Customer Reviews

Polysics Or Die

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sony, it appears, is starting to push some more established Jpop acts stateside, in the hopes that they will catch on this time. Well, Polysics aren't cute, and they don't have their own cartoon show. (Although it might be interesting -- I'm thinking Ren & Stimpy, but weirder.) What they do have is a thoroughly original, bizzarely entertaining sound.
What do they sound like? A friend of mine suggested techno punk, but that description is too glib. Imagine the bastard child of Devo and a hardcore punk group, fronted by a guy who, umm, hasn't been keeping up with his meds, and you start to get the idea.
The music is braindead fun, spastic, and thoroughly addictive. Chief Polysic Hiroyuki Hayashi (once known only as Poly-1) mugs and wails off key over a bed of thrashing guitars, bleeping synthesizers, and the sugary sweet harmonies of keyboardist Kayo and bassist Fumi. The few non-Japanese songs are more Engrish than English, but it all fits somehow. This isn't brain surgery music.
Sure, Hayashi's over-the-top style can wear on you, and they do love their vocoders. Some songs don't work -- a "live in the studio" re-recording of the single "Black Out Fall Out" (found on Japan For Sale Vol 3, for the curious) introduces unnecessary elements and loosens the songs tight charm. But the sped up, vocoded cover of "My Sharona" deserves to be on everyone's list of alltime bizzare songs, and numbers like "Kaja Kaja Goo", "Lookin' Looin' Gaa" (with its childlike verse chants), "Peach Pie On The Beach" (just TRY not singing along -- pippikippippippi!) and "Code4" really do show off the band at its hyperactive, geeky finest.

This is not the deep music you think about, this is made for having a happy hyper time. Don't dwell on it, just groove with it. Urge on!! and Each life each end are some of the most addictive electro-punk music you'll ever hear, and they're cover of the knack's my sharona is definately worth a listen, as is the original, the knack doesn't get enough credit; But I digress, the entire album is worth giving a shot, and if you can appreciate it a buy.

If you want to listen to some very strange, (good), but strange music...this would be ideal. The Polysics are a 4 person group from japan. A lead vocalist/guitarist, a bass, a drummer, and a keyboarder. But, there is a huge emphasis on the keyboarder to come up with very.....strange but very cool funky electric beats etc. You'll have fun with this cd if you like video game music or punk rock, or j-pop.

Only problem with this group is the male vocalist CAN get VERY annoying at times. Most of the time he isn't singing but he is.....yelling. Which kind of takes the cd down a peg.
Now, off to the song review

Buggie Techinica-4/5
A very strange song indeed, but a good opener. No lyrics at all but an instrumental (btw, I consider a vocoder to be an instrument)

Hot stuff-3/5
I don't like the lyrics on this song...sorry.

New Wave Jacket-5/5
A very fun, fast, energetic song. I love the male and female vocals in this one! One of their greatest hits.

Plus Chicker-4/5
I like the lyrics, and the crazy electric sounds...but the guys vocals kind of get irritating quickly.

Kaja Kaja GOO 4/5
This song is so funny. Great music and the chorus, KAJA KAJA GOO!!!!

Black out fall out 5/5
Another greatest hits for the Polysics. The female vocals with the vocoder make an excellent peppy, fun song to listen to.
*THIS IS NOT THE REGULAR VERSION*

My Sherona-5/5
An awesome cover of the original my sherona. The vocoder is used throughout the entire song, which is great!

Making sense-4/5
A very cool 80's style beat at the begining, but then becomes another song of polysic craziness!!!

Lookin' lookin' GAA-3/5
Sort of annoying, but the hard rock section makes up for it!

Commondoll-5/5
A computer talking about crying, how sad......GOOD SONG!!!

Four young electric pop-3/5
Another random polysics song, nothing Special except what I call the "Jump Break" part, in the middle of the song.

XCT-4/5
Pretty good average Polysics song

Peach pie on the beach-4/5
Keeps your interest throught the entire time.

Each life end life-4/5
Strange lyrics, female covals, it's all good.

Code 4-5/5
My favorite song on the cd.

Modern-4/5
"I WILL SING YOU SOMETHING COOL" yes, yes you are.

URGE ON!! 5/5
A very fast heavy song. It almost sounds like they were trying to put as many things in 1 song as possible...and they succeded in creating something very LOUD!

ENO-5/5
The closing song, which is less than a minute. Is easily a song that could be on the soundtrack to an NES game!

The Polysics are musical and this CD is definitely worth buying. Just because people don't look all depressed and unshaven don't mean they aint deep. Polysics are HELLA deep. Musically speaking Polysics are great musicians also. Anyone writing a bad review probably just hasn't listen to them enough. I think this band is impossible to stop. Soon, VERY soon you will see Polysics everywhere. They just ROCK!!! ... in a way people don't ROCK anymore. you can never stop ROCK!!!

This is a great compilation of Polysics songs up until before Now Is The Time! (second latest album). If you're not dancing around by Kaja Kaja Goo, Kaja Kaja Goo will pull you out of your chair.

If you don't know who the Polysics are, or don't understand them, search them on YouTube (the vids aren't just fun and funny, the lives are great, too). Then come back, buy this, and love it.
I think bad reviews were from people who just didn't get it.

All the Polysics CDs I've bought included lyrics (which helps - no offense to their english - they try, and it's improved lately). The new recordings of certain tracks on this CD are really good if you've only heard the originals.

What can I say about this band? My band opened for them in a little club in my hometown of Wilkes Barre, PA. My bandmates and I had no idea what to expect from these crazy looking Japanese people in matching red jumpsuits and radiated sunglasses. That was...until they started playing. And oh god how good it was! From their high power intro, to their spastic robot cover of the Knack's "My Sharona", to their cheerleader on speed singing, to the very last synth line I was blown away. It was like everything campy and fun about 80's synth pop(especially their huge influence from Devo)but yet something odd which sounded 10 years in the future. They had punk energy and chunked up guitars. They sang some of the songs through a vocoder. Their keyboard player (who is a girl, along with the bassist) played her synths and keyboards like a robot. It was like dancy/electronic punk music with barely understandable Japanese vocals with Engrish lyrics. I danced my ass for their whole set. All I can say is, check these chaps out. And watch out for them to make some kind of impact in '06.

This band is by far the most musical band i have ever heard. Their hit song "kaja kaja goo" blends a catchy keyboard/bass riff while combining the amazing vocal talents of their lead singer. Actually, i must be completely honest with you all - the one song i have heard (kaja kaja goo) is the worst piece of sound i have ever heard in my life. i was watching the music video on an anime channel and i actually had the ability of seeing them in "action". There are no vocals, there is no real music. There is one "melody" which keeps repeating itself over and over and over and - well, you get the idea. In short, you cant listen this cd because theyre SO BAD!!! i didnt rate it, however, because i am basing this on the one song i have heard. And im actually not a kid.