I remember reviewing an album a few weeks ago where I was harping on about how no-one knows how to write an album anymore. There are loads of collections of “songs” but little flow between them. The Sounds ignore this completely and start this one off with a beautiful little slow burner that pricks under your skin just a little bit, wiggling around almost unnoticed as the thumping bass drum gets a little more forceful. You’re locked in now. You can’t escape. The hi-hat trills gently as the trance synth fades in, followed by the repetitive, but needfully so lyrics. “It’s so easy when you know how it’s done. You’ve got to seize the moment before it’s gone” This “moment”, or “album” as most should call it, is 41 minutes long, and it’s not far from being the longest, and greatest moment ever.
That opening track leads directly into the frantic, deadly 'Dance with the Devil' which at the beginning is punching you into submission, suddenly getting more gentle before heading into what seems like a standard club chorus with a little Spanish guitar thrown in later on. It’s got influences from every decade since the 70s thrown in all over the place and should sound like a total mess. But it’s not. It’s delicately put together, it’s upbeat, it’s the future of dance.
Self-recorded and self-produced, this truly is the sound of, er, The Sounds. It’s got a lot of Europop elements that are synonymous with Sweden and nearby countries, but this is far more mature, far more involved, and as the whole thing is entirely their production from the moment ink hit paper for the first time to the moment the first copy hit the shops, it’s a true triumph about the music being about the bands and for the people.
So I’ve mentioned influences already, but during the barnstorming 'No No Song', I defy you not to hear The Strokes playing the melody. In fact, after the “future of dance” from the opening duo of songs, we get the future of rock too. 'Better off Dead' is an anthemic electro-pop nugget of pure emotion. Sneering and vengeful, that track shows the rollercoaster of emotion around a messy breakup, which suddenly explodes into a multi-synth solo which is a crazy as its subject matter. If anything, it runs a little too long, but considering the quality of the track, it can be forgiven.
If we had The Strokes earlier on, then we have The Automatic next as huge hints of their biggest hit 'Monster' fill 'Diana', a jagged, classy, get-up-and-stay-up track that doesn’t shy away from using every trick in the “write a catchy track” book. Not only that, but this song could also easily work completely stripped back and slowed down with nothing but an acoustic guitar. You can hear real potential for flexibility in every track so far, in fact. They could all be re-written and still sound right.
Having just realised that I’ve written a track-by-track lovefest for this album, I will stand by this decision and say it’s utterly deserved. Dance music and its various subgenres are very seldom my favourite things to write about. However, when this CD appeared, it’s just blown me away. Filled with innovative ideas and utterly banging choons, it also maintains an edge, an attitude that’s up with the best right now. 'Something to Die For' is a great culmination of everything this band have put together and they rightfully describe it as the centrepiece. 'Yeah Yeah Yeah' punctures through your entire being with no remorse before a 20th-Century Boy-inspired 'Won’t Let Them Tear us Apart” makes you wish that the album will just never end.
Every album has a bad song. Something just doesn’t fit in every album. Even OK Computer had 'Fitter Happier'. Of course, you cannot compare this to Radiohead, it’s like comparing wine with furniture. Both albums serve a purpose, and serve it exceptionally well. The point is that there isn’t actually a single bad song on this record. Every single one is entirely fresh from the last. The albums been put together with expert precision, and Maja Ivarsson, the lead singer, has a voice comparable in style, sound and outright projection to one of the greatest female pop singers out there right now, Katy Perry, most evident during penultimate track 'Best of Me'.
Of course, it does have to end, and it ends with perfection. 'Wish You were Here' begins with little more than an acoustic guitar, a true reflection of what’s gone on before. Occasional twinkles of electric guitar slowly begin to creep in as it progresses with delicate intricacy. This is the comedown moment from a fantastic album. This is the one track that allows you to let it just sink in and enjoy the last few fleeting minutes until it’s all over.
Then you press play and do it all over again.
That is a very, very strong contender to my 2011 album of the year. Utterly striking. Near-perfect. The Sounds need to be heard.
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That opening track leads directly into the frantic, deadly 'Dance with the Devil' which at the beginning is punching you into submission, suddenly getting more gentle before heading into what seems like a standard club chorus with a little Spanish guitar thrown in later on. It’s got influences from every decade since the 70s thrown in all over the place and should sound like a total mess. But it’s not. It’s delicately put together, it’s upbeat, it’s the future of dance.
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