Track Listing

1. Song With A Mission
2. Queen of Apology
3. Tony The Beat
4. 24 Hours
5. Painted By Numbers
6. Night After Night
7. Ego
8. Hurt You
9. Much Too Long
10. Running Out Of Turbo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6112 in Music
• Released on: 2006-03-21
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Album Description
The Sounds' 2003 debut, "Living In America" firmly established the band as one to watch. Their second release is an even stronger fusion of their punk attitude and pop savvy. Honed by a sonic brain trust that includes producer Jeff Saltzman (who helmed The Killers' "Hot Fuss"), with additional production from Scratchie Records co-owners James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins, A Perfect Circle) and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne, Ivy), and mixer Paul Q. Kolderie (Radiohead, Pixies, Hole), the album presents a diversified and deeper version of the sound they established on their debut. It also showcases their growth and captures the attitude that has won over crowd after crowd. Limited first pressing with bonus remixes and video content.

Amazon.com
It all starts with a cowbell, so at least you know it's not going to suck. This is important because, at times, the Sounds' 2003 debut, Living in America felt like a third-generation copy of Blondie's Eat to the Beat and a third-generation of anything usually sucks. But this follow-up shows improvement all around. Singer Maja Ivarsson is starting to find her own voice and the group's melodies now owe less to playground chants than actual verses and choruses. Meanwhile producer Jeff Saltzman, the man behind the Killers' blockbuster Hot Fuss, has given the band's, er, sound some much needed low end. You could accuse them of still sounding a bit contrived (just one word describes the track "Ego"--yikes!) but with thrilling New Wave throwbacks such as "Tony the Beat" and "Running Out of Turbo" pumping on the stereo you might be having too much fun to bother. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews

Not bad
The Sounds are a fairly unpretentious band - it seems like they are just trying to capture some of the fun, catchy feel of 80's pop. They do a fair job at this - there are some decent hooks scattered about DTSTTY, and compared to a lot of the stuff getting airplay nowadays, the Sounds do stand out. Overall, it's a pretty solid and consistent offering - "Queen of Apology", "Ego", "Painted By Numbers" are all good songs (as are most of the tracks), and Maja Ivarsson has attitude to spare.

People seem to like to compare Ivarsson to various 80's songstresses. Forget the comparisons to Missing Persons - Dale Bozzio's appearance stood out even during a time of extreme looks, and she was a...unique vocal talent. Ivarsson - while certainly good-looking - is not that distinctive. Perhaps comparisons can be made between Ivarsson and Debbie Harry, but I don't think that the Sounds (as a band) can be seriously considered to be in the same league as Blondie (as a band). Musically, if I had to compare the Sounds to an 80's band or performer I'd say that Kim Wilde is far closer to the mark...or Scandal, perhaps. Both had their share of hits and catchy tunes, but neither was destined for any kind of greatness.

Perhaps all such comparisons are unfair and a waste of time; perhaps it's unfair to expect every band to aspire to classic status or greatness. Maybe it would be best to just take the Sounds and "Dying To Say This To You" for what they are - fun, upbeat, and reasonably catchy.

The Sounds are back
Hey, if you loved their first cd you may end up going deaf from repeated plays of this one. Wow, I love this band. Until time travel is actually possible this may be the closest you'll get to the Blondie sound circa 1978. I love that synth sound. This enhanced cd also includes a very cool live video of the song "S.O.U.N.D.S."
If you get the chance, see them live. They do not disappoint.

Makes me glad to be Swedish..
I decided to check out this unfamiliar band who shared the same heritige as me. (Mind you, this was my intial attraction...but it's like dating...sure they look pretty but it's the mind and the personality that keep you with them - most of the time)

After scanning them under the pre-listening station and after having heard just a 30 second blurp of Painted Numbers, I was in mad mad geek love. The sound was bright and fresh, but yet it still contained a substance that is missing in so many bands these days.

Maja's raspy/sexy voice really brings you in and keeps you there for the whole song.

The intramental aspect is also breathtaking and refreshing.



Another point for the Swedes!