Entertainment Program For Humans (Second Variety)

If Devo and the Breeders ever decided to jam, the results would probably be very similar to Servotron, a bizarre science-fiction themed combo that mixes the former's tongue-in-cheek playing style with the latter's dynamics. The band's gimmick is simple, they are a group of robots whose goal is to entertain and enlighten humans before their natural human errors ruin them as a society. "I Sing! The Body Cybernetic" is a typical Servotron song: moog keyboards soar over bouncing bass and thrashing guitars with robotic "singing" warning machines not to enslave other machines to please human beings. The whole album could have been disastrous if not for the band's inability to break character. The gimmick is fantastic, they completely buy into the robot pop band act without trying to act smug or letting the listener in on the act like a GWAR or a Green Jelly. The endearing vocals of Proto Unit V-3 and 00zX1 are the key to making the new wavey songs enjoyable pop ditties. And the excellent guitar work by Andro 600 Series brings just the right human touch to the proceedings to keep it from falling too far into the joke. The unique rock made by Servotron is not only enjoyable but has the potential to reach a larger audience due to its overall likability. Fans of good indie pop, science fiction, and general weirdness will probably want to give this a try, these robots are only trying to help us.