"Okay, who wants this? The band is called Let Go. Anyone? Come on, look at the cover, they are trying to be Kanye. Anyone?"
The hesitation to pick up the album during the Herald's ArtsEtc writers' meeting was not unfounded. Everyone was too preoccupied with getting their hands on the newly released Billy Joel box set "My Lives" sitting between the editors. Nor was suggestion of imitation from the Tempe, Ariz.-based trio particularly off base. Let Go is anything but hip-hop, anything but Kanye, but their pop culture references are as clear as the cover.
Such clarity leaves some listeners completely convinced Chris Serafini, Jamie Woolford and Scott Hessel — the threesome making up Let Go — are some kind of geniuses. The rest are undeniably determined to call them some kind of flailing fools. The product of possible creativity — or lack thereof — the self-titled debut album walks a fine, fine line between brilliance and utter dullness.
Some bands have no qualms recognizing their musical snitching. They could sit any listener down and pinpoint which riff resulted from which predecessor, which beat was borrowed from which drum line. Whether or not Let Go members would be willing to do so, anyone can detect the reminders of the Goo Goo Doll's "Slide" opening "Louise." It is difficult to not experience a flashback to P.O.D. after the chords closing "Spotlights."
With that, it is not surprising that the Let Go sound falls somewhere in the midst of every other band vying for the embrace of the mainstream. It does not rock hard enough to be hard rock, not quite emotional enough to be emo, not quite innovative enough to be indie. Whatever its classification might be, it comes with the "pop" adjunction. Pop-rock, power-pop, pop-punk perhaps.
Upon the first listen, that pop is most evident, most pervasive. The tunes practically drip with a sugary sweetness emanating from Jamie Woolford's tenor voice. The sunshine-esque vocals are particularly notable during "No Drugs, No Alcohol." The guitars bounce, the drums become playful. Following the first listen, the question arises: Is this a joke? Is Let Go really a fantastic mimicry of all the subpar "pop" prefixed sounds flooding the Billboard charts in recent years?
Doubtful, very doubtful. With the tagline "Let Go is your new favorite band" on their website, it seems they are as serious as all those other bands putting in their bids for fame. They expect industry respect from the haphazardly written "Paper-Cuts," making a wholly underdeveloped metaphor, a comparison than lends neither sympathy nor credence of suffering.
In spite of such questionable moments — sucrose making Let Go's debut album a touch too honeyed — better at imitation than attempts at innovation, there are points of astonishing thematic ability. Take the line "Davie, keep your Major Tom away" sung during "No Drugs, No Alcohol." Take "Bright Eyes, No Brain" for example.
From someone who regrettably cannot deny all the "next Bob Dylan" labels Bright Eyes' Connor Oberst received more and more following the release of I'm Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, it is similarly regrettable to admit Let Go's strongest single is the album closer. Distinctly mellow, "Bright Eyes, No Brain" uses simple piano chords paired with sparing drumbeats. Without listening to lyrics, it is peaceful, beautiful. With those lyrics, it is loaded.

Let Go's potential genius becomes kinetic. If the "sad eyes soaked in shame, or so he claims / bad ideas drain so pray for rain" is in direct reference to Oberst, the poetry is phenomenal. Should the reference be mere coincidence, the track falls to the wayside — a tune soon to be replaced by another similarly mediocre song.
The problem with Let Go arises not from the pop. The problem with Let Go arises from a pop that is flimsy, like empty calories of saccharin. It might sound good after a listen, perhaps even a repeat or two. It offers some energy, some momentary enthusiasm. Then comes the draining after hearing the high-pitched voice throughout "Spotlights" more than twice over the course of one sitting. It is not substantial enough to maintain. There is no depth nor breadth nor heart. When they let go, they forgot to sufficiently hang onto all that could release the creative energy of the trio. At the encouragement of the band itself, it is best to follow suit and let this one go.

Grade: C