A Lesson In Crime

Tokyo Police Club

Tokyo Police Club's debut mini-album A Lesson In Crime is a short but consistent batch of post-punk infused indie pop songs. The production is a little rough around the edges, particularly with the guitar and synth leads which are searing at points. Even David Monks' bass tone is boosted in the treble range giving it this snappy definition, further accentuating his syncopated bass parts. This in my opinion is something that gives the album a little more character, a record that is a little more physical. And speaking of physical, many of the songs' hooks I think can be attributed to the great drumming by Greg Aslop. Cheer It On, Shoulders and Arms, and If It Works all kick off with some aggressive drum grooves that immediately relay urgency.

My favourite track, Nature Of the Experiment, kicks off with a bar of snappy bass before the band unexpectedly shouts "GO!" This was the first song I've ever heard from the band and that intro still sticks with me after all these years. Sour synth melodies and a harmonious wall of guitar trade places back and forth creating this constant push and pull. Citizens Of Tomorrow and La Ferassie are similar in structure in that they both have calm beginnings that eventually break into louder, full band arrangements. I like Citizens Of Tomorrow a little more as I found the intro a little more compelling. David Monks rambles about a world in which robots enslave humans to rebuild a world left in ruins over some handclaps and a nice synth pad before the song busts in with strong drumming and a driving guitar riff. The intro of La Ferassie on the other hand has a lumbering beat and a shaky vocal performance from Monks. The second half, however, is fireworks with grinding guitars, energetic drumming, a pleasant, walking synth line, and a gang of shouts.

Tokyo Police Club at this time operated on a 'less is more' kind of philosophy; refraining from packing a ton of parts into their songs. Most of the songs here just barely breach the two-minute mark and the longest song is just under three minutes. The results are insanely catchy bursts of indie-pop with a punk filter that get in and get out before you could even possibly lose interest. Even some of the songs that pale slightly in comparison to others on here don't last all that long, essentially generating no loss of musical momentum. Sure, this could signify a lack of songwriting experience (something the band would develop on later releases) but has that resulted in a stronger, more engaging Tokyo Police Club album? I would perhaps argue that it hasn't.