Pitchfork tokyo police

At times, the newfound prim and properness can feel downright suffocating. The synth line on "Graves" desperately wants to blast off like an M83 melody, but the song's brooding heft weighs it down. Even on a solid track like "Juno", with its stuttering drum intro and music hall piano punctuations, gets choked off, slumping on its anti-climactic chorus rather than shouting. Despite these setbacks, Elephant Shell stands to soak up tons of new fans and earn serious shine soundtracking TV teen dramas.

That's not so much an attack on the album's marketable gravitas as it is an acknowledgment of its consistently easy-on-the-ears sound. However, with each instrument no longer fighting for attention, and Monks resting comfortably in his mid-range vocal groove, the album leaves a less-than-memorable impression. The polished tunes give off major-chord gleam. And the album opens with two pre-school-ready superlatives: "Favourite Food" and "Favourite Colour".

These guys know how to make wasted youth blister, and Champ is brimming with radio-ready, "woo hoo" hooks for a right-of-the-dial station that no longer exists. Maybe they should chat with Phoenix's product placement team. The new album is hardly a huge leap from Elephant Shell in most senses, but it does find TPC reaching out, growing more comfortable, and letting loose. The songs are a tad longer, and they earn the time.

The tempos are upticked slightly, the background vocals more freewheeling. And at the center is guitarist Josh Hook's wafting high notes and Monks, who can't figure out girls or teen dreams despite his good intentions. He means well, even when he doesn't know exactly what hell he means. And as the indie world collectively holds its breath for the TPC full-length, they first punch us in the gut with the Smith EP, a three-song, eight-minute release that could pass for a free iTunes preview.

That's not to dismiss these Paper Bag-era odds'n'sods as mere detritus-- they're too finely tuned for that-- but what a disappointing time for these guys to clean out their attic.

Carbon Clouds , each ranking as the most straightforward albums in their respective band's career. Now, some fans fear TPC might continue their move to middle-- the Saddle Creek signing was followed by a recent tour with the painfully cardboard Cold War Kids. Remember, though, this is the band that scored a Letterman gig with an oeuvre unable to outlast most people's morning commutes.