The Sounds: Something To Die For

The Sounds
Something To Die For
SideOneDummy Records [2011]









Fire Note Says: The Sounds emphasize the dance beats on fourth album Something To Die For.

Album Review:
I must say that I was excited when I found out that Sweden's The Sounds were releasing their fourth record, Something To Die For, on the more punk based label SideOneDummy. I figured it might be the record that takes their pop side and energizes into something new and fresh with lots of attitude. The surprise on Something To Die For is that The Sounds stir things up with additional electronic and dance beats, that at first listen were a bit too sugar sweet. I can respect trying new things but on Something To Die For, The Sounds aim at commercial success with this happier dance attitude at the expense of what made their early records solid - their ability to rock. The saving grace for me on Something To Die For, is that if I took these 10 tracks and stripped out the dance beats, the songs really play well. The lyrics are catchy, the songs all have an edgy swagger to them and Maja Ivarsson's voice is absolutely stellar. I can see Something To Die For splitting The Sounds fanbase in half, as some will totally enjoy shaking their rump to every tune and the other half will just keep wanting to like it. The Sounds are a talented group that I would like to see return to their earlier form because at the end of the day the electronic dance beats here are front and center instead of holding down the undertone, which leaves Something To Die For without much of a replay value for me.

Key Tracks: "The No No Song", "Something To Die For", "Won't Let Them Tear Us Apart"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Metric
Bloc Party
Ladytron

The Sounds: Crossing The Rubicon [Fire Note Review 6/1/09]

The Sounds Website
The Sounds MySpace
The Sounds Facebook
SideOneDummy Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony