The fifth album by Imperial Teen, Feel the Sound, succeeds completely at its goal, plainly stated in the collection s title. From the exhilarating, propulsive "Runaway, " which features the entire band on lead vocals (how many other groups can make that claim?), to the expansive final statement of "Overtaken, " Roddy Bottum, Lynn Perko Truell, Will Schwartz, and Jone Stebbins feel the sound themselves and, in turn, make the listener feel it in ways immediate, pleasurable, and haunting. ELO-like symphonic pop has become a touchstone for everyone from Justice to Cut Copy, but Feel the Sound; makes it manifest through live instrumentation that possesses a Krautrock level of intuitive synchronicity and a desert island jukebox s sense of fun. So many bands lose momentum and focus over time, but a little past its sweet sixteenth year of existence, Imperial Teen somehow grows both younger and wiser, connecting four characters through creative friendship and deep trust, and forging a communal power that continues to grow stronger. Feel the sound of a one-of-a-kind group that s never sounded more like itself.