Tokyo Police Club
Artist of the Day
Who? Like many high school dreamers, frontman David Monks, guitarist Josh Hook, drummer Greg Alsop, and keyboardist Graham Wright cut their chops in the depths of a suburban basement. While the original lineup didn't last, the four-piece were recruited to perform at the Pop Montreal festival shortly after they reassembled in 2005. The Canadian quartet's debut EP, A Lesson in Crime, was recently released through Paper Bag Records.
What's the Deal? Packing their two-minute post-punk jams with spazzy beats and angular riffs, Tokyo Police Club seamlessly blend the jarring rhythms of Thunderbirds Are Now! with the forceful and filtered delivery of the Strokes. Despite the band's penchant for exuberant handclaps, the 7-song disc is filled with apocalyptic narratives about androids and samurais: "I have a microchip implanted in my heart / So if I try to escape, the robots will blow me apart," Monks declares in "Citizens of Tomorrow."
Fun Fact: Before launching the band, the members of Tokyo Police Club would spend each New Years Eve writing a full EP of songs at Hook's house. GINNY YANG
Now Hear This:
Tokyo Police Clube - "Nature of the Experiment" (Download MP3)
Talk: Have you been busted by Tokyo Police Club? COMMENT
On the Web:
tokyopoliceclub.net
