My Robot Friend
Why Won't You Call Me Back? EP
(Proptronix)
Everyone has a record label these days and you know what? That's not a completely bad thing. Proptronix is a small and apparently very playful label run by M Patterson Curry (aka Safety Scissors), and they're up to their fifth offering with this 6 track, 20-minute batch of tracks from one Howard Robot. If the title track of this release is any indication, this is definitely not the last we'll be hearing of him.
Simply put, "Why Won't You Call Me Back?" is one of those hilarious tracks that sticks in your head because of both the music and the lyrics. Sure, it's all a bit silly (Mr. Robot drops the line into everything from famous historical scenes to raves, and turns it into a battle cry and statement of longing at the same time), but the propulsive beats, upright bass twangs, and playful keyboards make this one of the best pop songs that you might never hear.
The track is given the electro-booty treatment in a remix from Matmos before the album lets loose with what is another hilarious track in "Boing." Basically what the title states, the track sounds like a chase sequence narrated by Monty Python and Mystery Science Theater at the same time (uttering mainly one-syllable nonsensical words). The two versions of "I Am The Robot" are the weakest moments on the album, bouncing along with much more plain programming and lyrics that try to be clever but end up being a bit annoying. Fortunately, the album closes out with the hilarious and over-the-top "The Power Of Love," a track that uses a ping-pong ball bounce prominently in the rhythm (perhaps as a nod to the Safety Scissors/Kit Clayton Ping Pong EP). Although there are a couple weak moments, the title track more than makes up for things, and if you're into goofy electronic pop, you could definitely do worse.
Rating: 6.5
