Band:	Mechanical Teddy
Album:	Mecharopolis
Style:	Electronica
Release date:	June 2010

01. Silence Breaker
02. Still Fly
03. Waver Mind
04. Pictures Smile
05. Falling Flower
06. Myself Is In Dark
07. In The Last Stage
08. Unlimited Space
09. Existence Of Shadow [Live Studio version]
10. At The Time Of The Lie [Live Studio version]
11. Defect Of Perfect Genius [Live Studio version]

Japan is well known for batshit crazy bands capable of blowing away the most seasoned avant-garde veterans and this is exactly what I was expecting to hear from a band called Mechanical Teddy. I was excited - something about the silly name and cover art made me think that Mecharopolis would be some crazy mix of The Boredoms and Zeni Geva with Genghis Tron. Unfortunately, I was frighteningly wrong in this case - Mechanical Teddy is a hugely outdated, low-quality, commercial melodeath (ie. Gothenburg wannabe) band that I can't recommend to anyone.

There is obviously a fairly prominent scene of J-Rock music out there with a dedicated following not only in Japan but also around the whole globe. The consensus amongst fans of this stuff typically seems to be that it is OK for these bands to sound a little corny, syrupy and kitschy because they come from a different culture and represent different artistic and social sensibilities. Nevertheless, I think this is a bullshit argument. Kitsch is kitsch no matter who plays it. Obnoxious pop melodies and bubblegum keyboards are just as intolerable no matter if they are played by some European, American or Asian person. Shit is shit.

Mechanical Teddy superficially sounds somewhat catchy and accomplished but this is just because Mecharopolis is produced in a way that epitomizes sonic distraction - aural effects steal the listener's attention away from the lack of substance in the music. Vocals are sung in the beauty and the beast tradition; however, they are devoid of any real emotion or message. These are rough sketches at best; however, the way this album is produced makes it easy for the impressionable, young and confused teenage metal fans to part with their parents' cash. In other words, Mechanical Teddy is a classic example of packaged rebellion, albeit, this time adorned with Japanese characters instead of the usual US nu-gloss.

Commercial music masquerading as something worth our time and money seems to exist in all cultures. Mecharopolis is proof that it exists in Japan, for sure. Mechanical Teddy won't blow anyone away. They just blow.