Tokyo Police Club's debut EP, A Lesson in Crime, exploded into wide indie consciousness in 2006 - 7 songs, 16 minutes of fresh excitement from the Canadian four-piece. We've waited patiently for the debut album, enjoying the odd single along the way, which have been modest hits. Fortunately, it was well worth waiting for - the sound has deepened, become more mature, but not lost a shred of its spiky energy. So long as The Walkmen don't want to make The Rat again, this is as great a bunch of rapid-fire propulsive singles as you'll hear all year. Only one song, the single Your English Is Good, comes in over three minutes, and none of the others needs to.

The song ideas keep coming at you - they burst in, deliver their message breathlessly and with great melody, and get back out. So many bands - Interpol, The Editors, maybe even The Strokes - attempt this stuff and barely scratch the surface. With pounding backbeats, synths driving the melody, guitar adding edge and character, and a snaking punky bass under the shy boy voice, this is all the band you need. Elephant Shell is over before you want it to be, and the band with so much promise have delivered in spades.

4.5/5

Mike Rea

Site - http://tokyopoliceclub.com

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