Tokyo Police Club - Champ (From Salisbury Journal)

Tokyo Police Club - Champ

1:02pm Wednesday 16th June 2010 in CD Reviews

Artist - Tokyo Police Club
Album - Champ
Label - Memphis Industries

Tokyo Police Club's entry couldn't have been more exciting - A Lesson In Crime was an 8-song EP, full of high-energy punchy punky indie, tightly wound around bass, cheesy organ and bursts of spiky guitar. The follow-up, Elephant Shell, was a delight, taking that spit and fire and giving it a more mature grown-up feel without ruining anything.

Champ, the second full-length, is more of the same - full of joy and anthemic melody, wholly 2010 in feel. The Canadian 4-piece have here started to breech the 3-minute song barrier, with great results.

Standout songs include Breakneck Speed, Wait Up and End of a Spark, songs that sound like a more indie Fratellis.

Champ takes a couple of run-throughs to fully get into - some of the immediacy has gone in growing up, but it has been replaced with genuine quality.

Rating 8/10
Mike Rea