Music Matters
Tokyo Police Club backs up memorable name with upbeat mix
I appreciate bands with enough imagination to spend some time creating a memorable moniker. There's a reason why bands like The Butthole Surfers, The Flaming Lips, Throbbing Gristle or Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem are remembered (please tell me, people, that you remember Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. If you don't, I'll jog your memory at the end).
With that in mind, I had to give Tokyo Police Club a little attention prior to the upstart Canadian indie band's gig at the Warehouse on Thursday night.
I might have otherwise ignored its latest album, Champ, but the name Tokyo Police Club immediately reminds me of the exotic thugs from old James Bond movies. These bands of nondescript Asian-esque hoodlums always attacked the British spy while conveniently dressed in matching, brightly colored jumpsuit uniforms. This, of course, was done so that Bond could easily pick out who his enemies were and kill them all inside their secret island lair with little more than a knife and his banana hammock bathing suit as his defense.
Turns out (surprise, surprise) Tokyo Police Club has little to do with Special Agent Bond. A listen to standout tracks from Champ like "Wait Up (Boots of Danger)" or "Gone" does, however, uncover a kinship with more seasoned garage pop-punk outfits like the Strokes or —for you old school modern rock fans — The Dead Milkmen. Some might even say that singer/bassist Dave Monks shares a nasal-enhanced vocal style with They Might Be Giants' vocalist/accordionist John Linnell, but Monks plays on it more for emotion than laughs.
Champ is definitely an upbeat departure from the band's emo-leaning 2008 debut, Elephant Shell, and the tighter melodies are already paying dividends. Current single "Bambi" raced to #39 on the Ultratop charts in Belgium (No foolin'. I checked). Closer to home, Tokyo Police Club has been a frequent presence on the Billboard Heetseekers charts and it seems only a matter of time before one of their songs breaks into the mainstream.
Whether we remember Tokyo Police Club's music years from now is still to be determined. I guarantee you, however, I will remember that band name.
Oh yeah, Dr.Teeth and the Electric Mayhem were the house band on The Muppet Show. My favorite band member was Animal on the drums. That dude rocked!
Tokyo Police Club, 8 p.m. at Warehouse Live
Tickets: $15-$17