It’s almost embarrassing that when discussing Birds of Tokyo, front-man Ian Kenny’s other musical juggernaut, Karnivool will be referenced. I mention this only because with the release of their second album, Universe’s, Western Australia’s Birds of Tokyo have completely emerged from the shadow of their heavy hitting relation.

Of course so much of this sound is built on the freakish lines and tones of singer Ian Kenny but the music has stepped up to match the talented front-man and the resulting album is one of the strongest to be released in pop rock cirlces this year.

From the excited energy of the album singles, Silhouettic and Broken Bones, to the introspective and rampantly spiralling epic, The Bakers Son to the out and out pop mastery of An Ode to Death, the complete palette of this record is its true strength. When you think of the individual talent in the band, the fact that the sum of those parts is on another level again, you really start to appreciate the quality Universes represents.

Having a man like Adam Spark behind both the six strings and the mixing desk is another of the band’s riches. Having driven the recording sessions himself before high-tailing it to the States to have bigwig engineer Tim Palmer (U2, Pearl Jam) mix the record, Spark’s grand vision of what his band can be is coming to fruition nicely.

The skill base this band has is astounding and their drive seems to match. Get on board now because in a year you’ll be considered a Johnny-come-lately when everyone wants a piece of the Birds.