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Tokyo Police Club has been getting
chatted up since their inception in 2005 without
blowing up, which is odd in this readymade and ready-to-be-exploited
era of indie pop. Rather, up to now, TPC have been
on a slow-burn path toward a lasting musical career
by amassing a solid underground following. But with
their debut Elephant Shell
now out on Saddle Creek Records, and an impending
tour with Weezer and Angels and Airwaves this fall,
the foursome seems poised to start making a bigger
wave.
Vocally, Dave Monks has kind
of a nasal-y sound, a bit like Alec Ounsworth
of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. But Monks’s
style is lilty and pleasing to the ear (not that
Ounsworth’s isn’t, just not quite
as much). Musically, the combination of Monks
(who also plays bass), Josh Hook
(guitar) and Graham Wright (keys)
is very poppy and has great infectious hooks;
and drummer Greg Alsop pushes the envelope with
a very full, driving approach that almost pushes
the band from the back. It’s a great combination
of otherwise differing musical approaches.
“Graves” and “Tessellate”
are the two standout singles released from Elephant
Shell, but for my favorite example of their
driving—yet often pessimistic—romanticism
check out ‘In a Cave’, which was also
released as a single. Or, just get the album.
It’s solid from end to end.
Tokyo Police Club will perform at Monolith
Festival in Red Rocks, September 14th, and at
Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco
on September 21st.
www.myspace.com/tokypoliceclub
www.tokyopoliceclub.com
www.saddlecreekrecords.com
Jef Hoskins | September 5, 2008
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