Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Things change a lot in 4 years. Bands come and go; groups that were once on top of the world become bargain bin material in your local record store. Averaging three years between albums hasn't hurt The Goo Goo Dolls' Johnny Rzeznik, Robbie Takac, and Mike Malinin, however. Their new release, Let Love In, which I have had on constant rotation since getting the pre-release last week, is a strongly enjoyable album. Let Love In delivers the audience a deliciously comfortable slice of pure radio-friendly music.
The album kicks off with two songs sure to be big singles. Stay With You is an amped up song, its strong melodies and uplifting beats resonate wonderfully. Let Love In is musically lush; Strong acoustic guitar and great fuzzy bass tones join ethereal strings that highlight lyrics sure to make the heart ache, "the only way we'll feel again, the only way to see again, is to let love in." Feel The Silence has an addictive beat and comforting chorus. The fourth and best track on the album, Better Days,is a plea for love and tolerance in a fractured world; A somber piano melody accompanies emotional lyrics, "Tonight's the night the world begins again" and "there's something only you can give..that's faith and trust and peace while you're alive," while a full orchestra builds to an emotionally pleasing crescendo. This song will be on every radio. Without You is a bit of a pleasant surprise musically, as if U2's Edge jumped into the studio to play lead guitar on this laid back mid-tempo song.
The album's midway point gives us Robbie's first vocal with Listen, a song sure to please the Robbie fans and infuriate the Robbie haters. Give a Little Bit follows, makes its encore return from last year's single release. As cover songs go, this is one of the best in recent years, ideally blending Rzeznik's voice and 12-string guitar. Can't Let it Go is probably the closest thing to a Black Balloon on this record, "You were no angel, and I was no saint, but somehow I can't let it go." When You're Gone feels like filler track at first but becomes better and better with every listen. Strange Love is Robbie second vocal track. This is the first real departure from the Dolls normal style, offering an 80's feel with piano notes floating over a repeating chorus. This would make a great track for a movie. The closing track Become is decent enough but leaves you with a slightly off aftertaste as it can't seem to decide what kind of song it wants to be.
For you Doll fans counting at home, this album has 9 Johnny and 2 Robbie vocals. The record as a whole is fairly laid back, without any fast tempo rock tracks that earlier albums had. Glen Ballard's production on this album gives us tighter and better melodies and smoother choruses, but the songs as a whole are more atmospheric than rocked out. More instruments and effects are used, layering the songs with more depth and complexity than the three-chord punch of yesteryear. Some feel that this album is too laid back at first play, but it grows considerably better with repeated listens. Those that don't like the softer side of Goo may be unhappy with this album, as Let Love In doesn't take dramatic risks in songwriting or stray far from the Dolls recent formula of success. It is an ear friendly album sure to be on constant rotation this year and will be a crowd pleaser. Recommended.
A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO
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Better days are here again as one of America's favorite rock bands, The Goo Goo Dolls, returns with its first studio album since 2002. Opening the doors for Let Love In-with the renowned Glen Ballad producing the band for the first time. Let Love In welcomes The Goo Goo Dolls back to the top of rock.
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