out "The Greyest of Blue Skies" for proof. That came out in 2000 and still is in heavy rotation on my player. Even "Tip" and the self-titled cd are great examples of excellent hard rock.
  
  This new one was one of my most-anticipated cds of 2007 and it let me down. I was expecting more rocking riffs and great vocal hooks. What I got was watered down material and a few experimental rockers thrown in.
  
  "Paralyzer" is a lot of fun, and there are a few other tunes that got my attention, but it seems that they were desperate to recreate the commercial success they enjoyed in the wake of their big hit "One Thing", which was a big crossover smash. None of these songs comes close to that, and I think that they will learn their lesson here. I think the next album won't seem so forced or pressured by a label. Even with the negative aspects of this album, many people will enjoy the lighter side of F11, but I hope they get back to their heavier roots. Not a bad album, just mis-advised and lacking in oomph. It will rarely make it's way into my cd player.
  
  

• Finger Eleven
• Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces
• One X
• Minutes to Midnight
• Famous