Disco de Tokyo Police Club: “Lesson in Crime”

This is definetly a band to look out for. I saw them at some hole in the wall in Baltimore and was hooked. If you like at the drive in and the strokes, odds are, you'll like these guys.

The subject matter of the lyrics is a bit "out there", and some of the songs on the short side, but a good album and very cohesive.

Some of the songs are pretty quality but they are really short. The longest song on the album is not even 3 minutes. And on top of all that there is only 7 songs on the album.

I bought this EP knowing nothing about the band and without having read any reviews. It turned out to be a wise impulse buy. I love this CD. Lots of energy, quirkiness, catchiness, and no fluff. As for those who complain about the brevity of this release and the price: [1] it's an EP, not a full length CD [2] great music is priceless.

Tokyo Police Club hails from Newmarket, Ontario...yeah that'd be another up and coming gifted band from Canada. You can't swing a Canadian Bacon sandwich these days without hitting one. Though they aren't quite as good as The Meligrove Band, another young Canadian up and comer, they are good. If I had to tag them, I'd say they are the coming of the Artic Monkey's on the North American shores.

"A Lesson in Crime," was released in 2006 trying to strike while the buzz iron was hot and it does contain some little modern post-punk gems. But, here's the big but. But, it clocks in at 16 minutes and the price isn't even an EP price. Lotta money, little music. Download the mp3's here at Amazon or wherever you like, forego the album art, and enjoy hearing the Police Club sound.

The standout hit here on "Crime Lessons," is "The Nature of The Experiment." It's got some great male and female vocal interplay for the chorus, a bouncy bass line that bounces all the way through, kicking it off with an infectious, "GO!" Good stuff. Another highlight is "Shoulders and Arms,"--a song that features some 80's synth and nice rim shot understated drums. And then there is the song, "Be Good," which has the same ubiquitous drum line but includes some great fast shot vocals, "Waltzing right out of the room / Be good when your parents stay over in June / I heard the news I'll send a card / Cellar door, Friday night Long johns, hold tight / Put it on a page Put it on a line /

Get the story down." Well, I didn't say it was deep. After all singer and bassist, Brandon Monks and his Police crew were merely fresh out of High School lads when they formed and cut this EP.

Catch the Canadian wave, the musical renaissance up north with Tokyo Police Club...download now. --mmw