album of the week - 10.1

Absolute Polysics

KRE (2009)

why you'll love it: manic new wave energy

why you'll hate it: poor compared to most Polysics albums

Nine albums in just ten years - that's the tab Polysics has run up so far, and I'm not even counting singles, EPs, and live albums. Over a decade of the "tour-record-repeat" process, they've managed to constantly innovate with each trip back to the studio. Each album until now has felt like a new era, which may explain why Absolute Polysics feels like a letdown. It may seem like nothing, but this is the first album where the band hasn't altered upon their trademark jumpsuits and badges. That partnered with a short running time and more computing on tape than raw instruments makes it so I can't quite shake the word "filler" out of my mind when I think about this album critically.

That being said, filler by my favorite band in the world is still pretty damn good. The first three songs of Absolute Polysics is definitely the most exciting start to an album since Neu (2000). Of course, more initially exciting to those of us who haven't heard the songs already ("P!" being a live staple for three years now, and the other two being singles released earlier this year.); but time will be kind to that, as they still are great songs.

The album is only 35 minutes long (at 14 tracks), so the songs for the most part are at a manic pace. The band is becoming ever so slightly more technical with each release. "Beat Flash" shows off some exciting shifts in pace and melody. So does the short instrumental "Time Out", even if it is clearly a take on Devo's "Timing X". With such a good drummer at their disposal, I'm still waiting for them to cross that one last unexplored territory and create a super technical album, but , sigh, maybe next year.

The only thing on this album I can say is truly new are the two dark techno-ish songs. "催眠術でGO" sounds like a late P-Model song, while "Eye Contact" has an enjoyable 50's alien death ray kinda horror movie feeling. These won't become big hits on the set-list, but I enjoy them for what they are. If anything, this is the band's most synthetic album yet. It feels as if most songs are structured around a series of synth loops, instead of from the standard guitars and drums.

There is one major flaw that keeps this album ranked far below its predecessors. Aside from the singles, the album is TERRIBLY mixed. One of the most boring, watered down production jobs I've ever heard. Amazing songs like "Speed Up" and "Bero Bero" are totally neutered by the production. These are great songs, but are over-processed in the studio. I can't wait to hear them live, how they really should sound. It's frustrating, considering how strong everything sounded in last year's We Ate The Machine, yet this album is so inconsistent from track to track.

Absolute Polysics has become available in the US iTunes store today. It's sad that albums like Neu and National P are going for $35 on ebay, and the only albums you can find in America are comparatively weaker. Karate House is the only exception (available only in digital and vinyl formats).

A few disappointing factors spoil which is otherwise a real adrenaline rush of an album. The production job is its biggest flaw. The lack of a visual makeover and a slight "rush job" feeling concerns me, but I'm not breaking the emergency glass yet.