When so many artists insist on trudging up out of their roots to search for bigger and better things, the Sounds stay nestled comfortably in their own soil. But this isn’t to say that they aren’t growing in their own way. Their bright and bold electro-pop is as strong as ever. It’s their lyrical concepts that have expanded and gained depth- for anyone paying attention to such things. The bottom line is that this band of Swedes consistently makes crowd-pleasing music — almost designed to be heard and performed live. They’ve toured in over 25 different countries, garnering praise for their remarkably intense live shows and building their fan base the old-fashioned way. Crossing the Rubicon is exactly what you would expect from The Sounds – more upbeat electric guitar solos, 80s-inspired synths, wailing punk vocals and super catchy sing-along hooks. Few of the tracks deviate from this format, which the album’s press release describes as the ‘big, fist pumping, arena-sized anthem.’ Yet and still, if you care at all to dig beneath the glossy surface, you will find that the band’s content is far from one-dimensional. Lead singer Maja Ivarsson delivers poignant and surprisingly honest lyrics. On ‘Midnight Sun’ she reflects on the conflicting emotions of youthful yearning for independence coupled with the struggle to leave the comfort of the past behind: ‘Still so young and anxious to be free/ but now I’m trapped inside all these memories/ there’s more than this if you open up your eyes/ and then soon you’ll realize those days are all gone.’ Dance-happy tracks are certainly not scarce. ‘Beatbox,’ for example, kicks off with Latin percussion and an epic power riff before thumping into an old-school themed party jam. Tracks like ‘Dorchester Hotel’ and ‘Underground’ are also sure to be crowd pleasers. However it’s an expected treat towards the album’s close that shows just how diverse and strong of a songwriter Ivarsson can be. ‘The Only Ones’ is a piano-backed power ballad that would make Freddy Mercury proud – displaying Ivarsson’s lyrical storytelling ability and providing a nice counterpoint to the largely upbeat preceding tracks. This is a well-rounded album that is as artistically rich as it is sonically pleasing. The Sounds are going to be around for awhile.

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