Feature Photo: Tabercil, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
I love rock bands from Canada. Finger Eleven is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario. The group was formed in 1990, just before the happy grunge era began. Sorry, that was a joke. The band originally went by the name Rainbow Butt Monkeys before changing it to Finger Eleven in 1997. The lineup consists of Scott Anderson (vocals), James Black (guitar), Rick Jackett (guitar), Sean Anderson (bass), and Rich Beddoe (drums). They have released seven studio albums: Letters from Chutney (1995, as Rainbow Butt Monkeys), Tip (1997), The Greyest of Blue Skies (2000), Finger Eleven (2003), Them vs. You vs. Me (2007), Life Turns Electric (2010), and Five Crooked Lines (2015).
Finger Eleven gained mainstream success with their self-titled album, which included the hit single “One Thing.” They achieved even greater success with Them vs. You vs. Me, featuring the multi-platinum single “Paralyzer.” The band has won multiple awards, including a Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year in 2008. Known for their dynamic sound that spans rock, alternative, and post-grunge, Finger Eleven continues to be a prominent presence in the Canadian and international rock scenes.
FINGER ELEVEN STUDIO ALBUMS
Letters from Chutney (as Rainbow Butt Monkeys)
Released April 4, 1995
Letters from Chutney is the debut studio album by Finger Eleven, released under their original name Rainbow Butt Monkeys on April 4, 1995. The album features a grunge and alternative rock sound that reflects the band’s early influences.
The album features Scott Anderson on vocals, James Black on guitar, Rick Jackett on guitar, Sean Anderson on bass, and Rob Gommerman on drums. It was produced by Chris Wardman and recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario, in 1994.
CD Track Listings:
- “As Far as I Can Spit” – 3:42
- “Danforth” – 3:17
- “Circles” – 3:53
- “Let Me Be” – 3:25
- “Dropping” – 3:48
- “Pedro” – 3:19
- “Cookin’ in the Kitchen” – 3:02
- “Dean Man” – 3:54
- “J.M.B.” – 2:57
- “Patio Lanterns” – 4:05
- “Aristocrat” – 3:26
- “Sweater” – 4:09
- “Stain” – 4:16
- “Samuel L. Hungus” – 2:56
Tip
Released August 26, 1997
Tip is Finger Eleven’s second studio album and their first release under the name Finger Eleven, released on August 26, 1997. The album marks a shift towards a more polished alternative rock sound and includes the singles “Above” and “Quicksand.”
The album features Scott Anderson on vocals, James Black on guitar, Rick Jackett on guitar, Sean Anderson on bass, and Rob Gommerman on drums. It was produced by Arnold Lanni and recorded at Arnyard Studios in Toronto, Ontario, in 1997.
CD Track Listings:
- “Quicksand” – 4:08
- “Tip” – 3:41
- “Shudder” – 3:28
- “Awake and Dreaming” – 4:37
- “Above” – 4:22
- “Condemned” – 3:10
- “Thin Spirits” – 4:13
- “Glimpse” – 3:47
- “Tip (Reprise)” – 2:18
- “Freedom” – 4:14
- “Temporary Arms” – 4:26
- “Swallowtail” – 5:10
The Greyest of Blue Skies
Released July 25, 2000
The Greyest of Blue Skies is Finger Eleven’s third studio album, released on July 25, 2000. The album showcases a heavier and darker sound, featuring the singles “First Time” and “Drag You Down.”
The album features Scott Anderson on vocals, James Black on guitar, Rick Jackett on guitar, Sean Anderson on bass, and Rich Beddoe on drums. It was produced by Arnold Lanni and recorded at Arnyard Studios in Toronto, Ontario, in 1999 and 2000.
