since 1999
Last updated 07.9.30
(*) means I don't own this album and haven't listened to it.
(@) means I don't own this album
but have listened to it.
thanks to RG for the loan of some material, terry green for some CDs and suGar
for guest listing me for an early show;-)
Search GEMM to buy Polysics releases
Polysics are one of the New Wave of New Wave ("Neo New Wave") bands who started out in the late 90s when technopop music was about 20 years old and harks back to that era. They mix the influences of P-MODEL, Plastics, Devo and quite a few other technopop and synthpop bands with a kind of hard edged sound -- which pushes P-Model and even more so pre-major label Devo ("Hardcore Devo") to the lead in my opinion since they had a more "edge" than some of the other bands they've covered . As one can see in the photos they parody devo's visual style. Finally don't forget a bit of Hikashu, who are less known outside of Japan than Plastics or P-MODEL. Most of the album names and also the band's name makes some vintage electronic pop refrence, often with some kind of spelling alteration. The Korg Polysix synthesizer first sold in 1981 wasn't played much by bands with a lot of money but was, for those on a budget, a major breakthrough as it could genuinely play chords and cost less than half the price of the other polysynths out at the time. In general, their EPs, Maxi Singles, etc. are mostly made up of non-album material www.polysics.com |
98.9.25 TicNstar MSR-TIN-006
1. BOOGIE TECHNICA
5. WHICH
13. BECAUSE
landmark compilation including very early CD appearances by SPOOZYS and MOTOCOMPO
other compilation appearances include--
(*) Punch the Monkey ! 2 (99.06.22 TRIAD/HEAT WAVE cd: COCP-50103) Lupin III remixes
(*) ??? (99.08.25 DECKREC DCRC-0004) 2 tracks
(*) Tonkusatzcrew (99.10.10 LASTRUM CORP. LACD-0020) seems to be old sci fi action movies and shows
YMO Remixes-Technopolis 2000-00 JISEIKI-HIRAKE KOKOLO (Good-Bye Bus Mix)(00.11.22 JVC VICL-60653) more like cover versions
than remixes overall, the track is credited to Hayashi, not Polysics
(*) SMASH in LA-PPISCH 2 美代ちゃんの××× (00.12.01 TIGER HOLE UNITED LOCA-1001)
(*) Fine Time - A Tribute to NEW WAVE Memorabilia (04.02.25 KSCL-851/2)
(*) A.I COMPANY- Tribute to NEW ROTE'KA 夏・NANCY・16才 (04.03.17 VICL-61359/60)
(*) KAISER CHIEFS Lap Of Honour Na Na Na Na Naa (POLYSICS Remix) (06.01.18 Universal UICU-1102)
1st P99.02.25 DECKREC/UK PROJECT cd: DCRC-0001 A short 6 song album debut. |
01. SUNNYMASTER 02. BUGGIE TECHINICA 03. PLUS CHICKER <981017MIX> 04. WHICH! <SECOND PROGRAM> 05. GOOD 06. T·RIANGLE |
(*) 99.04.25 DECKREC/UK PROJECT 7" single: DCRC-0002
This was reissued 99.12.15 with new
more contemporary rocking cover art. The original had a more 'nerdy' devo-ish look. Wouldn't
mind hearing Secret Agent Man especially assuming it's a cover version but
it doesn't seem to be on any CD. Perhaps liscencing issues?
