Ci sono cose che fanno paura. Tipo svegliarsi una mattina e scoprire che esiste una vocalist con la voce che è un misto tra Avril Lavigne e Ann Wilson (delle Heart) che canta canzoni disco-pop-rock da "ragazza arrabbiata" anni '80 di una ruffianeria e banalità inquietanti. E' Maja Ivarsson, la frontman dei The Sounds, dalla Svezia con furore. Una bella figliola, indubbiamente. E questa è l'unica cosa positiva che si possa dire sul suo conto.
Mi toccherebbe fare una recensione seria e puntuale, ma non ce la faccio. Ho paura, ho davvero paura che con l'ascolto ripetuto necessario a fare le cose per bene una di queste canzoncine insulse mi resti nella testa e mi ritrovi a canticchiarla compiaciuto. Giuro. E' roba da tredicenni, ma di quando non esistevano i cellulari, il rap e l'hip hop, quando c'erano i jeans "Pop 84", insomma quand'eravamo ingenui, quando qualsiasi indumento di pelle nera era ribellione. Va beh, la smetto. Torniamo alla musica.

Seconda prova di un gruppo formato da cinque elementi (la classica formazione rock con aggiunta di tastiere/sintetizzatori), il disco si apre con "Song With A Mission", direttamente dall'AOR degli '80, in cui il massimo di ribellione è dato da un feedback di chitarra buttato lì tra un ritornello e una strofa. D'acchito sembra un pezzo intrigante, ma l'eccessiva sensazione di già sentito tronca le gambe a qualsiasi tentativo di recupero. Proseguendo nell'ascolto cominciamo a venire inondati da tempi in 4/4, forma classica strofa-ritornello-bridge-strofa, testi che esprimono concetti semplici del tipo "'a bello io so' 'na femmina, mi puoi usare come zerbino, ma se dartela o meno lo decido io, perché io rockeggio!" oppure "che ci vuoi fa è così che doveva andare, uh come mi sento male, scenderei quasi a fare dello shopping".
Lavorando di skip sul lettore mp3 ecco uno dei pezzi da salvare: "Tony The Beat", che fino a quando non arriva il ritornello con sintetizzatori dal suono caramelloso è decente, poi deriva in un qualcosa degna colonna sonora dei film "estivi" con Jerry Calà che danno appunto in estate alle 3 di pomeriggio. Altro lavoro di skip per giungere a "Night After Night", banalissima ballata retta da pianoforte ed arpeggio di chitarra, che mette in evidenza tutti i limiti della voce della cantante, che dimostra una estensione vocale di 1 ottava, quando la norma è 3. La cosa bella (ehm...) è che lo stesso pezzo riarrangiato in chiave più rock (presente come bonus track), non sfigura, ma nel contempo riesce a trasformarsi in qualcosa di ancora più anonimo.
Verso la fine dell'album incontriamo l'electro-disco anni '80 di "Hurt You", in cui grazie alla quasi totale assenza della voce della frontman si respira un'aria diversa: se vi piacciono certe sonorità non è malaccio. E siamo arrivati alla fine dell'album, tempo di giudizi!

Per descrivere quanto sia patinato e smussato questo disco devo necessariamente ricorrere ad una cruda analogia: è come una vergine con 3 imeni griffati Prada.
Una raccomandazione: adoperatevi affinché non permettano a questi cinque farabutti di continuare a fare dischi!

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   Song With a Mission (02:56)

Hey what do you say I got a 15 million dollar contract coming my way
This song is not for you only for people living like we do, and not for the true

So dont you think I know whats wrong
You are acting like I dont witness stories
But you can't push us down
this song is not for you
only for people living like we do, and not for the true

Hey baby with a one two three four
Everybody been missing
You are feeling cheated
I dont feel appealing
Without me you're nothing at all

Hey what do you say I got a 15 million dollar contract coming my way
This song is not for you only for people living like we do, and not for the true

Hey baby with a one two three four
Pride with a mission
You are feeling cheated
I dont feel appealing
Without me you are nothing at all

This song is not for you only for people living like we do, and not for the true
To all you liars
Who will retired
Don't believe in what they say and what you always been told

Yeeeah!

Hey baby with a one two three four
Everybody been missing
You are feeling cheated
I dont feel appealing
Without me you are nothing at all

Hey baby with a one two three four
Pride with a mission
To all you liars
Who will retired
Dont believe in what they say and what you always been told
This song is not for you only for people living like we do, and not for the true

Dont believe in what they say and what you always been told
Dont believe in what they say and what you a

02   Queen of Apology (03:05)

03   Tony the Beat (03:10)

04   24 Hours (02:40)

Fragile, handle with care
You fall in love then you lose your head
For the last 24 hours,
Well I've been crying my heart out

This time hoping for the better
Been down seems like forever
For the next 24 hours
Well I'm yours, and the world is ours ohhhhh

You said it was love for the first time
Oh baby baby be mine
Cuz I'm in love in love in love in love with you

It's all good, you dont have to worry
I'm not like that, I'm not in a hurry
Take your time I'm not going nowhere
If you go I will always follow

You said it was love for the first time
Oh baby baby be mine
Cuz I'm in love in love in love in love with you with you with you with you
With you oohh

Would I lie to you?
I've never had a reason to
Something I would never do never do never do
Heeyy

You said it was love for the first time
Oh baby baby be mine
Cuz I'm in love, in love, in love, in love with you

You said it was love for the first time
Oh baby baby be mine
Cuz I'm in love, in love, in love, in love with you, with you, with you, with you, with you

05   Painted by Numbers (03:17)

Could I act like you, and put a smile on my face
Not even for a second, would I lie to myself
Too many things are missing, and there's a tear in my eye
It's not a question or an answer, but it will change your mind