CD Track Listings:
- “First Time” – 4:26
- “Drag You Down” – 3:18
- “My Carousel” – 3:42
- “Sick of It All” – 3:14
- “For the Ocean” – 3:28
- “Broken Words” – 4:13
- “Suffocate” – 3:29
- “Bones + Joints” – 5:11
- “Famous” – 4:16
- “Walking in My Shoes” – 3:26
- “Stay and Drown” – 4:28
Finger Eleven
Released June 17, 2003
Finger Eleven is Finger Eleven’s fourth studio album, released on June 17, 2003. The album features a mix of alternative rock and post-grunge sounds, with the hit single “One Thing” becoming their breakthrough song, reaching number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album features Scott Anderson on vocals, James Black on guitar, Rick Jackett on guitar, Sean Anderson on bass, and Rich Beddoe on drums. It was produced by Johnny K and recorded at Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, Illinois, in 2002.
CD Track Listings:
- “Other Light” – 3:57
- “Complicated Questions” – 3:16
- “Stay in Shadow” – 3:06
- “Good Times” – 3:07
- “Absent Elements” – 3:53
- “Thousand Mile Wish” – 3:51
- “Conversations” – 3:50
- “The Last Scene of Struggling” – 3:59
- “Panic Attack” – 3:07
- “Therapy” – 3:56
- “One Thing” – 4:40
- “Obvious Heart” – 4:00
Them vs. You vs. Me
Released March 6, 2007
Them vs. You vs. Me is Finger Eleven’s fifth studio album, released on March 6, 2007. The album features the band’s most successful single, “Paralyzer,” which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified multi-platinum.
The album features Scott Anderson on vocals, James Black on guitar, Rick Jackett on guitar, Sean Anderson on bass, and Rich Beddoe on drums. It was produced by Johnny K and recorded at Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, Illinois, in 2006.
CD Track Listings:
- “Paralyzer” – 3:28
- “Falling On” – 3:12
- “I’ll Keep Your Memory Vague” – 3:47
- “Lost My Way” – 3:23
- “So-So Suicide” – 3:47
- “Window Song” – 3:22
- “Sense of a Spark” – 3:34
- “Talking to the Walls” – 3:08
- “Change the World” – 3:24
- “Gather & Give” – 3:28
- “Easy Life” – 3:21
Life Turns Electric
Released October 5, 2010
Life Turns Electric is Finger Eleven’s sixth studio album, released on October 5, 2010. The album showcases a more polished and melodic rock sound, featuring the singles “Living in a Dream” and “Whatever Doesn’t Kill Me.”
The album features Scott Anderson on vocals, James Black on guitar, Rick Jackett on guitar, Sean Anderson on bass, and Rich Beddoe on drums. It was produced by James Black and Rick Jackett and recorded at various studios in Ontario, Canada, in 2009 and 2010.
CD Track Listings:
- “Any Moment Now” – 2:42
- “Pieces Fit” – 3:02
- “Whatever Doesn’t Kill Me” – 3:36
- “Living in a Dream” – 3:41
- “Good Intentions” – 3:23
- “Stone Soul” – 3:07
- “Ordinary Life” – 3:06
- “Don’t Look Down” – 3:00
- “Famous Last Words” – 3:37
- “Love’s What You Left Me With” – 3:33
Five Crooked Lines
Released July 31, 2015
Five Crooked Lines is Finger Eleven’s seventh studio album, released on July 31, 2015. The album features a return to a heavier rock sound and includes the single “Wolves and Doors.”
The album features Scott Anderson on vocals, James Black on guitar, Rick Jackett on guitar, Sean Anderson on bass, and Rich Beddoe on drums. It was produced by Dave Cobb and recorded at St. Charles Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2014.
CD Track Listings:
- “Gods of Speed” – 3:28
- “Criminal” – 3:30
- “Save Your Breath” – 3:20
- “Wolves and Doors” – 3:34
- “Come on, Oblivion” – 4:23
- “Not Going to Be Afraid” – 4:29
- “Five Crooked Lines” – 4:03
- “Blackout Song” – 4:04
- “Absolute Truth” – 3:41
- “Lost for Words” – 4:01
- “Sensory Eraser” – 3:39
- “A New Forever” – 4:16
Read More: Top 10 Finger Eleven Songs