Tokyo Police Club's Elephant Shell was released a while ago on-line, is supposed to be released in hard copy on April 22 (today). I mentioned a little while ago that I think the album is a little bit more subdued than their previous efforts (A Lesson in Crime, Smith EP, etc.), which were, at times, great, but getting nearer to something like Alexisonfire than I'd care to venture.
On this album the TPC manage to stay upbeat, punky, but are calmer, more accessible, and produce an album that I'm convinced will be my favourite of the year... if not of the last couple of years. Maybe its because the album is so short, but there aren't any songs I want to skip over and there are a pile of memorable singles "In A Cave" "Graves" "Tessellate", etc.
In short, TPC are the next big thing - maybe they're all over MTV now, it's impossible to say really.
[mp3] Tokyo Police Club - In a Cave
[mp3] Tokyo Police Club - Juno
An acoustic version of 'Tessellate' which is very cool, and makes the Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) comparisons make sense.
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8 comments:
Last couple of years? Seriously? I can't imagine myself listening to it next week, let alone by the end of the year...it's too polished, and most of the songs are too boring. But, then again, I thought A Lesson In Crime was the best album of 2006, and I didn't hear anything like Alexisonfire in their sound. But yeah...this is probably my biggest letdown of the year so far, by far.
ha ha... not to jump on the hate wagon, but man, I'd rather have to talk about Hedu's sassy fauhawk for hours than listen to this record.
That being said, I can totally agree that people will eat this up. People freaked out last year when they played Sasquatch so I would imagine once the masses get their hands on this, they are going to be the poster children for Canadian indie.
I'm with you on this one Rob. This is a band defining its limits without going overboard with a 60 minute plus cd. I like the brevity of it. It's refreshing and direct. And yes the Death Cab comparisons are coming but that's not such a bad thing.
I see they've been added to the bill at the Ottawa Bluesfest. Hopefully we'll see them around here soon too.
I gotta say, I agree with matthew and ack. There are a couple of fun tracks, but most of them are missing that 'punch' they brought on their EP ('Your English is Good' being the exception - which was released a while ago so it's not even that new)
I put both this album and the new Raconteurs album on my ipod on the same day. As a point of comparison, I've listened to that album pretty much non-stop since and only managed to this to TPC once. There isn't much there to bring me back.
P.S. Jack White is at his finest on the new disc.
Wow. I'm just getting killed on this one... I think the Alexisonfire was more just a reference to all the shouting...
Maybe its just a matter of expectations, since, I did really like aLiC, but I found it to be a lot of energy... just energy. Matthew's review, as usual, I think is bang on - but I, obviously, think that the result (a more subdued, accessible album) is a step forward...
Maybe the last couple of years is pushing it, but its definitely up there this year with the Black Hat Brigade and Plants and Animals.
just to be clear... I totally get your point about why they will be huge and agree. I just think they had more potential after the EP and made a full length that doesn't come close to the expectations people might have had.
Plus, I just don't care for them all that much myself but I'm not really a good barometer.
I didn't mind the album
Just felt like an EP with more tracks
They are one of those bands which are better to see live.
I have photos I took at the Ottawa show.
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