ALBUM REVIEW: Thanks But No Thanks – Can’t Swim

Icons among the modern alternative rock scene, CAN’T SWIM are back with their fourth full-length album Thanks But No Thanks. The band, known for their incredible fusion of alt-rock, pop-punk and pop-rock, continue to delve into the world of inner demons and understanding the world around them, only this time there’s a feeling of hope, an understanding that the hard trials of life are only temporary and needed lessons in order to grow as a person.

And the result? A record that, while acknowledging the harder parts of life, leaves the listener feeling uplifted and encouraged. As the album opens with recent single Nowhere, Ohio, we’re greeted by a gradual build-up of drums and cymbals before a grungy guitar joins and finally the song kicks off fully as a pop-punk track that feels grittier. It’s so well put together and it doesn’t take long before you find yourself bopping along.

That’s the thing with Thanks But No Thanks, it has moments that feel familiar enough to the modern day rock scene but it adds something unique to them; it adds an edge without needing to try too hard or feeling forced. It’s gritty and melancholic, yet you’ll still want to dance and scream along.

There are so many moments that stand out on this record that it would probably be best if you just go and listen to it to get the full experience. But, seeing as we need to summarise, me vs me vs all of y’all is a track that you can picture being so much fun live, the very epitome of happy sounds, sad lyrics, you’ll want to dance and cry; met u the day the world ended has some influence from BLINK-182 where you’re reminded of the carefree days of your youth; and ELIMINATE is a loud, energetic track that has an anthemic chorus that you’ll definitely want to scream along to. There are just so many highlights.

Thanks But No Thanks is simply excellent; we couldn’t have asked for anything better. It has those themes and styles of pop-punk/pop-rock music, but it explores them in a way that still feels raw and avoids some of the stereotypical cheesiness (that many of us still enjoy, of course), and it makes the listener want to scream and dance along. Over these ten tracks, you go through so many emotions and thoughts with the shared experiences depicted in the lyrics and the mood generated by the production. It’s just so beautifully put together.

Rating: 9/10

Thanks But No Thanks is out now via Pure Noise Records.

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