The Sounds

The Sounds' third album is a visceral assault of Swedish new wave awesomeness. Crossing the Rubicon is easily their biggest and most polished release to date, combining solid hooks with relentlessly relatable stories. Though it's a little less gritty than previous releases, with more of a dance-rock feel, Crossing the Rubicon laces its track with a level of empowerment and hope, especially "Lost In Love," which is ironically very moody yet uplifting. The more rock-driven "Dorchester Hotel" is the standout. Everything about the construction encompasses the best of the Sounds musically and lyrically. The title track is the only song with dual vocals between Maja Ivarsson and Felix Rodriguez, which is a shame because their duals are spooky and intriguing. "Midnight Sun" is a collection of poetically cliché images molded together to create a tidy concoction that combines '80s synth pop with powerful vocals. Despite using words like "fragile" throughout the tracks, Crossing the Rubicon is a solid release, as made apparent through album single "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake." It is the underlying tenderness and mood that really makes this album sparkle. Truly a gem.