Something to Die For

{{Infobox album

| name = Something to Die For

| type = Studio

| artist = The Sounds

| cover = something_to_die_for.jpg

| alt =

| released = 29 March 2011

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = New wave, post-punk revival, indie rock,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/artists/the-sounds|title= The Sounds - Clash Music Artist Profile|magazine=Clash|accessdate=March 10, 2011}} synth-pop

| length = 41:17

| label = SideOneDummy

| producer = The Sounds

| prev_title = Crossing The Rubicon

| prev_year = 2009

| next_title = Weekend

| next_year = 2013

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Something To Die For

| type = Studio

| single1 = Better Off Dead

| single1date = 1 February 2011

| single2 = Something To Die For

| single2date = 22 February 2011

}}

}}

Something to Die For is the fourth studio album by the Swedish new wave band The Sounds. Unlike their previous albums it is dominated by electronic music{{cite web|last=Pötzsch|first=Christine|title=The Sounds: Something to Die For|url=http://www.motor.de/motormeinung/motor.de/the_sounds_something_to_die_for.html|work=motor.de|date=15 April 2011|access-date=16 April 2011|language=German|publisher=Motor Entertainment GmbH|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130211205943/http://www.motor.de/motormeinung/motor.de/the_sounds_something_to_die_for.html|archive-date=11 February 2013}} leaning towards house and synthpop{{cite web|url={{allMusic|id=r2125501|class=album|pure_url=yes}}|title=Something to Die For |first=Matt|last=Collar| work=Allmusic |accessdate=2011-04-16}} and was completely produced by The Sounds.{{cite web|last=Stengel|first=Franz|title=The Sounds: Something To Die For|url=http://www.musikexpress.de/reviews/alben/article80143/The-Sounds.html|work=musikexpress|publisher=Axel Springer AG|accessdate=16 April 2011|language=German|date=5 April 2011|quote=Misslungener Versuch, die große, weite Popwelt zu erobern.}}

Background

On January 6, 2011, the band announced that their next album would be titled Something To Die For, and was scheduled to be released the week of March 29, 2011.{{cite web |url=http://the-sounds.com/news/the-sounds-new-album-is-something-to-die-for/ |title=The Sounds new album is Something to Die For |work=The Sounds official homepage |access-date=2011-04-10 |archive-date=2011-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716215854/http://the-sounds.com/news/the-sounds-new-album-is-something-to-die-for/ |url-status=dead }} Lead singer Maja Ivarsson has also been confirmed as appearing on pop punk band All Time Low's new album Dirty Work as a guest vocalist on the track "Guts".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N66sbL3qWok#at=274 |title=Alex Gaskarth Talks Current Tour, Touring Plans, New Album & More! |work=YouTube |author=All Time Low Exposed}}

Singles

The first single from their new album, "Better Off Dead", was released on February 1, 2011. The track was promoted on their website with a competition, in which anyone could download the sheet music for the song, and submit their own version, to be voted on by fans (the winner's version will be included as the B-side on their upcoming 7"). Everyone who downloaded the sheet music also received the track for free 5 days early.{{cite web |url=http://sideonedummy.com/thesounds_contest/ |title=The Sounds Contest "Better Off Dead" |work=SideOneDummy Records |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622001603/http://sideonedummy.com/thesounds_contest/ |archive-date=2011-06-22 }}

The band released their second single, "Something To Die For", on February 22, 2011. The single was also featured in the American slasher horror film Scream 4.

The third single chosen was "Dance With The Devil". The official music video premiered on May 19, 2011.

The album's fourth single was "Yeah Yeah Yeah". The music video premiered on February 16, 2012.

