Muse Reviews

Tokyo Police Club - 'Elephant Shell'

By Kate Rothwell

Ontario based Tokyo Police Club deliver this fast paced debut as a follow up to their 2007 EP, 'A Lesson in Crime'. With only one of the 11 tracks clocking in at longer than three minutes ('Your English is Good'), the succinct songs found on 'Elephant Shell' have the feeling of a band with more to give.

Luckily what they have offered up to the indie alter so far bodes well for the Canadian four piece. Opener 'Centennial' is a little too short to judge an album by, but the upbeat 'In a Cave' is given a better chance to develop. Lead singer and bass player David Monk's accented vocals might grate with lesser support, but the full-bodied guitar, synth and drum sound serves only to complement his voice and gravely-voiced, yet surprisingly melodic, backing from bandmate Graham Wright. The vibrant handclapping and chirpy keyboards of current single 'Tessellate' is typical but still enjoyable fare from TPC, as is 'Nursery, Academy'.

'The Harrowing Adventures of...' is a pleasantly different curiosity, laid-back and based around low-pitched strings and piano, an acoustic guitar and what sounds to be a xylophone. The much more overtly pop 'Your English is Good' is laced with a surprisingly scathing humour, the first lyrics being "Oh, give us your vote, give us your vote, if you know what's good for you". All that said, no tracks in particular stand out as sure-fire singles, a fact which the brevity of the songs may contribute to.

'The Baskervilles' is another short and almost satisfying upbeat number that ends, like this album, a little too abruptly. If The Shins replaced ambience with liveliness, Tokyo Police Club might just be the end result. This very listenable debut is hopefully the predecessor that will lead to a somewhat lengthier effort.