Posts tagged let's say we did
Frontman Sebastion Fors leads the Stockholm-based quintet Let’s Say We Did on their self-titled full-length debut. A few Google searches informed me that Fors is a veteran of the Swedish songwriting circuit and this album follows a few singles released by the band. In light of the relatively slow slate of Thanksgiving week releases, I decided to say yes to this album for this week’s review. After some listens, would this turn out to be something I should have said, “No, let’s not, but say we did?”
Sounds Like: The songwriting of Ryan Adams and Conor Oberst, but the sound of Shout Out Louds
“It’s OK,” the album’s opening track, kicks off with tapping drum sticks and lets loose into an onslaught of screaming guitars. The wave of guitars reach a frantic finish, making way for Fors’ cool, smooth vocals played over a humming electric guitar riff (like many other acts from Sweden, Fors’ vocals are sang in English). This track is heavily dominated by guitars, though the band creates a wide range of sounds from the roaring intro to a mellow bridge featuring a subdued, heavily palm-muted riff against an eerie, haunting melody line played high on the guitar neck. Fors’ tongue-in-cheek lyrics strongly mirror the seemingly bipolar nature of this tune as the chorus repeats, ”It’s OK, these feelings will go away.” The next track, “Galaxies,” finds Fors putting the fallout of a breakup into perspective (“galaxies collapsing”) over a hook-laden bevy of guitars and keys. The band builds into a huge buildup over a bridge, introducing handclaps that ultimately break into applause as the bass line picks up the smooth-moving hook into the last verse.
Best Lyric: “I could spend my days / reading rock magazines / and relive my teens. / Whatever that means.” - “Come On Honey”
“Straight Back To You” opens with a harmonized hook-driven guitar riff before fading away to a more subdued riff behind Fors’ vocals. The album’s first single, this track is an overly catchy tune, as Fors’ lyrics focus on missing a loved one while on the road in a playful manner. The harmonized guitar hook comes and goes, often accentuated by subtle hooks, hitting a high point with a thrashing solo at the end. The pace slows down considerably on the bluesy “On the Day.” A reverbed guitar riff opens the track as other lines weave in an out, creating a bleak, sonic haze while Fors’ bemoans a breakup. Following the second verse, the band opens it up as the song kicks it into overdrive for an extended guitar solo and rock out, aided by numerous ambient sounds and effects before fading out on the initial lone guitar riff.
Music video for ”Straight Back To You”
“Let the Sky Come Done” is much more lyrically upbeat, as Fors describes the carefree uplifting emotions of falling in love. Fors’ verses are cooed over softly distorted guitar riffs building to a booming anthemic chorus. The verse and chorus create a very appealing contrast, making this one of my favorite tracks of the album. An acoustic guitar riff makes a brief appearance at the beginning of “Come On Honey.” On this track, Fors pleads for his lover to come home while dealing with all the angst that can go along with it. The band captures this angst with a moving guitar line that drives the song along.
Key Tracks: It’s OK, Galaxies, Straight Back To You, Let the Sky Come Down, Follow Me Down, Silent and Still
“Follow Me Down,” the title track of the Band’s 2010 EP, is driven by a strummed acoustic guitar riff, a stark contrast from the distorted electrics that dominate the rest of the album. A lightly, clean guitar arpeggio accents the beginning of the chorus, building to dark, synthesizers accenting the vocals. The elevated production value dripping from this track really makes this one stand apart from the rest of the album, not necessarily in a good or bad way, but significantly different nonetheless. “Blue Skies,” a bluesy ballad in which Fors’ sees gray clouds ahead, leans heavily on clean, layered guitar riffs while a piano accents the chorus.
“Silent and Still” is a somber number, starting slowly and meekly with Fors’ vocals atop a gently distorted and palm-muted guitar riff. Another guitar hook carries the song through a solid chorus melody and gets merely hinted at during the verses. “Give ‘em Hell” is another slow, broody tune carried primarily by guitars and drums. Given the name of the track and the buildup to the end of the verses, Fors toys with listeners with an understated chorus as he whispers, “I will give ‘em hell.”
Overall Rating:
After finding this band completely out of the blue, I must admit that I am hooked. Their songs are well crafted and show their ability to make the most out of their guitar-dominated instrumentation. Additionally, Fors’ vocal melodies are catchy as can be, yet delivered with an understatedness that adds to the intimate nature of the songs. The culmination of these elements is a solid indie rock album from another band of Swedes.
