Monkey Vs. Robot

James Kochalka's second album poses the same question as his first: is this guy an insane genius, a complete idiot, an eternally juvenile yet incredibly astute surrealist commentator on modern life, or a wonderful combination of all three? Monkey vs. Robot does nothing to help clear things up but provides an immensely enjoyable and challenging mix of punk rock, alternately hilarious and mind-bogglingly stupid lyrics, dangerously off-key singing and quirky, cheesy keyboard-infested production (courtesy of Peter Katis and co., of Philisitines Jr., Zambonies, etc. fame). Despite the inherent silliness, Kochalka manages to cover an astonishingly wide array of seemingly genuine emotions throughout the CD's 30+ tracks. Highlights include the touching "Show Respect to Michael Jackson," and the seriously disturbed "Pony the Penis." Definitely not for the faint of heart of humorless, Monkey vs. Robot covers some of the same ground as early Daniel Johnston (in that both artists successfully straddle the line between relevant and completely over the edge) but pushes the avant-garde pop envelope even further. James Kochalka is one of a dying breed of true American originals and Monkey vs. Robot is a fine example of his "art."