Let Me Run - Meet Me at the Bottom

[Blake Solomon]

Let Me Run - Meet Me at the Bottom
Record Label: XOXO Records
Release Date: January 20, 2009

This is a review 2 years in the making. You see, it takes restraint and a little bit of foresight to understand the difference between okay, good and great. There is nothing more deceiving than a wonderful first impression. Even worse for a critic is a wonderful first song. “The Count of Monte Fisto” bulldozes in with husky voices and likeable punk melodies. Throw in some soothing backing vocals and a chorus that more than a few nowhere-to-turn punks would love to tattoo on their shoulders and you’ve got yourself a hit. “Boom,” I thought, “another winner!” But oh no. Oh no no no. Meet Me at the Bottom rarely delivers after this song’s triumphant gang vocal section and not-quite breakdown. Such a shame, and perhaps a younger Blake would've let this three minutes of joy cloud my overall judgment. However, much like the guys in Let Me Run, I’ve lived and learned. I can see the finish line, and it’s not pretty.

“We Bring The Booze” is the album’s last shining moment, and that’s only because it sounds exactly like the opener. Guitars noodle into the 80’s while an even catchier gang chorus spits out rally cries like, “This used to be a town / made up of brothers / but goddamnit they don’t know what they’ve left.” Basically, Meet Me at the Bottom is an ode to time spent in and around New Brunswick, New Jersey, which is a town that should sound familiar due to a one-band renaissance led by The Gaslight Anthem. But where that band succeeds, this one fails. There is little diversity throughout, and other than lamentations focused on dying kidneys, we hear no smart insights a la TGA’s Fallon (who also lends some backing vocals). “Here’s My Destroyer” is Let Me Run’s attempt at mellow, but other than scant acoustic guitar and slightly slower tempos, this is nothing memorable (“Make it loud / Make it loud / Make it motherf**king loud!”). More like Let Me Sigh, right? (You're fired - Editor.)

True, this is meant to be harder-edged than The Gaslight Anthem, but that doesn’t mean I should accept such redundancies. On the rare occasion something new is tried, like the off-key, thunder-like grumbling in “Oh My Levees” or the Northstar-for-Punks vocalization on “I Don’t Stomp, I Battle”, the listener is left feeling more like a tortured lab rat than a fired-up fan. Travis Omilian’s gruffness is sincere; please believe that. It’s what the noises end up becoming that stink so bad: “She loathed me like the weather / Like a cold and steady storm.” The whole of Meet Me at the Bottom plays out like a mixture of all the better punk albums from the last few years, except there’s no defining style. Some songs are Hot Water Music, some are Polar Bear Club, some are The Gaslight Anthem, but very few are Let Me Run. 2007 is but a stone’s throw in the past, so Let Me Run’s relative newness may have something to do with this lack of distinction. However, being signed is good for these guys' development on many levels. Let Me Run is defined by their personal experiences, and once they have some more collective memories under their studded belts, things should be looking way up.


Recommended If You Like: The Gaslight Anthem, Hot Water Music, cheese fries, Polar Bear Club, fried cheese


www.myspace.com/babyletmerun

[redeyes]

Dude, you said it.

I checked this band out on myspace a few weeks ago. heard "bring the booze" and "the count" and was stoked about this band. got the disc and found nothing else of note on it.

solid review.

[Christian Wagner]

I saw these guys a couple of nights ago with The Bouncing Souls and Gaslight Anthem. Solid performance from them in terms of sounding tight and having some good music. I am disappointed by the review, not because of what you said, rather, the lack of good songs they have on the album. I guess when you only play for 25 minutes you can showcase your really good songs and leave the rest for people to listen to on the record.

[kesto4]

I will never take a Blake Solomon review seriously, as I read his atrociously bad review of The Killers Day & Age album. Absolutely pathetic review!

[streydogg]

He's better than Susan Francis at least.

[Julia Conny]

I will never take a Blake Solomon review seriously, as I read his atrociously bad review of The Killers Day & Age album. Absolutely pathetic review!

Well that's dumb.

[Julia Conny]

Nice one, Blake. I wasn't sure what to think of this album but you found the words I was looking for.

[shit stroll]

fucking terrible review.

[Jacktheskipper]

fucking terrible review.
kinda drastic but that`s what i thought, too

[Blake Solomon]

fucking terrible review.
what was wrong with it?

[Blake Solomon]

I will never take a Blake Solomon review seriously, as I read his atrociously bad review of The Killers Day & Age album. Absolutely pathetic review!
that one was pathetic or both of these are?

