Sophomore slump often befalls bands when they dare to tread into new territory and look further than their beloved debut tunes. Sometimes, though, the band in question embrace such a wholesome new persona that the entire concept of a weak second album is lost amongst the brilliance. Earlier this year, Vampire Weekend did just that with Contra; now, Canadian indie rockers Tokyo Police Club have followed suit. The guitars in opener “Favourite Food” are delayed yet racy and pave the path for “Favourite Colour”, the sweetest ode to teenage love I’ve heard since Weezer’s “(If You're Wondering) I Want You To”. Tokyo Police Club dig deep into Bleed American era Jimmy Eat World, turning up the amps and the nostalgia to the maximum level. The layers of humming and percussion are infectious and delivered in perfect proportions to the edgy nasally vocals from Dave Monks. “Wait Up (Boots of Danger)” marks the end of the first, uptempo-crazed chapter of Champ, and is followed by “Bambi”, a beat driven electronica track which eases you into the latter half of the record—toned down, mature, thought out. Who ever could have imagined that this band would be dolling out croons about regretfully pensive mornings that follow late nights filled with bad decisions? Champ is hi-fi, it’s cheerful yet thought provoking, and it’s overflowing with emotion. It’s everything that’s uncool in a nutshell, but if you love your ears, you will put aside your hipster irony and indulge in this superbly crafted album.
4.5/5
Tokyo Police Club - Favourite Colour [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
Champ drops tomorrow (08 June), make sure you pick it up!
