Every so often, the baddasss adults of Imperial Teen grace us with another album, and every time, it’s a treat because their alt-bubblegum sound never seems to go out of style, referencing cool kitschy bands from The B-52s to Stereolab. But rather than try to recapture their old sound as they did on 2007’s The Hair the TV the Baby and the Band, they sound more mature, if still scrappy and pop-oriented, on Feel the Sound. They’ve eliminated some of the skittering melodies for more drawn out, harmony-driven moments in songs like creamy new wave jam “Hanging About” and the yearning “All the Same,” suggesting they’d like to be considered more than just a good-times band. And despite having grown a bit this time around, there are still plenty of bits of pop bliss on display here, especially the glamtastic “Last to Know” and the head-bobbing (and kid-friendly!) “ABC’s” and “1-2-3’s” of “Runaway.”

Also available on LP.


Free download of "Runaway" by Imperial Teen.