You Were No Angel and I Was No Sin

Over a decade ago, The Goo Goo Dolls came to prominence with what many though would be a one hit wonder, Name. But since then the Goos have become the kings of the power balled (well Nickelback may have something to say about that) with lighter inducing anthems like Iris, Black Balloon, and Here Is Gone. Now the band is back with a new album, Let Love In, with help from producer Glen Ballard, best known for launching Alanis Morissette's career, but also ruined albums by Aerosmith and Dave Matthews Band.

Ballard does bring his signature slosh to sleep inducing songs like the title track and Can’t Let it Go and does nothing to come close in quality of pervious hits. In fact the best songs on the album are ones that have been all over the radio for the past year, the Supertramp cover, Give a Little Bit that was on the band’s recent live album and the Christmas tune Better Days. The best new song of the set, and the only one that could possible get people to flick their Bic’s is the album closer Become that comes closest to the intensity that had on Iris, but still fall a little short.

The worst part of the album is they actually let bassist, Robbie Gordon to sing two songs Listen and Strange Love. The dude raspy voice makes Biz Markie sound like a opera singer but at least the Biz was in on the joke as I’m not sure Robbie and band have realized how bad he sounds. There is a good reason why none of the songs he’s sung are released as single. But on the upside it seems like the band has gotton more socially conscience starting with choosing a cover song like Give a Little Bit which carried over to the Christmas themed Better Days about looking out for the children and the universal theme that should be utilized during the holidays, and everyday for that matter, forgiveness. Now if their music could grow like their lyrics, this album could have been a lot better.

Song to Download - Better Days

Let Love In gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.