Things Tokyo Police Club have: 1) a neatness of touch when it comes to crafting sub-Bloc Party pop-punk.
Back in 2006, Tokyo Police Club – a four-piece pop-rock band from Newmarket, Ontario – stumbled across a couple of decent songs while messing around with guitars and other instruments in a basement. That basement was probably also in Newmarket, Ontario – there was nothing on A Lesson in Crime, the mini-album those two decent songs ended up on, to suggest that this was a band that put much faith in adventure. Still, ‘Cheer it On’ and ‘Nature of the Experiment’ are fine enough. Listen to them here and here if you like. For those at work, or otherwise deprived of sound: sometimes they sound like The Strokes and The Paddingtons playing Bloc Party songs. Sometimes they look like Bloc Party trying to play songs by The Strokes and The Paddingtons. Take a couple of minutes out to consider the weight of those words.
Back? Well, there wasn’t too much else to say about A Lesson in Crime, other than that vocalist Dave Monks occasionally sounded like Yoni Wolf might if he feared what his eyes might say to his tongue, instead of following side alleys and finding two men fucking in a Berlin basketball court. New album Elephant Shell finds the ambiguity created by this choice absolutely harrowing, however, and proceeds to run back to that basement with its eyes closed, one hand over its mouth and the other clutching its Bloc Party tapes. Opening track ‘Centennial’ is essentially ‘Pioneers’ minus the grand sentiment and panic of defeat, which is all that made Bloc Party kind of fun to fight for or laugh at in the first place.
Things Tokyo Police Club have: 2) one good line per album.
"Don't forget to write / Don't forget to write / They buried me / In southwest France"
'La Ferrassie'
“Your ghost did you wrong / When he wiped your spit on the table cloth / I am here to fight / And let your blood in the dim moon light”
‘The Harrowing Adventures of…’
The latter from Elephant Shell. And why is it good? Because it makes no sense whatsoever. Everything on this album makes too much sense – there are ups and downs, but they’re just so predictable. Look at Liars – they only make sense once or twice an album, but people adore them, because then the rest of the album grows up and around those poles of sense like a strange weed. You need to fumble about for a while, of course, but that’s better than coming home and finding your roast chicken dinner in the oven and your wife in the hallway with her legs open, staring at her watch. What Angus Andrew would do is put the roast chicken in the hallway with its legs open and himself in the oven. Ah, now you have a quizzical look for the Antipodean cat in the hat. Now there’s some explaining to be done. Some men are too tall for home cooking.
As it is all answers are and sweet stuff is too easy to find with Tokyo Police Club and, as such, they manage to con themselves out of having a point.
Things Tokyo Police Club haven’t got: 1) any discernible point.
I could go on, but for brevity's sake, let's cut it here. I'm just too bored to care.
Well done for basically doing a Bloc Party review most of the time
it doesnt describe the album or the band at all, u sir are rubbish, this review is rubbish. It's at least a 7 but it's not the score thats wrongs its the fact you don't really say why this album is as poor as it is, the only things you can throw up are from A Lesson In Crime & then you go about them trying to sound like Bloc Party for the rest of it.... poo'urns joke, the Liars simaly is so pointless.
Why am I not surprised this was written by
Kev Kharas! - Awful review
It really is a pile of wank.
The review,
that is..
stick to the news articles kev
Things Tokyo Police Club have: 3)
copied the artwork to the The People EP by The Music
what a douche
tpc piss on most of the dross that you apparently rate.
"crystal castles: 8"
but then you're 20 years old and you live in hackney so you're probably just upset that the ugly boys in this band are getting more alternative tween gash than you.
\m/ entirley for the love of TPC and Bon Iver
Kev isn't 20. Kev doesn't live in Hackney.
He gets more 'gash' in a month than you'll have in your life, I don't doubt. Ergh. But also: yes.
THANKS.
HAH.
http://www.dependablerenegade.com/photos/dr_pix/pwned.jpg
*cringe*
at this reply ^^
:|
new
kitty pls
This album
isn't mind blowing by any means, but it is certainly not a 4/10.
I'm getting more and more frustrated at that consistency of ratings in the reviews on this site.
I dunno
4 = I'm not a fan, but it's a passable attempt
Possibly should have been even lower.
Either way, this band = dull.
this album = 7/10
cheers
These reviews are
getting more and more like Pitchfork. i.e. if the reviewer doesn't like the band (or their image or popularity) personally, they'll give them a shit rating.
Wait
"if the review doesn't like the band, they'll give them a shit review rating"
Well... isn't that how a review is supposed to work?
I meant like
them personally. ex. I dislike Oasis because of their arrogance.
I've Signed Up...
Just to express how shit this review is. Honestly, ending it with "I'm bored" would be a bad enough ending if not for the total lack of anything relevant written before hand.
But, hey, you managed to get a Why? reference in there, you must be so please with yourself...
No offence, Kev, but you need to remove your head from your arse.
This is a strong and perfectly digestable record, absolutely better than almost all material of the same ilk, it's very very good. Reviews like this are why a lot of people don't take DiS seriously, at times it seems to be more keen on making a statement than accurately reviewing. For me this is as good a record as i've heard this year, probably an 8/10, maybe higher. Anyone who awards it less than a 7 really shouldn't be taken seriously.
Shouldn't be taken seriously...?
Sweeping statements like that about sub-par indie music shouldn't be taken seriously...
I remember liking Lesson in Crime
in a 7/10 sorta way... and one of the new tracks kinda exeptlified way I thought maybe I was being stupid for liking this... anyway 4/10 maybe a bit harsh...but I dunno...it's more likely spot-on than way off from what I've heard.
