aaamusic | On 29, Jun 2010

Though Champ may begin on a relatively slow note, don’t be fooled – Tokyo Police Club’s latest album is anything but melancholy. Vocalist David Monk’s voice is just too well suited to the bouncy, upbeat sound that pervades the record, largely composed of thumping yet melodic beats, energetic guitar solos and occasional electronics.

This is not to say the record has no substance however – there’s obviously a lot more going on behind the scenes than you may first initially pick up on during your first listen. While songs such as Favorite Colour may sound generically ‘indie’, take a closer listen and you’ll find precision and instrumental skill you might have missed earlier. Not much seems out of place on this record – though most tracks stick to the melodic, catchy formula of the opening songs, slower and more contemplative tracks such as Hands Reversed work well too, proving Tokyo Police Club are more than capable of handling both styles.

This album may not be ground-breaking – it never strays far from the norms of its genre – it does what it’s trying to do very well. Never boring but always enjoyable, it definitely wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the record a success. Existing fans of the band will be pleased, while new listeners will find Champ very accessible and easy to dive into.

Author: Katharine Sparks