[vakuola]

Nice review, Blake.
This band brings nothing new to the table, and I find it funny how people say a review is terrible when they like the band reviewed and receives a low score.

[Jacktheskipper]

sorry, don`t get me wrong, there`s nothing wrong with how this review is written, technically it`s perfectly fine and to each his own, but the score is more than harsh ...

[Blake Solomon]

sorry, don`t get me wrong, there`s nothing wrong with how this review is written, technically it`s perfectly fine and to each his own, but the score is more than harsh ...

You see, though, I do "get you wrong", because caling a number fucking terrible is much different than calling the way I reasoned towards that number fucking terrible.

[Justin_stacy]

Its not a great album by any means, but in the age of 'fashion punk' it was a breath of fresh air, partiuclarly the first half.

Let It Ride's biggest problem is that Meet Me At The Bottom is not a complete album. While it starts out strong and offers some variety, the back half could basically be one song played over and over. But the truth is many bands have this same problem with their freshman releases, and its more to do with band maturity and experience, then a lack of talent.

For my money I thought MMATB offered a pretty good first impression. It was not Sink or Swim good, but its also not really fair to compare every punk/ameriana/rock-roll band that comes out NJ to GLA's standards.

bhZwUM7TQI4

[Blake Solomon]

Its not a great album by any means, but in the age of 'fashion punk' it was a breath of fresh air, partiuclarly the first half.

Let It Ride's biggest problem is that Meet Me At The Bottom is not a complete album. While it starts out strong and offers some variety, the back half could basically be one song played over and over. But the truth is many bands have this same problem with their freshman releases, and its more to do with band maturity and experience, then a lack of talent.

For my money I thought MMATB offered a pretty good first impression. It was not Sink or Swim good, but its also not really fair to compare every punk/ameriana/rock-roll band that comes out NJ to GLA's standards.

bhZwUM7TQI4

But when the band uses fallon in the background and sings about roughly yhe same things in roughly the sae style, it is fair to compare the two. Plus, I have not compared every band from NJ to TGA. if they were good enough they could leap over such claims, but they simply aren't yet. And for the record I also mentioned their young age as a band and gave them a fairly high musician score.

[BlinkNFG15]

I rarely comment on reviews because most of the time I find them to be completely accurate, but for the first time I actually respectfully disagree with this. I saw these guys a few months ago in a whole in the wall bar in Brooklyn, and they put on a helluva a performance for the 30 people in attendance. I think this record is absolutely solid and is far more deserving than you give credit for. I personally believe when you look at most of the music coming out right now this happens to outshine other records just with the heart alone that these guys put into each of the songs, which is perfectly showcased through the lead singers delivery of every word.

But hey it is a free country, and I wholely believe in the concept of live and let live. My take away point in all of this is that if you have any interest in Punk rock at all you should give this record a whirl and not be totally detracted from the record by this review.

[chetdesmond]

im pretty sure the drinking references are all analogies for relationships, friends, love, good times, and dissapointment. in other words the stuff that great songs are made of. but i agree with the few dudes above, when i hear this record without having the mind to compare it to the band of the week... i hear inspired stories of young dudes in a band who are excited to hit the road and see what the great big world has to offer and vice versa. ala "you know shit might not work out. but fuck it lets just go for it and have a hell of a good time while we do it" im not sure whats more punk rock than that? dude totally took lyrics out of content too... its like bill o'reilly did the review. its a good record.

[Chris Fallon]

Disappointing, but I don't think it's nearly that bad. 44% is pretty rough, however this disc is certainly a hodgepodge of other bands who have done it better. With that said, I'd give it a 72 or so -- the band has it in them to make a better record in the future. Not a bad foundation to built upon.

[CellarGhosts]

disagree strongly with such a low score, but I respect your opinion Blake, and it was a well written review, at least. I know it's not amazing, or even great, but I do enjoy it quite a bit, and think it shows a pretty big amount of promise.

[Who Is This Guy]

I agree with many of the positive posts above. This band is a welcomed and refreshing act in today's scene, and I think that the score was a bit harsh. The album feels underproduced, but for me, it doesn't take away from the energy that I hear. Sure, I can hear the influences of many of this band's predecessors that you mention, but I feel it adds to their sound. Just like I feel that the influences of Bruce Springsteen, poodle skirts and Old Fashoneds add to TGL's sound, or how I feel that the influences of Hot Water Music and pop sensibility add to PBC's sound.