We'll be the same tomorrow
'Cause we all been painted by numbers
We're dancin' as we borrow
You said it was love
I said I'd like you to be mine

na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na

I couldn't act like you, but I can love like you do
Between us there is something, I can't explain it to you

We'll be the same tomorrow
'Cause we all been painted by numbers
We're dancin' as we borrow
You said it was love
I got what I need to get by

We'll be the same tomorrow
'Cause we all been painted by numbers
We're dancin' as we borrow
You said it was love
I said I'd like you to be mine

na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na

We'll be the same tomorrow
'Cause we all been painted by numbers
We're dancin' as we borrow

Sing a song for sorrow (Sing a song for sorrow)
'Cause we all been painted by numbers
We're dancin' as we borrow
You said it was love
I got what I need to get by

06   Night After Night (04:12)

07   Ego (02:41)

I've been dying to say this to you
And I don't know what else to do
I've seen your fucking attitude
Well I've been doing someone that you know
It's not a secret to anymore
'Cause I've seen you blowing around my fame

With empty words our worlds collide
It was my ego telling me why
I never thought I'd say this to you
I lied about you, regrets are useless
Was it my ego saying why

I've been dying to say this to you
And I don't know what else to do
I've seen your fucking attitude
Yeah
Well I've been doing someone that you know
It's not a secret to anymore
'Cause I've seen you glowing around my fame

With empty words our worlds collide
It was my ego telling me why (You wanted someone who cared!)
With empty words our worlds collide (You needed someone to care!)
It was my ego telling me why
I never thought I'd say this to you
I lied about you, regrets are useless
Was it my ego saying why

With empty words our worlds collide
It was my ego telling me why (You wanted someone who cared!)
With empty words our worlds collide (You needed someone to care!)
It was my ego telling me why
I never thought I'd say this to you
I lied about you, regrets are useless
Was it my ego tellin' me
Was it my ego tellin' me why

08   Hurt You (03:52)

Don't want hurt you
Try not to mess with your feelings
It's just a matter of trust, for us, for lust
Don't want hurt you
Try not to fuck with your feelings
It's just a matter of trust, for us, for lust

You should come over
Cause I can tell from your eyes
Why won't you tell me what's really on your mind
Too much confusion
You need a little more time
So many times now we've been through this before

Don't want hurt you
Try not to mess with your feelings
It's just a matter of trust, for us, for lust
Don't want hurt you
Try not to fuck with your feelings
It's just a matter of trust, for us, for lust

Can we start over
Or should I leave you behind?
Give me an answer
But please don't tell me the truth
What's your solution?
You can't make up your mind
This is my answer, you know I wanna leave

Don't say you just wanna go!
Don't you know you're on your own?
Don't say you just wanna go!
Don't you know you're on your own?

Don't want hurt you
Don't want hurt you
Try not to mess with your feelings
It's just a matter of trust, for us, for lust
Don't want hurt you
Try not to fuck with your feelings
It's just a matter of trust, for us, for lust

Don't say you just wanna go!
Don't you know you're on your own?
Don't say you just wanna go!
Don't you know you're on your own?

Don't want hurt you
Don't want hurt you
Try not to mess with your feelings
Don't say you just wanna go
Don't want hurt you
Don't want hurt you
Try not to mess with your feelings
Don't say you just wanna go
Don't want hurt you
Don't want hurt you
Try not to fuck with your feelings
Don't say you just wanna go

09   Much Too Long (03:05)

I don't feel rejected but I feel neglected
You know me too well
But you keep twisting my arm

There was a time when we had everything
You know my weakness
To push me around

We need to talk, nothing to serious
I just can't keep this inside me no more

So live hated, not much to brag about
But I have always been cool with myself
It takes more than a heartbeat to get me
To stop me I'm out in the cold
It takes more than a heartbeat to get me
You've been holding on for much too long

I got a call, nothing too serious
Don't even know you but we're keeping in touch
So I've been jealous, not much to brag about
But I've always been true to myself
It takes more than a heartbeat to get me
To stop me I'm out in the cold
It takes more than a heartbeat to get me
You've been holding on for much too long now

I don't feel rejected but I feel neglected
You know me too well
But you keep twisting my arm

There was a time when we had everything
You know my weakness
To push me around

So live hated, not much to brag about
But I have always been cool with myself
It takes more than a heartbeat to get me
To stop me I'm out in the cold
It takes more than a heartbeat to get me
You've been holding on for much too long now... much too long now... much too long now
It takes more than a heartbeat to get me

You've been holding on
For much too long
Now

10   Running Out of Turbo (02:53)

Hey! Hey! Hey!
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey!

I'm waiting I'm aching, I'm running away
you can't stop me no matter what they say
It's twisting and turning inside me again
I've get this feeling this could be the end
you keep raising the stakes...I keep making mistakes

Don't you know is a game and do you got what it takes?
For me to stay ALIVE, boy!

Hey! Hey! Hey!
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey!
It's not ok...It's not ok
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

The sooner the better, you see me this way.
We can't go on like this pretending it's okay.
It's twisting and turning inside me again
We keep getting closer to the end
you keep raising the stakes I keep making mistakes

Didn't you know is a game and do you got what it takes?
For me to stay ALIVE, boy!

Hey! Hey! Hey!
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
It's not ok...It's not ok
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

I won't stop running away from you
gonna find me anyway
I keep running, I'm gonna give it all back
to you tonight....

Heeyyy!!!

Hey! Hey! Hey!
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
It's not ok...It's not ok
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey!
That's what I say
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
It's not ok...It's not ok
Hey! Hey! Hey! Heeeyyy!!!!

11   Night After Night (alternative version) (03:28)

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