LET ME RUN "Meet Me At The Bottom" (XOXO) Review by Jordan A. Baker
With the admirable foresight (and good fortune) of putting out THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM's debut full-length, Sink or Swim, it's virtually impossible to fault XOXO Records for shaking hands with LET ME RUN another anthem-blasting, toe-tapping, guitar burning, Jersey punk rock band with a solid grip on rock n' roll signposts. Meet Me At The Bottom is LET ME RUN's debut full-length, but their songwriting abilities seem wholly seasoned, and the ebb and flow of the release is likely a credit to listening to a lot of SOCIAL DISTORTION, BOUNCING SOULS and THE EXPLOSION records. Somewhat corny song titles send the only mixed-message to Meet Me at the Bottom, which otherwise comes off as serious in demeanor, though I don't mind the slight smirk that's generated with songs named "The Count of Monte Fisto," and "I Don't Stomp, I Battle." LET ME RUN prove their viability on just the third song, "Like A Fish," which tightly folds in a sing-along chorus, well-placed gang vocals, and an ear-ringing guitar hook that cuts through the skin. There simply no way that Meet Me At The Bottom doesn't become one of the most talked about punk releases in 2009.
