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POLYSICS – Polysics Or Die!!!! (Ki/Oon, KSCL686)

Posted: June 13th, 2005, by Crayola

Devo a la Nippon, anyone?
Polysics are self confessed Devo-tees. But their music is not Devo-by-numbers.
Not by a long chalk.
For sure, the influence is there in the construction of the songs but Polysics are so much more than that.
This album compiles songs from their 4 or 5 albums and numerous EPs (mainly released through Sony Japan) – a kinda ‘Best Of’ or ‘Introduction to’ I suppose.
There’s something about the way Japanese bands use Western Pop, bastardise Western Pop, transform Western Pop.
It’s been talked about so many times before that I needn’t bore you with the details. Needless to say this album excited me from beginning to end. There’s the rush of Melt Banana at top speed, the sonic blasts of Merzbow when the sun’s shining, and the bangs, shouts and yelps of pleasure spread across Jap-Pop hooks that make me want to jump up and down.
I’d never heard Polysics before, but I’ve been instantly converted.
The nearest Western Pop band that comes to mind, if you want a marker for this record, is probably Ultrabra.
Topping the whole thing off is a vocoder driven cover of “My Sharona”. It needs to be heard to be believed.
Absolute noisey pop bliss.



Crayola

Crayola's musical heritage stretches way back to having one of the most impressive record collections in Telford. Always on the outer limits of the most independent of independent music, he now co-runs Kabukikore Records and releases more records and CDRs than you can shake an obscure stick a t. And they have some nice packaging, too.

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