Tokyo Police Club - Champ
Rating
RIYL
WhitleyCut Off Your Hands
Death Cab for Cutie
Vampire Weekend
Release Date
06/08/2010
Tracklist
1. Favourite Food2. Favourite Colour
3. Breakneck Speed
4. Wait Up (Boots of Danger)
5. Bambi
6. End of a Spark
7. Hands Reversed
8. Gone
9. Big Difference
10. Not Sick
11. Frankenstein
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Dirty little secrets. Guilty pleasures. The break you take at work when you say you’re going for a coffee but you’re actually rubbing one out in the bathroom over commando co-workers… no? Maybe it’s just that pop band you never admit to listening to because they had that single from their debut the radio stations just slaughtered, but you still dip your head to their songs because they are just oh-so catchy. Or maybe it’s just that they’re Canadian and since Justin Bieber made his mark you’re having trouble seeing past the evil over the border. Enter border control confusing indie popsters Tokyo Police Club and their competitive sophomore album Champ.
Since the late 80s burdened the music scene with Rick Astley and Bon Jovi hits, intentionally writing pop music has been seen as entering the deepest circle of hell. Fortunately, the last decade or so has seen a shift in this viewpoint, with artists like Phoenix, The Strokes and Ben Folds restoring some integrity to the genre. TPC are definitely helping to further this cause, and over the last few years tours with Weezer and Angels and Airwaves have inspired them to create a sound that, while not groundbreaking, will surely earn them some commercial airplay and some further festival slots. Champ crackles open with a mix of synth chords before campfire acoustic chords bring in the opening vocals of Dave Monks, and already you’re a bit more interested than you’d care to admit.
The first track is “Favourite Food” and it is telling the story of the Champ living out the last of his days in a hospital, and as it changes time when the rest of the band come in at the two minute mark, it shows itself to be a damned impressive opener. From here “Favourite Colour” wants to know the life story of the Champ, chorusing, “Tell me what's / tell me what's your favourite colour / tell me your favourite colour,” with the obligatory pop chord rests broken by resounding bass drum kicks. The first two singles, “Breakneck Speed” and “Wait Up (Boots of Danger),” released preceding the album's June release follow in quick succession and while they both contain the hallmark “woo hoo oh hoo woo hoowoowoohowoooooo”s of any pop songs, they actually work really well for the album.
Perhaps highest on the list of TPC’s achievements for Champ is the sequencing of the 11 tracks in the 35-ish minutes of music. Perhaps they’re acknowledging that their songs don’t have the diversity of a Karnivool or Modest Mouse record, or perhaps it was the production skill of Rob Schnapf, but for the choice of songs the album flows damn near perfectly. Even if TPC don’t warm to your palette, you’ll wind your way through Champ with no jarring song segues or over-amped crash cymbals. Schnapf is the man behind The Vines' debut Highly Evolved and Kevin Devine’s Put Your Ghost to Rest, so Champ seems to conclude his journey from rock through folk and into the realm of synth guitar pop.
The album closes out with what the band described as “the hardest song we’ve ever had to do” in “Not Sick.” “Frankenstein,” with its delay ridden lead guitar and echoing keys intro, leaves you with a giddy feeling. For a band that is helping to close the gap of respectable musicians and pop artists, Champ certainly isn’t going to do Tokyo Police Club any harm. I’m even slightly envious of those within earshot of the venues Passion Pit is dragging them through in the coming months. This will definitely be one that gets a few turns before you put it back in your guilty pleasures box with the Speed trilogy DVDs and Slinky collection until next time the house is empty and you’re wearing nothing but a white shirt, socks and dark sunglasses.
--Sandy Powell
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