If I had to approximate Hot Action's message or theme, it would undeniably involve robots having sex. A quick listen should make this strange concept clear. Howard Rigberg, the frenetic mind behind My Robot Friend, lays heavy doses of '80s new wave electronica over lyrics about the 'power of love,' what he refers to as 'robosexuality,' and other things like, you know, fucking the human race. So I guess a title like "Sex Machine" is given new meaning under Rigberg's unique filter. Har, har, har. The whole 'Robot' motive provides for a potentially humorous concept that unfortunately translates into an absolutely abysmal album. The majority of Hot Action! is blatantly tongue in cheek, which makes it difficult to criticize, because hey, it's a joke right? That's a convenient response, but in truth there is little beyond a few gimmicks to hold My Robot Friend's debut up. The album is endlessly obsessed with the '80s, even going as far to construct a straight out ode to the Pet Shop Boys with "We're The Pet Shop Boys." The fact that the track is fairly unflinching is, quite frankly, unsettling. But the throwbacks don't drag the songs down by themselves. Hot Action! may be reworking trends from the '80s, but it also leaves behind the decades most redeeming qualities, most notably thick production and great hooks. In fact, the quirk that like-minded bands such as Polysics employ so successfully can only be applied to Rigberg's lyrics and samples. The backing music is thin and faceless, with only a few exceptions. The penultimate track, "Walking Jewish," is one of these redeeming irregularities: it begins with a sample straight out of DJ Shadow's archive, and then bursts into a flurry of distorted electronics. Unfortunately, the temporary break in trend is quickly injected with some inevitably awful lyrics, just to ensure that every track is as cringe-worthy as the next. "If Messiah's gonna come/Then I might as well too!" Howard sings. "I may not have the foreskin/But you know I've got the balls!/I'm walking Jewish down your halls!" Ok, ok, so maybe "Walking Jewish" is the best song ever recorded, but whatever. Do yourself a favor and start your own modern electro new-wave band, or better yet, pick up Devo's first album. Either way, you're probably going to get something superior to Hot Action!
1. I am the Robot
2. Sex Machine
3. You're Out of the Computer
4. Why Won't You Call Me Back?
5. The Power of Love
6. We're the Pet Shop Boys
7. Understand Your Man
8. The Fake
9. I Know What Women Want
10. Boing!
11. Way Down
12. Walking Jewish
13. Walt Whitman