Tokyo Rose

Reinventing a Lost Art (2003)

Katie

Are you a fan of emotional pop punk? If you are, than this is the CD for you. If not, then this may not appeal to you.

Tokyo Rose is a relatively new band hailing from New Jersey who prides themselves on catchy power pop that is very easy to listen to. Vocalist, Ryan Dominguez, has a pure voice that is consistent throughout their debut full length, Reinventing A Lost Art, put out on SideCho Records.

I saw Tokyo Rose earlier this summer at a small show in Rockford IL. I enjoyed myself and found their music appealing, but was not sold right off the bat. Later I was given their CD to review and I listened to it one day while I was painting in my basement. As I was listening, several different bands popped into my head that had similar sounds, Spitalfield's newest album seems to be the closest comparison I can make.

Tokyo Rose's lyrics are nothing out of the ordinary, but are above the typical run of the mill pop punk lyrics. The album runs together, and at times it is hard to distinguish song from song. I only realized the CD had moved to the next track when the next poppy chorus began to get stuck in my head. But to be honest, after the CD was done, I could not remember anything very significant from the album, except for the beginning on one song which began as a dial tone, then a number dialed, and finally a busy signal – signifying a song about an ill teenage relationship.

Overall this album was okay. Like I said, emotional pop punk fans, this could be an album to live by, those of you who take the different route, keep going.