Champ

Tokyo Police Club are a four-piece from Canada and 'Champ' is their
second album. Their first, 'Elephant Shell' (2008), was a perky debut
which is worth stepping back in time to hear for its crude energy.
'Champ' has clearly had a bit more money thrown at it. The production
is slicker and classier which befits the development in the band's
songwriting skills and ability to construct arrangements of somewhat
greater complexity. The advances have not occurred, however, with any
perceptible reduction in verve and enthusiasm.
They still have pazazz in abundance!!

The ensemble comprise : Dave Monks/vocals and bass; Josh Hook/guitar;
Graham Wright/keyboards and Greg Alsop/drums. Mr Monks is a fine
front man. His laconic drawl serves their sparky and spiky style well.

There are eleven tracks to contend with and I found something to enjoy
in all of them. There are very few frills or fripperies to negotiate. The
songs make their point without the need for unnecessary detail or
decoration. Which is not to say that the material lacks imagination.
The quirky time-signatures and sharply conceived vocal harmonies
display more than a little evidence of finely-honed musical intelligence.

The uncertain shifting introduction to opening track 'Favorite Food' eventually
settles down to reveal a delightfully robust composition with a neatly circular
melody and somewhat mournful lyrics atmospherically intoned by Mr Monks.
Things pick up and take off at greater speed about halfway through propelled
along by Mr Hook's big jangly guitar chords (a sound which defines much of
what is distinctive and memorable about the band's sound).

'Favorite Colour' sounds far more English than its Trans-Atlantic origins
might suggest. Mr H's continually cracking playing together with Mr Alsop's
rock-solid drumming contribute real drama to this raucous arrangement.

'End Of A Spark' is a particular favorite. A dense four-square number
which communicates both pathos and passion. I have a feeling that it
may be Mr Monk's favorite too. Singing with palpable passion it is his
strongest performance in the set.

The spirit of Mr Zimmerman seems to inhabit Mr Monk's being for a moment
or two on 'Hands Reversed' but his presence is both subtle and benign.

'Big Difference' carouses along at a cracking pace. A runaway train of a
song with sparks spitting out in all directions between wheels and rails!

Final track 'Frankenstein' shows no signs of spare-part surgery. It is an
entirely coherent and well-formed composition which brings this fine
project to a powerful conclusion. What little horror resides here is manfully
contained in Mr Monk's characteristic snarl. A gentle beast of a song.

Good band. Good album. Good listening.

Recommended.

I bought this as a recommendation from a friend, and I don't have anything bad to say about this album, it's varied in tone and each song is uniquely brilliant. My favourites so far are "Gone to the coast" and "favourite food", both songs I think will become some of my summer anthems!

I've already been a Tokyo Police Club fan for a while when this record was published, so I pre-purchased it here.

It's a bit different from Elephant Shell but in my eyes it's also a bit better. The songs are all more or less on the same level of awesomeness and put me into a good and jumpy mood.

One of my favorite bands of all time.