Review: Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History

Two Door Cinema Club is a band without distribution in America, so lucky you! You can go to their MySpace to hear Tourist History for free. I’ve done it twice! But perhaps you want to  read about what they sound like, or if they’re any good, before devoting about 40 minutes of your life to this band. No problem. As an overall description, they’ve got a bit of a jittery Feelies vibe to them, with a huge slathering of a synth-based new wave. Now, you might think that New Wave has been done to death after its recent resurgence, but these guys do it with a certainty in their polish and tightness. I’d rag on them for their MySpace’s biography (“3 people with the help of technology and the thirst for anything quirky?” Come on, guys.) or the fact that there are so many entries in the synth rock genre at this point, but they do it well with tight song structures and powerful tension.

The record isn’t all dance rhythms and synths, though. The band sparingly showcases some gorgeously sweet falsettos on “Do You Want It All.” “This is the Life” finds its coda with some searing guitar lines. So, there are little things going on everywhere in the music that give them a bit more of a voice. Similarly, there’s a sunny side to all of their songs that can be refreshing (“Cigarettes in the Theater”) and sometimes wistful (“Eat that Up, It’s Good for You”). Later, “I Can Talk” shows a little bit more spunk. Bristling with energy: it’s what the younger bands are best for.

At this stage, the best comparison for Two Door Cinema Club is The Strokes. There’s something same-y about all ten of the songs on Tourist History, but at the same time, they’re doing so many things well. Hooks are strong for all of the songs, and the individual instrumental lines for guitars and synths are memorable, to boot. There’s a foundation here, for moving forward, and most young bands would wish to have that much. These guys have room to grow into a bit more of a unique sound. More importantly, they’ve got the tools to move into any direction they want. For now, this album’s a more than satisfying trailer for what should be a fantastic movie. And hey -- for now, it’s free on MySpace. So go listen to it! Tell me I’m wrong.

Two Door Cinema Club:

• MySpace
• Official Site
• Last FM