Tokyo's Polysics must know their Japanese take on Devo could sound ridiculous, so they cut out the sardonic middleman and simply lampoon themselves. Their matching jumpsuits and space-age specs are brilliantly meta, not to mention the egregious shoutouts to new wave influences. Polysics or Die!!!, a greatest hits compilation of sorts-- and Polysics's first release since leaving Asian Man Records-- sports titles like "New Wave Jacket", "Eno", the not-so-veiled "XCT", and a cover of "My Sharona". However, the Polysics' obsession with a certain Akron, Ohio five-piece permeates this collection. Not only do they boast the craziest synth, surf guitar, robo-beat and spastic vocals combo since Freedom of Choice, but everything's accelerated for current listeners' frenetic, DDR-paced attention spans.
California-based Tofu, a label specializing in exposing unsung Japanese acts to the States, picks up on this connection and by re-recording five of Polysics' best songs for the album, they make a concerted attempt to pique the Nintendo demographic. Usually these re-recordings simply improve the lo-fi Asian Man takes, but the difference is considerable. The matador-inspired chromatic chords of "Buggie Techinica" get the arena treatment, sounding even larger and more grandiose than the Hey! Bob! My Friend! version. "Hot Stuff" also benefits by harder rocking production, its chunky bassline and yelping vocals no longer sounding as though recorded from a boom box.
At the time of their release, each Polysics album has appeared to be "the big one," the record that endears Americans to these goofy homages to new wave nerd rock. Unfortunately, Hey! Bob! My Friend! and Neu, both adored by critics, have barely registered in even the most open-minded indie rock circles, and there's little reason to think this compilation will buck that trend. Perhaps the video game beeps and glitches seem too tacky, or the sugary Japanese vocals too kiddy, or the audacious album title too cocksure compared to today's modest, pretend-like-you-don't-give-a-fuck bands, but this band actually deserves those three exclamation points.
