Polysics are three mysterious characters, half animal, half machine, transported back through time from Neo Tokyo making music that will flatten cities, drain oceans and split atoms. Think Devo locked in a lift with Kraftwerk with the wardrobe designer of the Residents on board for a laugh and you are there. This is 21st century new wave. Nine mini and full albums in their five-year career form the basis for this best of collection. It includes the single "Kaja Kaja Goo" and their reworking of the Knack's classic "My Sharona". Polysics wear their influences clearly on their sleeves, but have managed to mutate modern electronics with classic new-wave songwriting and created their own beautiful noise.
M**N
J-Rock hits the spot
Imagine the soundtrack to a Punk Rock Manga Video Game perfomed by Devo, Kraftwerk and early XTC and you're getting close to what the mysterious Polysics are about.It's chock full high energy, gloriously mental electro-pop-punk sung in sort of sloganised mix of nonsense Engrish and Japanese.Most of the tracks are highly imaginative and full of great hooks even if you can't understand a word they're saying. Apart from the frenzied single Kaja Kaja Goo (featuring Nick Beggs of Kajagoogoo) you get a Devoesque version of the Knack's My Sharona and sublime pop of Black Out Fall out which sounds like a sort of Japanese Kirsty McColl.It has to be said that with a few notable exceptions, (YMO, Pizzicato Five, Stomu Yamashta and er....Tomita), Japanese music has not exactly set the western world on fire but Polysics go a long way to redressing the balance. Ok it's not everyone's cup of Green Tea but it hit the spot for me.I've had this album a while and have only just started listening to it properly - now I can't get it out of my head or off my car stereo
M**S
Buy this album or DIE!
My love affair with Polysics is one that has exploded rapidly.Seeing them live during their short UK tour, they blew the small crowd of under 50 away with their pure enthusiasm and hyperactivity.This album is crafted very much liek that gig. This is not an album merely of a number of songs, these songs perfectly lead on from eachother making the listening experience the closest to seeing them livethat I've known of a non-live album.Mixing frenzied drums, raging guitar, an often heavy baseline with a real electro robotic keyboard twist this is something new. I guess the best I could describe it is as Japanese New Wave Electro Punk.Lead singer/gui tarist Hiroyuki Hayashi's vocals flash around, low, high, squealing, all perfectly entrancing and exciteable, especially on "Hot Stuff".There's also a distinct J-Pop flavour with cheeky high girlie vocals from Kayo and Fumi on the highly enjoyable "New Wave Jacket". Robotic voice sequencing also gets a wonderfully heavy outting on the album and their swirling, jiggling remix of "My Sharona" really is a highlight of the album.The combination of Japanese vocals with simple English such as "Lookin' Lookin' Gaa" (Another real highlight)and "For Young Electric Pop" shows that they're a group not afraid of experimentation and combining languages and singing stylesa long with sudden explosions into driving guitars before dropping back into simple keyboard-led basslines.Polysics Or Die!!! is an album to make you happy. The English lyrics especially aren't deep or meaningful, there's no heavy message and they don't take themselves too seriously.Blow away that stuffy music and enjoy yourself once in a while...With Polysics.
A**R
Do Your Nut
Nobody brings the comic book lunacy quite like the Polysics manage. Their pure, good-time attitude to live shows and recorded output alike make the music a definite must for anyone that likes the more out-there brands of electro-pop/rock. Even the cover of 'My Sharona' is worth th eprice of admission by itself.These Jap rockers have an innate ability to make a song out of feedback and samples, throwing in a bubblegum pop (semi-English) chorus to excellent effect. The entire album is psychedelic and slightly off the wall, but always utterly listenable and compelling.If you've always thought Mad Capsule Markets had a few too many heavy guitars, or just that your favourite fun rock group were a bit mundane, have a listen to Polysics. You will never go back to tedious Western pop-rockers!
M**T
Every track's a winner.
As if being a Japanese Trance/Metal band wasn't enough already to secure their immediate success in the mainstream music world (yeah, right) this compilation of old tracks, new recordings of new tracks, and new tracks, is one of the most fantastically bizarre pieces of modern music.Mixing Japanese lyrics with English lyrics (Should I kiss her? SDDFNJSDHSUDHSGYWG!!! Ka ja Ka ja Goo...) makes this even more brilliant. Best yet, there's no pretention whatsoever. It's just four Japanese men who want to make some catchy and likeable rock songs, which they have succeeded in doing.As long as you can open your mind to the non-contemporary (or in this case, the absolutely extraordinary) you can't fail to crack a smile at some of these songs. Whether you end up liking it or not, there's no denying that Polysics are something that so many English bands can never hope to be and that is completely original.Well done, lads.
A**N
The most bizzarre and downright incredible album I own.
In response to the previous review, there are not four men in Polysics. It's two men and two women. And now to the review... This really caught me by surprise. My girlfriend sent me some songs from this album and I was blown away at the raw energy in their sound. It is almost indescribable, and definitely not radio friendly, but I would totally reccomend a purchase of this best of compilation (with the classic 'New Wave Jacket') and their newer album 'Now Is The Time' which is a much more poppy effort. Both are astounding in their own ways. Also, keep your ears open for the new single 'Catch On Everywhere' - let's hope they do!
V**S
Schrill und queitschig!
Ein Best Of Album ihrer ersten Veröffentlichungen, die in Europa vielleicht nicht ganz so einfach zu bekommen sind. Klassiker wie "Hot Stuff" oder "New Wave Jacket" sind natürlich dabei.Die Tracks auf dem für UK zusammengestellten Album sind größtenteils neue Recordings. Das bedeutet im Endeffekt ein etwas anderer Klang, der mehr auf Gitarre und E-Bass fokussiert/gemastert wurde, sowie kleinere komposititorische Änderungen. Die Gitarren kratziger und die Synthesizer qietischen und fiepen (manchmal echt hohe Frequenzen). Diese Unterschiede erwecken unter Umständen ein bisschen Sehnsucht nach den "Originalen". Dennoch haut dieses Album einen aus den Socken.Meiner Meinung eine Top-Empfehlung für jeden Fan. Für Interessierte: Hört euch erstmal auf Youtube oder beispielsweise iTunes um.
ラ**環
POLYSICS／POLYSICS OR DIE!!!! (2000-2004)
1997年にDEVO崇拝者のハヤシヒロユキ（本名：林寛之、g、voice、programming、vocoder）を中心として結成されたテクノ・ユニット／ロック・バンド。「TOKYO NEW WAVE OF NEW WAVE」と呼ばれた1990年代後半のニューウェイヴ・リヴァイヴァル・シーンの中心バンドの一つ。新録音の5曲を含むベスト盤（全18曲）。DEVO、P-MODEL等の1970年代後半～1980年代前半の英米日のニューウェイヴ、テクノポップとガレージ／サーフ・ロック、パンクの影響を強く受けたラウドなロック／シンセ・ポップ。「My Sharona」はザ・ナックのヒット曲のカヴァー。米国盤はJポップ専門レーベルのTofu Records（東風レコード）より発売
野**望
よかった!
ほんとよかった!最高の1枚になりそうです!とにかくよかった!
K**R
Great name, Great band
Killer cd ! Love this band. Makes me smile.
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