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Very minor, rather lovely and it rocks.
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FilterElephant Shell is like a summertime record, easy and stress-free. [Spring 2008, p.92]
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The songs on Elephant Shell are a sensible progression from the Strokes-like hooks of earlier material, showing an increasing sophistication. As with before, the brilliance is in the brevity.
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Tokyo Police Club's reliance on sounds and forms, namely the borderline hackneyed tropes of the 21st century's neat-freak take on post-punk, that can all be found elsewhere. Bands rarely combine ingredients this stale into something this fresh.
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It manages to stay true to the band's short-form indie excitement whilst also revealing further virtues well into repeat spins.
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Though its follow-up full-length, Elephant Shell, doesn't disappoint, neither does it surprise too much.
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As it stands, it's a really good album by a band that should've made--and still might make--a really, really great one.
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Entertainment WeeklyWhen they do hit their stride, it's on several urgent guitar-and-synth anthems, which makes you wonder why these guys didn't just weed out the riffraff and release another killer EP. [9 May 2008, p.63]
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Making good on the promise of two nervously explosive EPs, Tokyo Police Club indulge in plenty of echoey atmospherics but also add Foo Fighters-esque blasts of guitar, as if leaping into action and kicking over their chairs. [May 2008, p.79]
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This album may be svelte, but it’s far from slight.
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There are moments here worth savoring-- the wickedly resourceful arrangement of 'Graves,' for starters--but not a lot that sticks.
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So even though these tunes remain brief and concise (only one song, 'Your English Is Good,' tops the three-minute mark), they're also varied, which makes Tokyo Police Club's official debut seem less like the work of hyper-caffeinated teens and more like the promise of a smart, evolving band.
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I can't say with conviction that Elephant Shell will stand the test of time--it could be forgotten within a year--but such is the peril of retreading well-worn musical ground. The album should, however, stay fresh for the summer.
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After nailing the rapid-fire EP format with tracks that constantly threatened to disintegrate themselves from the inside-out, TPC psyche themselves out on their first full-length, over-cooking songs made from otherwise spectacular ingredients.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 30 out of 34
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Mixed: 2 out of 34
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Negative: 2 out of 34
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EdgarMMar 29, 2009
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ShayDec 15, 2008This is pure awesomeness!
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JCDec 15, 2008Exciting and thrilling from beginning to end.