The Cops - Drop It In Their Laps
Release Date: May 7, 2007
Label: Inertia



You could fill a museum with all of the 80�s revivalist bands out there right now. And, really, since a lot of them sound pretty much the same, it all comes down to the strength of their songs. Luckily, the full-length debut from Australia�s The Cops is brimming with great tunes.

The group comes across as a modernized version of The Cars throughout much of Drop It In Their Laps. Even their name is similar. I say this in the best possible way, though, as the album is all about brief, fun pop songs with great, splashy hooks. Out Of The Fridge/Into The Fire starts things off nicely, with a surprisingly funky beat, while Call Me Anytime, The Message and Starve On My Love are the obvious single choices. Worth a mention as well is Hot Weapon, a goofy ode to a car that should serve as this year�s Greased Lighting. In fact, there really isn�t a weak track on the album. Nothing completely stands out from the pack either (though Le Chic is very fun), but you won�t really care as these songs are designed for maximum instant singalong status. In this regard, The Cops could easily be the Australia version of Maroon 5. Kudos go as well to an excellent album cover, truly giving the whole project a retro vibe.

Like a lot of bands out at the moment, The Cops don�t yet have a totally distinctive sound. But, what they do they do very well and it�s hard to imagine anybody that wouldn�t enjoy Drop It In Their Laps, even if it is only at face-value. B+

Key Tracks: Hot Weapon, Call Me Anytime, The Message