Upcoming...Tokyo Police Club: Forcefield

    Just found this today, and couldn't wait to put it up. Seems like I've found more free time this week alone than I have in the past 2 months. I love the simple, straight forward indie post-punk of Tokyo Police Club. Though I definitely think this leans toward the pop end, as Pitchfork's review also highlighted, see here. This is their third full release, Forcefield, which drops March 25th, 2014. Gotta thank BIRP!'s March 2014 Indie Playlist for making my aware of this album.
    Ok, a lot has been said about how Tokyo Police Club has been trying to avoid all the trends (or micro trends as Pitchfork called it--even though I think the trends are more here to stay then everyone gives them credit unfortunately). And they claimed along with the title of this album that they were trying to create Forcefield in some sort of bubble. One problem with that theory is they switched producers to Doug Beohm, who has done work for Miley Cyrus and Fall Out Boy. I hate producers. If you're trying to make a pop album because you want to be a confused indie rock band with a dance pop sound then you've made the right move. But, I think all the effects used take away from what made Tokyo Police Club great: guitars. Their sound has also evolved into a more alternative guitar distortion. I think in reality, Tokyo Police Club has followed a lot of trends without knowing it. One song that comes close is "Tunnel Vision", which is ironically poorly named when you look at it in this light. The synth, glam and dreamy pop style is a definitely switch and about the only thing that remains from Champ (2010) and Elephant Shell (2008) is the vocals, though even then there is a sort of blend added to singer David Monk's voice. Either, their previous semi album, Ten Songs, Ten Years, Ten Days (2011) where they covered a bunch of pop songs, like "Since You've Been Gone" and "Party in the U.S.A."got to their head or it was intentional. Thankfully, one trend they barely happened to avoid is New Wave. I will give them that.
    I never cared that Tokyo Police Club couldn't write a song over four minutes long and just want the music world to return to normal. There used to be a time when there were so many unique bands who were just putting out their first or second album and showed such great promise of remaining true to themselves. But, their most recent album drowned in the lack of variety going around these days. Namely, Vampire Weekend, Phoenix, The Freelance Whales and now Tokyo Police Club.
    Well, make up your own mind, listen to the entire album streaming on the NY Times website, here. I've linked their most adventurous song to date under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks', coming in at 8:32 in three "parts"; "Argentina (Parts I, II, III)". Enjoy!