Let Me Out

'I Think I Can...' (2009)

Brian Shultz

Let Me Run. Let Me Crazy. How many "Let Me"s can release albums this year? Well, at least three I guess, and while Let Me Out doesn't have the most original band name, their sound is…well, a little more realized.

"I Think I Can…" is a fairly typical semi-melodic hardcore album that does a decent enough job, playing along the same lines of, say, Stretch Arm Strong's more straightforward moments or a chunkier 7 Seconds. "Keep It Up" is the kind of song whose punctual gang shouts and pumping, hard tempos should elicit a few fist pumps at shows, but may not motivate anyone to respond more vigorously. Musical tricks like the slow descent of instrumentation towards the close of "I Think I Can…" work nicely, and you wish the band would mix it up a little more like this on the album. "The Black Sheep Is Going Home" is a rare track where the band sound quite upbeat in a sort of CIV-ish way, and there's plenty of really abrupt change-ups that make it an interesting late cut.

Lyrically, "I Think I Can…" tends to favor typical fare, from scene politics ("Let Me Out") and vague personal struggles ("I Think I Can…") to adamant animal liberation stances ("You Don't Need That Shit") and Release the Cure-esque paranoia ("Mass Murder Conspiracy"). I mean, there's two songs called "Fuck You," even. You've definitely heard these subjects before, but if not, good luck on your learner's permit test. Seriously though, the songs are presented in a way that's not all that bad for a Swedish band whose first language may not even be English.

"I Think I Can…" is in desperate need of more pronounced dynamics and original ideas, but it's definitely not a bad effort.

STREAM
Invincible
Let Me Out
Keep It Up
I Think I Can…
These Ties