The Sounds | B+

"When something's right, then something is worth to die for." With their fourth release, Swedish quintet The Sounds definitely hit the bull's-eye. For the first time the group has produced the entire album themselves, tapping into a process that works best for the band.

Something to Die For is a unique work — it retains a nonchalant cool that alternative kids yearn for while pounding catchy anthems demanded by the upcoming summer season. "Dance With the Devil" and the title track epitomize the balance that The Sounds have achieved. Yet, "Better off Dead" and "Yeah Yeah Yeah" are tracks that give the album some deeper, darker undertones, all makings for a distinctive dynamic.

Lead singer Maja Ivarsson guides the way throughout the entire album, although her voice seems a bit deeper this time around. (She's been spotted on stage a few times with cigarette in hand, so that may have something to do with it.) Her presence, both audibly and visually, eludes a confidence that is infectiously transferred to any kind of audience, be it the eminent indie scene or the dance-crazed radio aficionados.

Something to Die For is definitely a declaration of The Sounds' self-assurance, yet the closer, "Wish You Were Here" — no, it's not a Pink Floyd cover — is a humbling point. The album is overall a hyped-up electro trip, but "Wish You Were Here" is a stripped down acoustic track with a sense of longing, leaving this party with a bittersweet aftertaste.