ADRSM!1999 Deckrec DCRC-0005 This album was a top selling indie release and probably helped get them signed to a Sony imprint label. Includes a cover of Pike originally by Hikasu. Got my attention and I bought it when I heard it in a shop. When I heard them live (thanks suGar!) they were far harder and more "big" sounding then here. Even though as I mentioned, I liked listening to it enough to buy, I think on album they sound kind of agressive and its only partially captured on CD. Like a certain abrasive factor which I can't say I really enjoy is captured, but their vocals seems a little weak on this CD. They do a good plastics parody "Nice" with good vocals by Kayo. (live they had their vocoder sounding better, maybe they bought a better one?) members: Hiroyuki Hayashi, Kayo, Junichi Sugai |
01. A·D·S·R·M! 02. Poly-Farm 03. Hot Stuff 04. Eleki Gassen 05. Nice 06. Married To A Frenchman 07. Monsoon 08. Pike 09. TIME SHOCK! 10. Modern |
1999 HMV promo cassette
This is a mock up radio show given as a bonus if you bought ADRSM! at HMV when it first came out
(*) 99.12.15 DECKREC 7" single DCRC-0006
6-D / Live In Japan(*) 00.02.25 DECKREC 2cd:.DCRC-0012/0013 This wraps up their indie label output with a double CD with a remix disc and a live disc, remixes include a polysics bandmember and SPOOZYS, the other names I'm not familiar with. (*) 6D, the above CD of 6 remixes came out on vinyl by itself (DCRC-0014) Nick Reed adds: |
CD 1 LIVE IN JAPAN |
CD 2 6-D 01. SUNNYMASTER -ELEKTRO BOOGIE MIX- remixed by DUCK ROCK 02. WHICH! -FUJI-SAN HEAD MIX- remixed by SPOOZYS 03. MARRIED TO A FRENCHMAN -ROK STUDY MIX- remixed by SUGIURUMN 04. MONSOON -SUGAI DISTORTIONAL MIX-remixed by 4TRACK PROFESSIONAL 05. NICE -DINNER MUSIC FOR A PACK OF HUNGRY MIX -remixed by KOVACS 06. PLUS CHICKER -TAMO-2 MIX- remixed by NoBUO |
LIVE AT newwave(*) 99.04.25 VHS DECKREC DCRC-0003 |
BGV(*) 00.01.26 VHS DCRC-0011 |
Hey! Bob! My Friend (overseas collection)(*) 2001? Asian Man (US) AM 070 , US Picture vinyl and also released by PonyCanyon Korea This is a 12 song compilation of the Deckrec material. I've not compared it to where it comes from, for example Sunnymaster seems to have been only released in live video or remixed in Japan as far as I can tell. 01. SUNNYMASTER http://www.asianmanrecords.com/ |
XCT(@)00.4.19 ki/oon ep: ksc2-341 4 tracks, a rather hard sound. Major label debut 01. URGE ON!! |
|
each life each end(*) 00.06.21 Ki/oon ep: KSC2
345 01. TAX IN rather similar cover artwork |
00.09.20 Ki/oon cd: KSC2 357, 2003 U.S. release on asian man records AM-102
This had really funny and cool customizable cover in Japan. Depending on how you fold the booklet. I'm not sure if it's duplicated in later Japanese versions. I don't much care for the hard sound on this one.
background trivia: NEU! was a highly influential West German band from the mid 1970s. Clearly very inspirational to Stereolab. Buffalo Daughter also liked them and were about to release an album with a similar name that month but for reasons not quite clear also involving their U.S. label's shut down, theirs was postponed, likely reworked and released with a new name ("i"). I hear very little of the German Band's influence on this album, if there is any then I missed it. Hey it's not my joke but some saw the irony of a US release almost 3 years after the original Japanese release bearing the name "new" as well as several unreleased overseas albums. Anyway why complain, the lower American CD price is pretty fresh! The US release adds BLACK OUT FALL OUT | 01. go ahead now! 02. MS-17 03. XCT 04. S.V.O 05. MAKING SENSE 06. each life each end - sputnikless mix 07. DISORDER 08. CY/CB 09. X-RAYS(this is my life) 10. WHAT 11. PLASTER CASTER 12. URGE ON!! - velocity 2 13. I'm a worker |