That said, I agree that this band has nowhere to go but up. I'm excited to see what they do in 2009. And I have a feeling that many people will be kicking themselves for not giving this album a good few listens before passing judgment. There's a lot more to it than what's on the surface. I hear a band singing about going out and doing what they love, and hoping everyone they meet along the way is as excited about it as they are.

Keep it up, guys. 2009 is your year.

[prefix-core]

My own personal opinion about the album aside? That review was well-written.

Personally, I think it's a solid record despite the fact that wears it's influences on it's sleeve. And personally, I don't think that detracts from me being able to enjoy the record. Nor do several of the songs sounding the same. But that's just me - heart goes a long way as far as my ears are concerned. And these guys seem to have plenty of it.

And besides, if you really want to keep up with the Gaslight comparisons? You can hear bits and pieces of Against Me, the Lawrence Arms, Avail, and Lucero all OVER "Sink or Swim." Now, look how far they've come? Just saying...

[SanePsychotic]

I thought that this album wasn't too bad, definintely not deserving a 44%. I would have agreed to a 60-70% score. The band probably just needs to do more and really grow into themselves. While I disagree with what was said, I don't think that the review was poorly written, so good job.

[ACA]

I saw this band live (http://intunemusiconline.com/category/bands/let-me-run/) and they were good. I got their demo for free, and it wasn't good. I'm not surprised about this review, but I had hoped they would learn to put their live power into the studio.

[standstill320]

I have a number of large complaints with this review. It's one thing to have an opinion, but when you are offering a review that is completely subjective and downright opinionated it is unfair to label it as journalism. Blake's review seems full of "clever" and "witty" comments that simply don't read professionally (i.e. "no no no no," " see the finish line," "stink so bad," etc.). Frankly it seems that this review was not prompted by anything other than the reviewer's own distaste for the record, one that is clearly his own opinion, not a factual representation of much else. By no means is Meet Me At the Bottom a perfect record, but in my opinion it is a solid debut from a promising young band. If one considers the current musical climate surrounding "punk music" this record will sound at least a little refreshing; there is no screaming to be heard and Let Me Run makes no attempt to dress up their sound with fancy production values like strings, pianos, etc. To address some of the reviewer's complaints: this review pretty much states "Let Me Run is not as good as the Gaslight Anthem, a band they are trying to emulate." Yes, Brian Fallon sings on this record. To label this as a shotty attempt to be TGA is like scolding Gaslight for having Chris from Hot Water/The Draft sing on The 59' Sound. The bands are friends, and it's as simple as that. Yes, the bands are on the same label and play rock music, but comparisons pretty much end there in my opinion. It's natural to see the connection between the two, but to base a whole review off of it is simply amateur. Blake clearly says he gave the band points for "musicianship," yet only gives the band a 5. Again, I'm not here to complain about numbers, but Let Me Run's musicianship is one of the big things that sets the band apart in my opinion. To simply give them a 5 for a debut that features a lot of solid guitar performances seems strange to me when that implies 50%, but to each his or her own. No offense to Blake but I feel like any metaphors and deeper lyrical content was lost on him as he deemed the album just full of drinking references. Again I feel the reviewer just defaulted on X is not as good as Y. Yeah this record is not as good Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, but should I tear it apart because of that? Overall I feel like this is not an objective review, but just a dressed up slam on a band that truly doesn't deserve it.

[grindian]

"Basically, Meet Me at the Bottom is an ode to time spent in and around New Brunswick, New Jersey, which is a town that should sound familiar due to a one-band renaissance led by The Gaslight Anthem."

-enlightening...where have you been the past 10 years?....

obviously nowhere near New Brunswick...

basement shows have been all over new brunswick for a long ass time... bands like Thursday and Saves the Day benefitted hugely from it...

as for trying to say that the album itself is riding in TGA's slipstream...
Just because similar settings produced somewhat similar bands.. It's unfair to say that a band could be so hugely based off another... especially when TGA is such a young band itself.

The boss?... thats another story .. I think your being a little short sighted...

[permanent]

Disappointing, but I don't think it's nearly that bad. 44% is pretty rough, however this disc is certainly a hodgepodge of other bands who have done it better. With that said, I'd give it a 72 or so -- the band has it in them to make a better record in the future. Not a bad foundation to built upon.

This is the most accurate point of view I have heard on the album so far. Granted it's not amazing it shows a lot of potential. Also, it is easy to compare them to The Gaslight Anthem because of so many outside similarities (XOXO, New Brunswick) but it's a little unfair to expect them or any other new band to create something just yet of the caliber that The '59 Sound had.

