Crossing The Rubicon

The Sounds | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: June 2, 2009
• Release Date: June 2, 2009
• Label: Original Signal/Universal Records
• Copyright: (C) 2009 Arnoki Records Arnioki Records, LLC under exclusive license to Original Signal Recordings.
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 49:47
• Genres:
  • Pop
• ASIN: B002BGBIFM
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,426 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sounds Crossed the Rubicon with this one... June 3, 2009

By C. Lin

Format:Audio CD

I can't decide whether I like this album better than Dying to Say This To You but I killed that album by playin' it over and over and it looks like I'm doin' the same to this one...it's that good...or even better...

1.No One Sleeps When I'm Awake...(5/5) great first single...very catchy and if you're not a fan as yet this one will definitely get your attention

2.4 Songs & A Fight (4/5) catchy lyrics..one that you'd definitely sing along too..love the riffs

3.My Lover (5/5)..I thought the song was asking someone to 'be my lover'..this one got stuck in my head and I was singin' that out loud till I found out the lyrics were 'beat, beat my lover'..ah well...still an awesome song..Maja sings the verses fast it's almost like she's rappin...

4.Dorchester Hotel (5/5) Probably my favorite song on the album...we get to hear one of the guys sing a small part...I think it's deep lyrics wise...I'm not too sure if it's goin to a hotel to be with an old love or kill him...you decide..

5.Beatbox (5/5) I wasn't too sure if I liked it at first because I was like what? with the lyrics...but it's one of the best actually...definitely captures what The Sounds are...because the rock guitar riffs are there but there's this 80's/disco vibe to it...there's a live video of them playin' this one circling the web...and I definitely wish I was one who was in the crowd

6.Underground (3/5) My least favorite from the album...didn't catch me like the rest..upbeat though

7.Crossing the Rubicon (4/5)..shortest song on the album...I feel like i'm in outerspace with this one..

8.Midnight Sun (4/5)...sweet song lyrics wise...not the best but not skippable either...

9.Lost In Love (4/5)......upbeat and also one that you'd sing along to...

10.The Only Ones (4/5)...one of the slowest songs on the album...the ballad of the bunch...really nice and shows how diverse The Sounds songs are...

11.Home Is Where Your Heart Is (5/5)...typical The Sounds song...gotta love it..

12.Goodnight Freddy (5/5) An instrumental song...it's like bittersweet you wanna smile and cry at the same time... Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised more people aren't listening to this ~ October 20, 2011

By Christopher Barrett TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

This review reflects my personal opinion~

Let me pop in my two cents. I love the Sounds. I got bored with most music right around 1999 (thanks to a glut of nausea inducing 'rock-rap' and Nickleback...). I kept treading water listening to Radiohead and a few other bands hoping that there would be better music around the corner. And lo and behold, the magical days of the late 2000s and early 2010s comes!

Along with several other cutting edge bands fusing styles seamlessly (mainly rock, pop, and electronic), the Sounds have restored my faith in music. Crossing the Rubicon is a fantastic album from start to finish. Though a few songs are better or more catchy than others, the album generally exudes quality and style. The vocals sizzle with Ivarsson's amazing talent. The instrumentation is fantastic and provides a fitting back drop for the vocals, never drowning her out, never quite fading into near silence.

I would say that if you enjoy listening to the Kills, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, or Metric, then you might do yourself a service and pick up this album (their best so far in my humble opinion). Yay Sweden!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sound of The Sounds! February 8, 2010

By R. Huggins

Format:Audio CD

If you love happy, catchy, rock tunes with a synthesizer edge, than you'll love this CD! The Sounds are a band from Sweden, but fortunately for us English speakers, the songs are all written and preformed in English. The music is a mix of pop/rock/new wave, with good melodies and catchy beats. There's not too much else out there like this, so it's hard to compare The Sounds to other modern bands, but think a little of Sahara Hotnights, except a million times better. The Sounds have two other CDs, Dying to Say this to You and Their first CD simply entitled "The Sounds." Both are excellent, but this third CD is a bit more "pop" in its catchy riffs and new wave melodies.