Nick Reed adds: I'm not sure if this is a reference to the German band, like you I haven't found any real influence in this album. Hiro said he chose it because he liked the sound of the word...my guess is he heard the band's name dropped somewhere and chose to adapt it. What I do see a big influence here from New Wave in general - of course, all their albums do, but this one has quite a few references. Each Life Each End has a riff that seems to be a bastardization of Devo's Girl U Want, and I think Plaster Caster was influenced by Devo's Uglatto, again only available on one of the Hardcore Devo's. XCT is most certainly a reference to the band XTC, but the track doesn't sound much like them. However, S.V.O. is most likely based off XTC's Cross Wires, one of their manic early tracks. Making Sense might be a reference then to the Talking Heads concert movie/live album Stop Making Sense, who knows. If your favorite thing about Polysics is their insane amounts of energy and fuzzed out riffs, you'll probably think this is their best. It may take a few listens though, especially since some of the tracks simply have too much going on at once to really be listenable to the uninitiated (Urge On!!! particularly), but once you get used to it you'll likely find this to be a fantastic album. |
New Wave Jacket(*) 01.04.25 Ki/oon
KSC2 380 01. NEW WAVE JACKET |
ENO01.06.06 Ki/oon KSC2 389 This album has more variety and contrast than NEU. At this point the band is 2 guys and 2 girls. RG and I thought one of the guys looked just like jun matsue from SPOOZYS. Bye Bye Red Sneaker has to be the ultimate satire on English language J-POP |
01. WAKE UP,POLYSICS! 02. NEW WAVE JACKET(reform) 03. WEAK POINT 04. KASUGAI 05. COMMODOLL 06. BYE BYE RED SNEAKER 07. KI.KA.I.DA! 08. ENO 09. 1 & I 10. H MAJOR 11. HIGHWAY RULE 12. AT-AT |
Nick Reed adds:
To me this keeps much of the energy of Neu! and gives it a more pop-based sound. New Wave Jacket was so over-the-top and catchy that it became their biggest hit. Lots of great tracks here. Weak Point was probably influenced by Devo's Race of Doom. The album title probably is a reference to Brian Eno, a pioneer in synthesizer work in the 70's and early 80's. The title track is pretty much all synthesizer, but it doesn't sound anything remotely like something Eno would ever make. A little bit of trivia though, Eno produced Devo's first album, so who knows if that's got anything to do with it.
further trivia from nk: actually Eno's early track Third Uncle is often considered British proto-punk though it's not the kind of punk sound Polysics do. Kikaida (a.k.a. Android Kikaider) was a 1970s manga, TV series and anime series about a guitar slinging, alien monster fighting cyborg.
LO-BITS(*) 02.04.24 CD KSCL 453 Haven't caught this 5 song 10" record. Did it come out on CD? I don't think so but let me know.
it has DOMO ARGATO Mr.ROBOTO as a cover and quite literally a robot on the cover ;-) I |
01. DOMO ARIGATO Mr.ROBOTO 02. BUGTTE RO BO- 03. Head O' clock 04. My Way 05. Code4 |
For Young Electric Pop(*) 02.07.24 KSCL 460 full album. Japan only. Has a cover of MY SHARONA Nick Reed adds: |
01. FOR YOUNG ELECTRIC POP 02. COLON 03. IT'S UP TO YOU 04. WICKED LAUGH 05. BLACK OUT FALL OUT 06. LET'S GO 07. MAD MAC 08. TV'S HIGH 09. SECRET CANDY 10. WEEKENDERS 11. GET BACK TO 8-BIT 12. MY SHARONA 13. Code4 |
KAJAKAJA GOO(*) 03.05.21 KSCL 547 Japan only 01. KAJA KAJA GOO |