[bloodyr0mance87]

I have a number of large complaints with this review. It's one thing to have an opinion, but when you are offering a review that is completely subjective and downright opinionated it is unfair to label it as journalism. Blake's review seems full of "clever" and "witty" comments that simply don't read professionally (i.e. "no no no no," " see the finish line," "stink so bad," etc.). Frankly it seems that this review was not prompted by anything other than the reviewer's own distaste for the record, one that is clearly his own opinion, not a factual representation of much else. By no means is Meet Me At the Bottom a perfect record, but in my opinion it is a solid debut from a promising young band. If one considers the current musical climate surrounding "punk music" this record will sound at least a little refreshing; there is no screaming to be heard and Let Me Run makes no attempt to dress up their sound with fancy production values like strings, pianos, etc. To address some of the reviewer's complaints: this review pretty much states "Let Me Run is not as good as the Gaslight Anthem, a band they are trying to emulate." Yes, Brian Fallon sings on this record. To label this as a shotty attempt to be TGA is like scolding Gaslight for having Chris from Hot Water/The Draft sing on The 59' Sound. The bands are friends, and it's as simple as that. Yes, the bands are on the same label and play rock music, but comparisons pretty much end there in my opinion. It's natural to see the connection between the two, but to base a whole review off of it is simply amateur. Blake clearly says he gave the band points for "musicianship," yet only gives the band a 5. Again, I'm not here to complain about numbers, but Let Me Run's musicianship is one of the big things that sets the band apart in my opinion. To simply give them a 5 for a debut that features a lot of solid guitar performances seems strange to me when that implies 50%, but to each his or her own. No offense to Blake but I feel like any metaphors and deeper lyrical content was lost on him as he deemed the album just full of drinking references. Again I feel the reviewer just defaulted on X is not as good as Y. Yeah this record is not as good Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys, but should I tear it apart because of that? Overall I feel like this is not an objective review, but just a dressed up slam on a band that truly doesn't deserve it.
it seems your main gripe is that Blake has offered the members of AP.net his opinions about this album. what exactly do you believe a review is? if it was just based on facts, the review would only say the names of the band members, the names of the tracks, who produced the record, what label it's on, and maybe what instruments are played on it. those are really the only facts about an album. a review is meant to present readers with an opinion. plus, it's just that, an opinion. it's what Blake, and Blake alone, thinks about the album. you are certainly entitled to disagree with it (welcome to America), but that's no reason to call the author out on what he's written here. you only have a few posts so i assume you're new to the site. if you feel so strongly about how bad this review is, write your own. that's why this site accepts user reviews. however, don't be surprised if people come in and shit all over it.

[Blake Solomon]

it seems your main gripe is that Blake has offered the members of AP.net his opinions about this album. what exactly do you believe a review is? if it was just based on facts, the review would only say the names of the band members, the names of the tracks, who produced the record, what label it's on, and maybe what instruments are played on it. those are really the only facts about an album. a review is meant to present readers with an opinion. plus, it's just that, an opinion. it's what Blake, and Blake alone, thinks about the album. you are certainly entitled to disagree with it (welcome to America), but that's no reason to call the author out on what he's written here. you only have a few posts so i assume you're new to the site. if you feel so strongly about how bad this review is, write your own. that's why this site accepts user reviews. however, don't be surprised if people come in and shit all over it.
i appreciate it, but don't waste your breath haha. If only I started a fund to add money to for each time someone talks about a lack of facts in a review after they give a bunch of opinions on why my opinions are wrong.

A review like he wants would be pretty boring, but at least he thought I was "witty" and "clever."

[jtyexists9]

Well that's dumb.
Very. I think Blake is damn good at his reviews.

[tm decomposer]

I thought AP wasn't allowed to give reviews under a 65?

[Spenny]

Good review Blake. I agree with everything you mentioned.
Need to find a style that is unique to them.

[luckyboy611]

yeah, i pretty much feel the exact opposite about this album. its fucking killer.

[LiquorAndDick]

I personally think the score is far too low for this record.

[heyguys123]

shit you rated higher than this: nevershoutnever, family force 5, the maine, punk goes crunk, family force 5 again, envy on the coast. REALLY???

[CellarGhosts]

shit you rated higher than this: nevershoutnever, family force 5, the maine, punk goes crunk, family force 5 again, envy on the coast. REALLY???
Yep. I don't get it either.