Polysics
Absolute Polysics
Rating: 2.5/5.0
Label: MySpace Records
Polysics have always been a band that belongs on a stage rather than in a stereo. They've built their legacy on idiosyncratic live performances, encompassing copious stage dives, uniformed goggles and un-ironic orange boiler suits. They've engineered a legion of devoted fans, all of whom are dedicated enough to launch countless odysseys across the Pacific to see their heroes. And in general, the band members just seem like good-hearted people. But that doesn't necessarily translate into a great record.
After the luxuriant release of 10 studio long-players, a pair of EPs and more singles you can count on all your fingers and all your toes, the venerable Japanese collective Polysics are now entering their second decade of existence; they hardly need to prove anything to anyone. Their latest, Absolute Polysics, embraces Polysics' status with amity, doing exactly what you'd expect from a new Polysics record. It's short, punchy, full of frivolous retro-rock splendor and utterly devoid of shame.
Like any band listing Devo and the Tubes as primary influences, Polysics aren't ones to take themselves seriously. Their song titles span the gaudy likes of "Young OH! OH!," "Fire Bison" and "Bero Bero," the songs full of cartoony décor- Polysics will always choose kitsch over substance. Synthesizers are little more than Atari 2600 blips, guitars are cranked to Spinal Tap levels and lead singer Hiroyuki Hayashi chants, "ONE TWO THREE FOUR!" a few times too many. It's charming at first, though wears out its welcome quickly, ending up sounding like a distraction due to a distinct lack of innovation (never a good sign when your record is exhausting after the relatively-lean running time of 35 minutes).
To be fair, Absolute Polysics is centered on "Cleaning," a Weezer-esque, token power-pop ballad serving as a well-deserved break between the constant blitzkrieg of inanity. It's also probably the most 'song-y' track on the record. It does away with the reductive gimmicks that represent the rest of the album, and puts forth some honest-to-God songwriting. Sure, it's not exactly what Polysics founded their reputation on, but it stands as one of the sole highlights amongst a fairly pedestrian record.
by Luke Winkie
