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Tokyo Police Club – “Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness (Part 1)” [EP] [Album Review]

Tokyo Police Club, the ever-reliable indie rock band, brings its listeners a swift and concise 5-track EP just in time for feel-good Summer moments.

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Toronto darlings Tokyo Police Club released a five track EP titled Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness (Part 1) on April 8, 2016. The ever-reliable indie rock band brings its listeners a swift and concise 5-track EP just in time for feel-good Summer moments. The release also coincided with the ten year anniversary of the band’s debut EP, A Lesson in Crime.

Written and recorded in New York, Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness (Part 1) is a result of a week in the city. The group got together and hashed out the tunes in a concentrated amount of time, stating that writing and recording an album over the span of 2 1/2 years, the way Forcefield was written, wasn’t really feasible, considering that the members all live in different places now; what resulted is brilliant, albeit spontaneous.

Melon Collie… harkens back to A Lesson in Crime in many ways, dripping nostalgia and familiarity, yet there is nothing stale or repetitive about this release. The 2014 release of Forcefield revealed that the band had matured lyrically and stylistically. The innocence that reverberated in adolescent rooms through A Lesson in Crime and Elephant Shell had evolved.

Melon Collie… expands on Forcefield, really accentuating the percussion while keeping the low-key softness that Tokyo Police Club is so well known for. Gentle emotion is backed with strong instrumentals. Opening with the powerful “Not My Girl”, the track reflects the Tokyo Police Club that we have grown accustomed to and have come to love with recognizable bass riffs and melodies. The last track, “Please Don’t Let Me Down”, gives the listener something new, a sound that is unlike Tokyo Police Club but suits them well. It’s clear that bassist and vocalist David Monks voice has officially found a place within the music, soaring and playing with the instruments daringly and comfortably.

The EP title is reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins critically acclaimed release in ‘95 titled Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The smashed watermelon on the album cover a clever homage to the Pumpkins. Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness (Part 1) is unrestrained in its sound, and remains bittersweet in its aesthetic; Tokyo Police Club has given us a smashing EP worth raving about.

Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness (Part 1) Track Listing:

01. Not My Girl
02. PCH
03. The Ocean
04. Losing You
05. Please Don’t Let Me Down

Run Time: 16 minutes
Release Date: April 8, 2016

Check out the song “PCH”

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