It really is a shitty review
But the album itself is probably deserving of a 6/10.
shhhhh
TPC are funnn. juno is awesome.
Haha
Very funny review! But in my opinion also very wrong. Elpehant Shell is one of the greatest compact popalbums of the past years. Just listen to the infectious drumbeats and the funky bass! And I love the lyrics as well, nothing wrong with it. It's very short, but every song is great and why would it have to be something heavenly and unique? Just a simple, well done record is great as well isn't?
I love TPC ^^
Hmm
In all fairness, i quite enjoyed Kev's review, despite the fact that i disagree with it heartily; i love Elephant Shell, and it has been on near-constant rotation since the day it came out for me.
Just because a review offers a different opinion on a record to your own doesn't mean it's a bad review.
It's not as catchy
as a lesson in crime, but it's still a damn fine album.
But it sounds like hes reviewing 3 albums in one
but never the album in question where he only makes a reference to one.. maybe 2 tracks. No mention of a more melodic path for example which SCREAMS OUT AT ME on first listen.
such a weak
review it almost seems cruel to mock it. this album is a 6 or 7 for sure.
one of the things i like about DiS
is that when a review is wrong/shit, everyone makes sure the reviewer and any other readers know this.
if it wasn't for the comments some people might not bother giving a record with a poor score a listen.
i like this record. 7/10 seems fair
^^ true dat
I give this comment 7/10;
the review 4/10;
the album 8/10;
the fact that it's Friday 9/10;
and rating things out of 10: 1/10.
kthxbai
Thank you for confirming to me that you're an utter cock.
I can't write reviews that well but this is embarassing.
I liked a lesson in crime at first and then it did become a little boring so I can understand where Kev is coming from but this simply isn't a proper review of the album.
I thought a Lesson in Crime was a little bit "Meh..."
But I think it showed promise. I'm glad I maintained that thought and held out for these guys, because this album has quickly become one of my favourites of the year. I'm a sucker for well placed hand claps, and this album has them! But seriously, it's a nice, simple slice of Indie Pop that I'll happily play again and again. Don't agree with the review, don't think it was too constructive, but each to their own.
Oh, and just to put it out there...
I personally would give the album an 8.5, maybe a 9 out of 10. On a commercial level, maybe a 7.5 or 8. There!
...
pathetic review
great EPs
tons upon tons of hype.
very disapointing album.
Voxtrot anyone?
Oh, and a poor quality review. 4/10 is accurate enough (perhaps a bit harsh).
And as for Bloc Party. For the dissapointment, indeed, utter tripe of their second album they should never be used as an indie-rock measuring stick ever again.
Not posted on DIS before...
...but I think its worth using my first one to say that from now on I'm avoiding anything and all things written by Kev Kharas.
**any and all things
Oops. : )
High five.
A 7/10 would be fair. It is good, not great, but 4? Holy mackerel.
is your brain ok
kev?
I hate comparisons...
Why does Tokyo Police Club always HAVE to be compared with Bloc Party? They're two completely different bands from other parts of the world and should be respected in their own perspective. It makes no sense to me at all. Of course the drum & bass are similar sometimes, but isn't all (indie-)poprock like that? It's not like Tokyo Police Club wants to be like Bloc Party or something. They just want to make good music. And, to me, they succeed greatly thusfar ^^
ha! fantastic review
'What Angus Andrew would do is put the roast chicken in the hallway with its legs open and himself in the oven.'
je t'aime
I reviewed this album elsewhere
and gave it 8/10, but still liked this review. Can't really see where all the haters are coming from. So he's got a different opinion? Music reviews are supposed to be entertaining, not predict whether the masses are going to like an album.
awful review
sounds like the reviewer is trying too hard to sound clever...failing....and ending up sounding like a wanker
The album's not as good as A Lesson in Crime though
terribly wrong
and what's with all the cloying bloc party-isms? not every indie band needs to be compared with other acts. take them on their own merits and this is a fantastic recording.
and your review had no discernible point either.
not much sense to it, furthermore.
haha
The way he relates it to bloc party and the paddingtons shows no actual music knowledge beyond his love for radio 1
lazy and crap review
ep vs album
i thought 'a lesson in crime' was an impressive release but i cant get into 'elephant shell' at all, its too polished, i think if they messed it up a bit i think it would be a lot better listen. also the reviewer should stop using 'why?' lyrics in his reviews, especially where its not in any context.
^ spot on
Exactly how i feel - lesson in crime was a fantastic ep, but on elephant shell the producer needs shot! They've stripped out the energy and tempo of the early stuff and replaced it with polish, NEVER a good thing. They are still a great live band tho - saw them in the new bands tent at oxegen last year and they blew my face off.
even so, this review is a load of crap - i'd give it 6/10, disappointing but still worth a listen.
Lame Review
They make too much sense?
They sound like Bloc Party?
Roast chicken?
Where did he get this stuff?
Still, this album warrants a 6/10 in my opinion. I was a huge fan of their earlier material, but this record disappointed me, it totally lacked the energy of the EPs.
Catchy
Its not the best album just good clean catchy fun :)
*joins bandwagon*
fucking rididulous review.
fucking excellent album.
i quite like this
i find myself singing Listen To The Math when i let my guard down in public
Kev...
...if you couldn't be arsed, why didn't you just hand this over to another reviewer?
Re Ep vs album
A lesson in crime is a mini masterpiece that had my finger glued to the repeat button for months, yet this album seems to lack its edgy rawness and disappoints me. Still a 7/10 for me.
P.s the reviewer needs to be shot