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We don’t usually just do track reviews on The Schmarm, but I felt the need to talk about “Tessellate” by Tokyo Police Club this fine day. So this will be more of a discussion than a review. I heard this song a week ago or so and since I’ve come to enjoy this little number. I’m not one for the catchy novelty bands that come and go, and/or the “animal nouns” of the word, or bands with the name “Black” in it, but the new single “Tessellate” has something to it. It still has the catchy dance hand clap CMJ buzz band qualities to it, but it’s also well delivered. I’ve always said that it’s all in the delivery. You can get away with pretty much anything as long as you deliver it well. As far as I’m concerned that’s how bands like Sonic Youth and Pavement made their career. Their unconventional ways were done with so much flair that you had no choice but to love it. Thurston Moore even said once in an interview he did with Pitchfork regarding Daydream Nation: “We’d been listening to the mastertapes, and it’s ridiculous how crude the mastertapes are; specifically myself. Did I really accept that for myself? It sounds like I’m wearing a boxing glove on one of my hands.”

The new Tokyo Police Club record is titled Elephant Shell and comes out April 22nd on the ever endearing label Saddle Creek. Keep and eye out, but most likely you won’t need to come Tuesday. 

End Scene,
Dan Tana