[image-4]Published May 08, 2008.
Tokyo Police Club
Elephant Shell
(Saddle Creek Records)
For their first full-length album, Elephant Shell, Tokyo Police Club have polished their sound; the jostling of instruments sounds and effects found on their popular EPs is considerably subdued here. As always, Greg Alsop's beats stay on course enough to be danceable. The careful insertion of snare and bass sixteenths keeps a quirky time that complements the increased spotlight on Dave Monks' engagingly idiosyncratic vocals. Some might mourn the absence of the energetic, noisy post-punk sound of past hits like "Cheer It On," but Elephant Shell hints at the band's possible transition from clever upstart to prolific institution.
Caley MacLennan