Reception

{{Album ratings

| MC = 54/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/something-to-die-for/the-sounds |title=Something to Die For by The Sounds Reviews and Tracks |work=Metacritic |accessdate=December 31, 2019}}

| rev1 = AbsolutePunk

| rev1Score = 68%

| rev2 = AllMusic

| rev2Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}

| rev3 = The Brock Press

| rev3Score = (neutral)

| rev4 = motor.de

| rev4Score = (unfavourable)

| rev5 = Musikexpress

| rev5Score = {{rating|2|5}}

| rev6 = Plattentests.de

| rev6Score = 3/10

| rev7 = Sputnikmusic

| rev7Score ={{rating|4|5}}

}}

The album has received mixed reviews. While AllMusic praised the new dancefloor style and compared the album to a mix of Roxette, U2 and the Arctic Monkeys, reviews from Germany criticised the change in style. The motor.de webzine noted the lack of originality in the album and its mainstream appearance, writing that a part of The Sounds had died with this release. Also Plattentests.de noted the change from earlier Indie rock to mainstream pop and criticised frequent repetitions in themes, an overloaded keyboard sound and a lack of drive.{{cite web|last=Maerten|first=Maik|title=The Sounds - Something to die for|url=http://www.plattentests.de/rezi.php?show=8352|work=plattentests.de|publisher=Armin Linder|accessdate=16 April 2011|language=German}} The overly dominant electronic noise and a lack of catchy riffs was marked by a review in The Brock Press which however called the album "radio-friendly" and compared singer Maja Ivarsson to Emily Haines from Metric.{{cite web|last=Matisz|first=John|title=The Sounds (Something to Die For)|url=http://media.www.brockpress.com/media/storage/paper384/news/2011/03/08/ArtsLife/The-Sounds.something.To.Die.For-3984258.shtml|work=The Brock Press|access-date=16 April 2011|date=3 March 2011|publisher=National College Newspaper Advertising|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130215163407/http://media.www.brockpress.com/media/storage/paper384/news/2011/03/08/ArtsLife/The-Sounds.something.To.Die.For-3984258.shtml|archive-date=15 February 2013}} The German Musikexpress magazine called the album a "failed attempt to conquer the world of Pop". This review attributed the one-dimensional sound of the album to the fact that Something To Die For had been produced by The Sounds themselves, but it also lauded the citations of 1980s' musical style like in "Won’t Let Them Tear Us Apart".

Track listing

{{Track listing

| collapsed =

| headline =

| extra_column =

| total_length = 41:17

| all_writing =

| all_lyrics =

| all_music =

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| music_credits =

| title1 = It's So Easy (Intro)

| note1 =

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| lyrics1 =

| music1 =

| extra1 =

| length1 = 2:33

| title2 = Dance with the Devil

| note2 =

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| music2 =

| extra2 =

| length2 = 4:47

| title3 = The No No Song

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| extra3 =

| length3 = 3:53

| title4 = Better Off Dead

| note4 =

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| music4 =

| extra4 =

| length4 = 4:55

| title5 = Diana

| note5 =

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| lyrics5 =

| music5 =

| extra5 =

| length5 = 3:35

| title6 = Something to Die For

| note6 =

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| lyrics6 =

| music6 =

| extra6 =

| length6 = 5:33

| title7 = Yeah Yeah Yeah

| note7 =

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| music7 =

| extra7 =

| length7 = 3:58

| title8 = Won’t Let Them Tear Us Apart

| note8 =

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| music8 =

| extra8 =

| length8 = 4:07

| title9 = The Best of Me

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| length9 = 4:48

| title10 = Wish You Were Here

| note10 =

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| music10 =

| extra10 =

| length10 = 3:08

}}

Soundtracks

The songs "Something to Die For" and "Yeah Yeah Yeah" are featured in the 2011 film Scream 4,{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OYCUJW | title=Scream 4: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | website=Amazon | accessdate=16 April 2011 }} and included on the film's soundtrack. The track "The No No Song" is also featured in episode 19 of the first season of Hawaii Five-0.

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+Chart performance for Something to Die For

! scope="col"| Chart (2011)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Finland|10|artist=The Sounds|album=Something to Die For|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2024}}
{{album chart|Germany4|86|id=153988|artist=The Sounds|album=Something to Die For|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2024}}
{{album chart|Sweden|14|artist=The Sounds|album=Something to Die For|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2024}}
{{album chart|Switzerland|96|artist=The Sounds|album=Something to Die For|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2024}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|140|artist=The Sounds|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2024}}
{{album chart|BillboardIndependent|29|artist=The Sounds|rowheader=true|accessdate=10 September 2024}}

References