Music fans with fears of missing out on anything related to Swedish pop, new wave or even the year 2006 should make sure they catch the remaining shows of The Sounds’ current tour. Although the quintet’s urgent, up-tempo single “Thrill” immediately caught on with indie rock tastemakers upon its release, The Sounds have been knocking audiences out lately by playing their 10-year old album Dying To Say This To You in its entirety during their sets. Fronted by vocalist Maja Ivarsson, the band has been kicking off shows with album-opener “Song with a Mission,” and revisiting tracks such as ““Queen of Apology,” “Tony the Beat” and ”Painted by Numbers” from the perspective of a seasoned act.
The Sounds, who have been together for most of the band members’ adult lives, burst out of post-millennium Sweden with a No. 4 hit (“Living in America”) in their home country and parlayed early attention into tour support for The Strokes and No Doubt. Early ’80s influences are still abundant in both studio sound and performances, with “Thrill” borrowing a beat from A-ha’s “Take on Me” and Ivarsson commanding the stage with the self-assured attitude of Blondie’s Deborah Harry or Missing Persons’ Dale Bozzio during new wave’s prime.
House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 7 p.m. Dec. 16, $25 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
