CD of The Week

Four years after Canadian indie rock band Tokyo Police Club’s sophomore release Champ, comes the arrival of their third full-length album, Forcefield. On the new record, Tokyo Police Club retains their original, hooky indie pop vibe, while slightly tweaking their sound.

The opening track “Argentina” is a strong, catchy song, though with its 8:32 running time, the epic tune may leave the listener waiting for the end of the multi-part suite. Just when you think “Argentina” has ended, it takes a turn and develops into what seems like a completely different song.

Tracks like “Gonna Be Ready” and “Toy Guns” incorporate catchy guitar riffs and drum beats into excellent songs that truly stand out on Forcefield. “Toy Guns” in particular has a chorus that reminds me a bit of Matt and Kim. Thanks to Tokyo Police Club’s catchy guitar riffs and the charming vocals of singer David Monks, Forcefield is a solid new release, expanding upon the band's potential by slightly traveling outside their now-signature sound. However, the group truthfully seems content with who they are, rather than trying too hard to evolve musically and lyrically as a band.

Tokyo Police Club will be returning to Philadelphia on May 16th at The T.L.A. with Geographer and Said The Whale.

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