Some of us remain hard wired to fall into a mild depression in August.
We’ll never shake that feeling from the school years that summer is almost over and the first day of class is anon. Time to fake our way through Pre-Calculus and endure the occassional after-school beating. And no more sleeping until noon.
The best cure for August doldrums? Fun summer releases like The Sounds’ Crossing the Rubicon.
The Sounds are fronted by Maja Ivarsson, a slutty dynamo who channels Blondie, and squats, kicks, and grabs her crotch as she belts out soaring 80’s vocals. Plus James Iha gives songs like the first single, “No one Sleeps When I’m Awake” some moments of real swagger almost like The Cult.
Don’t overthink it though. For the most part, Rubicon is sheer arena power pop. It’s music to brighten your summer not change your life. You could put the entire disc on “repeat” until Labor Day for a complete summer soundtrack. But everything The Sounds do right is cooked inside the sugar-coated “Midnight Sun” in 4 minutes 29 seconds.
The Sounds just announced at In the Venue on October 30, not quite summertime but with some luck they’ll play before the first snow.