National P(*) 03.10.29 KSCL-627 Japan only. Includes a video clip as CD-Extra data Nick Reed adds: |
01. Mr.ELECTRIC SHOCK!! 02. PEACH PIE ON THE BEACH 03. LOOKIN' LOOKIN' GAA 04. SONY-SAN 05. What do you wanna do 06. WEIDER 07. ANTHOLOGY 08. SCHIZOID VOW!! 09. GANBARE MILINDA 10. KAJA KAJA GOO(with TOO SHY) 11. CARS 12. LED 13. MY ROOM 14. SWITCH LOVE SHOW |
DVDVPVDVLIVE!!03.03.19 DVD KSBL-5746 Live Japan released DVD |
PippikkippippiP In USA
|
CLIPS OR DIE!!!!07.08.22 DVD KSBL-5846 Live Japan released DVD |
Polysics or Die!!! (best of)(*) 04.05.19 Ki/oon KSCL-861 Nick Reed adds: extra nk trivia: P-Model released their own P-MODEL or DIE album back in 1999 around the time Polysics played live on the same bill as P-Model. Not that the" _____ or Die" phrase originated with P-Model. |
01. BUGGIE TECHINICA (new recording) 02. Hot Stuff(new recording) 03. NEW WAVE JACKET 04. PLUS CHICKER(new recording) 05. KAJA KAJA GOO 06. BLACK OUT FALL OUT(new recording) 07. MY SHARONA 08. MAKING SENSE 09. LOOKIN' LOOKIN' GAA 10. COMMODOLL 11. FOR YOUNG ELECTRIC POP 12. XCT 13. PEACH PIE ON THE BEACH 14. each life each end 15. Code4 16. Modern(new recording) 17. URGE ON!! 18. ENO |
KAYOMitsuami Heroine04.07.02 KAZE MACHI Records WKRUK-0001 This is a 5 song solo EP by Polysics keyboardist Kayo. Here she takes off her shades and records some songs some of which have a polysics sound in various degrees. The band helps her out on the later songs but the album opens with a title track written and performed by Haruomi Hosono with lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto (Happy End). 01. Mitsuami Heroine |
Now is the Time!(*) 05.10.19 Ki/oon KSCL-890, Tired & Lonesome (UK) TLONECD3 Nick Reed: |
01. Tei! Tei! Tei! 02. Coelakanth Is Android 03. I My Me Mine 04. Ah-Yeah!! 05. Walky Talky 06. Wild One 07. Rack Rack 08. Toisu! 09. Boy's Head 10. Oh! Monaliza 11. Jhout 12. The Next World 13. Skip It 14. Baby BIAS 15. Bye-Bye-Bye |
Now is the live! 06.08.23 DVD KSBL-5821 |
13. DA DA DA DA DAA! 14. ワチュワナドゥー 15. Hot Stuff 16. Peach Pie On The Beach 17. Baby BIAS 18. Tei! Tei! Tei! 19. Electric Surfin' Go Go 20. KAJA KAJA GOO 21. URGE ON!! 22. BLACK OUT FALL OUT 23. Bye-Bye-Bye 24. FOR YOUNG ELECTRIC POP - 2006.04.29 Leeds Millennium Square 1. I My Me Mine 2. Baby BIAS |
Now is the Live! (DVD) |
I MY ME MINE / JHOUT-WIRE
(*) 06.04.24 7" (UK) TLONE7007
|
(*) 05.04.27 CD5 KSCL-776
01. Baby BIAS
02. Mr. Psycho Psycho
03. Life In Yellow
01. Coelakanth Is Android
02. Psycho Therapy
03. meso
Electric Surfin' Go Go(*)06.06.21 CD5 single & DVD limited version KSCL-1014/15 |
You-You-You(*)06.10.25 CD5 single & DVD limited version KSCL-1045/6 DISC 1(CD) |
Catch On Everywhere(*) 07.01.31CD5 Single KSCL-10911. Catch On Everywhere 2. Shizuka is a machine doctor 3. ギターピック殺人事件 4. Dance Dance Dance |
Karate House(*) 7.02.28 initial limited version with DVD - KSCL-1117-8 Nick Reed: |
CD 01. ワトソン |
DVD 01. Off Stage 1 |
Polysics or Die: VISTA(*) 07.10.9 US Release Includes a DVD |
CD 1. Electric Surfin' Go Go 2. New Wave Jacket (Reform) 3. Baby Bias 4. Go Ahead Now! 5. Kaja Kaja Goo 6. I My Me Mine 7. You-You-You 8. Catch on Everywhere 9. Coelakanth Is Android 10. My Sharona 11. Black out Fall Out 12. Shizuka Is a Machine Doctor 13. Tei! Tei! Tei! 14. Each Life Each End 15. New Wave Hotline 16. Peach Pie on the Beach |
DVD 1. I My Me Mine [All Star Ver.] 2. Electric Curfin' Go Go 3. Peach Pie on the Beach 4. Catch on Everywhere 5. New Wave Jacket 6. Coelakanth Is Android [Live] 7. Buggie Techinica [DVD] 8. New Wave Jacket [DVD] |
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