Ima Robot - Monument to the Masses Review

It has been a few years since Ima Robot last had a hit, since 2003. However, it takes only a few minutes for the band to craft a song that will be their next big hit. This song is "Disconnect", and the band seems to recall The Cars. "Disconnect" blends this Cars sound with a little bit of Andrew WK to create something that has retro flair but still be will be salient to individuals from the current period. The track is three minutes of pure electro-pop with the properly snotty set of vocals dominating everything; Ima Robot has came back, and came back strong with this track.

"Creeps Me Out" is another track that showcases Ima Robot's skill, as the band moves into a blend of Reel Big Fish and The Aquabats. Of course, there is still more than a fair share of electronic sound here, but it is contextualized well. The band even moves into something that is similar to rap music with the opening of "Cool Cool Universe". It seems as if Ima Robot is trying to wrest the control of the electro punk genre back from acts like Hello Goodbye, and with each subsequent track on "Monument To The Masses" being a stronger track, it seems as Ima Robot will do just that. The bass line cum the synth on "The Beat" blends with Anthony Kiedes-like vocals. The track seems to be a more male-dominated Sounds track than anything, and is just another song where Ima Robot succeeds. The chorus is herky-jerky, and will get individuals bouncing around like crazy.

"Eskimo Ride" continues this streak, and while the song is a little slower and more sedate than the rest of the tracks previously encountered on the disc, the song shows that Ima Robot is able to add Police-like lines to their dance meets punk sound. Ima Robot was able to cut one of the tracks off this album as a single. I have no doubt that they will be able to come up with a solid follow-up single here soon. One just needs to listen to the Elvis Costello-like vocals that are dominant during "Chip Off The Block" to understand why Ima Robot is such an amazing act. This CD will be in my player for months, if not years to come. Go to your local music store and make sure to pick up a copy of this, their magnum opus.

Top Tracks: The Beat, Creeps Me Out

Rating: 8.5/10