Combining an early 2000s scene ethos and modern values Can’t Swim spent years jumping between genres from post-hardcore to alt-pop before finding their niche with slightly retro feeling, emo tinged pop-punk. Evoking bands like Jimmy Eat World, Hawthorne Heights and early Thrice, Can’t Swim’s latest, Thanks But No Thanks, is a refreshingly straightforward and honest album with some unique sonic elements and authentic, relatable lyrics.
Opening track and single ‘Nowhere, Ohio’ is bound to go down as one of Can’t Swim’s best and is certainly the catchiest on the album. Featuring thick dual guitars, booming drums and a singalong chorus ‘Nowhere, Ohio’ has all the hallmarks of a classic emo banger, the lyrics reference Alkaline Trio and the influence is certainly clear in the instrumentals. Frontman Chris LoPorto shines on this track, with his intense, darkly beautiful lyrics and unique vocal delivery at the forefront. LoPorto’s vocal style does take a little getting used to and may not grow on every listener, with a heavy New Jersey accent and a high pitched, nasal quality the vocals cut through the track and are perfectly suited to emo rock but may be a contentious subject for some listeners. With a more playful pop punk approach to songwriting and layered, clean production Nowhere, Ohio is bound to go down as one of Can’t Swim’s best hits.
A real strength of Thanks But No Thanks is the concise nature of the entire album, with none of the tracks going much over 3 minutes and the album clocking in at less than 30, this is exemplified on the track ‘Can You Help Me’. With a chugging bass line grounding the track and lyrics exploring addiction in a very open and frank way, ‘Can You Help Me’ dissects all of its ideas expertly within 2 and a half minutes while still finding time to fit in an earworm chorus.
Lead single me vs me vs all of y’all is one of the poppier tracks on the album, leaning more towards radio friendly rock, proving that Can’t Swim are ready for more mainstream attention. Incorporating a fuzzy synth throughline and name checking a number of the band’s influences, including The Cure and Eddie Vedder, this single eloquently brings across the stresses of living life on tour, missing out on major life events from the isolation of a tour bus. Sounding like the best of Warped Tour, Can’t Swim aim to keep the emo and pop punk greats on their toes and do an admirable job of smoothing out their sound with polished production while retaining the edge and expert storytelling they’re known for.
“"Sounding like the best of Warped Tour, Can’t Swim aim to keep the emo and pop punk greats on their toes"”
The one-two punch of yer paradox i’m paradigm and i heard they found you face down inside your living room is a stroke of genius, setting up with a punchy, emo banger and following up with the strongest emotional gut punch of the album. The first of the two tracks is a succinct old-school pop punk track with some playful lyrics and expert drumming from Blake Gamel, using some truly impressive fills to elevate the track without overshadowing the rest of the band. Following this with a song full of sombre downtuned guitars and lyrics lamenting the death of a close friend is the kind of deliberate storytelling that Can’t Swim have become known for. The second of these two tracks is a strong highlight of the album, bringing across the band’s pain through contemplative, honest songwriting and tight, intricate instrumentation and production.
Can’t Swim manage to find the time to show off their ability to write a strong political punk track with ‘ELIMINATE’. Focused around gun violence, ‘ELIMINATE’ acts as a call to arms with repeated gang vocals and a nonstop energetic feel. This track is a fantastic break from the melancholy feel of the rest of the album, tackling an incredibly important topic with punk spirit and personal, passionate songwriting.
Thanks But No Thanks represents a bold new chapter in Can’t Swim’s history, embracing the history of emo as well as fitting into its future, the New Jersey natives have found their voice and matured into a well rounded, mature group. With a solid combination of playful bangers and powerful, emotional songwriting Thanks But No Thanks is the culmination of almost a decade of work for Can’t Swim and points towards a bright future for the band.