In conclusion, if you love good music, than you'll BUY THIS CD!!!!!!!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Awesome music from the land of the midnight sun... October 18, 2009

By Daz

Format:Audio CD

I hadn't even heard of The Sounds until a few days ago, when I came across their music by accident. Whoa! This band is amazing! A sort of retro-80's sound, yet very modern. "No one Sleeps When I'm Awake" kicks off the album with a driving beat, awesome blend of guitar and synths, sharp songwriting, and of course Maja Ivarsson's powerful and unique vocals, and these elements continue throughout. (Others have compared The Sounds to Blondie, and I think that's not too far off... just with a modern sensibility, and more energy than Blondie typically had).

I was hooked by just the first few songs of this CD, which are all great, but then I got to "Midnight Sun". Wow! This song blew me away! Heartfelt lyrics and an infectious tune that is somehow deep and yet catchy at the same time. By the time I heard that, I became officially a Sounds fan. Definitely will be checking out their other albums.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An impressive Junior attempt by the band from Sweden July 13, 2009

By E. Lewis

Format:MP3 Music

First let me say that anyone who is looking for an 80's inspired sound will not be disappointed. If you hated the 80's, especially the synth infused sound from the 80's, you probably won't like CtR. What follows is a more detailed review of each song.

1.No One Sleeps When I'm Awake...(5/5) I loved this song, and it is no surprise it is the first single released from the album. According too Maja the song is about people pursuing their dreams with restless abandon. Knowing this improved my enjoyment of the song, bringing to life the catchy lyrics.

2.4 Songs & A Fight (4/5) A catchy, fun song that is good but just doesn't leave a lasting impression on me.

3.My Lover (5/5) Great song; I loved the REM inspired riff and the soaring refrain added to my enjoyment of the song

4.Dorchester Hotel (5/5) Not only does it present catchy lyrics , but the lyrics suggest the conflict between love, passion, heretic and hypocrisy. Is it a passionate love affair she is portraying as bordering on religious, or has her former flame found God and is indulging in passions denied him, or something else entirely? I love not knowing and speculating on the possibilities.

5.Beatbox (4/5) Like others not a big fan of this song . . . initially. Combining rap delivered lyrics that occasionally riffs on the Beastie Boys Intergalactic. On subsequent playings the song is growing on me. The biggest problem is the cliche lyrics. I wouldn't be surprised if it is one of the singles produced off this album, however, for its great dance club potential. If they do release it as a single I anticipate the DJ mixes will be superior, which is the main reason I give this song a 4 rather than a 3.

6....Underground (4/5) One of the main criticisms by a Rolling Stone reviewer was the albums glance backward and I think they have really missed the boat here. This is the first of several that does so. After listening to this song, I really enjoy the vibe and the lyrics, as they look back and ponder the very real feeling that when you leave the past behind, bittersweet or wonderful, we can never go back and recapture what we had . . but maybe that's OK.

7.Crossing the Rubicon (4/5) A short Blondie inspired song reminiscent of her earlier works. Enjoyable though, IMHO, not as good as Midnight Sun.

8.Midnight Sun (5/5) As one who grew up listening to Blondie, I love this song. The song would be strong competition for her best work on Eat to the Beat and the self-titled Blondie. It's got the same vibe as Shayla and Union City Blues.

9. Lost In Love (4/5) I disagree with an earlier review that this song is upbeat. It's certainly catchy . . . albeit bittersweet. Even when a love affair has lost its spark, our desire to love passionately continues to burn inside of us. Do we abandon a comfortable relationship or trust that voice that tells us the relationship just ain't right.

10.The Only Ones (5/5) This is an amazing song, and another reason the RS glib response to the Sounds glance backwards is so short sighted. The song is about the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, which was probably a transformative event in the life of Maja and her band mates. From our decidedly American perspective we have no idea how significant in European relations this event was. Personally, I remember watching the fall of the Wall, and weeping. Everything changed, and I was more than a thousand miles away from the epicenter. The events culminated in a performance in December 1989 by Leonard Bernstein playing Beethoven's 9th Symphony with Ode to Joy, changed to Ode to Freedom. Many other artists also performed, including Roger Waters playing Pink Floyd's "The Wall".

11. Home Is Where Your Heart Is (5/5) As a follow on to The only ones, this third glance backward reminds us that even though we are far from home the things that make us who we are never leave us. Wonderful.

12.Goodnight Freddy (4/5) An instrumental song that is lovely but not as inspiring as may of the songs on the album. Read more ›