Calgary's FFWD WEEKLY had intrepid reviewer Kirsten Kosloski take a crack at the album, and some of her descriptions echo a lot of what has been expressed on this forum--when you get Ima Robot, you really get it:

IMA ROBOT
Ima Robot
Virgin Records

"Like, omigod. It's totally radical. L.A. new-wave makes a comeback.

Whip on the checkered Vans and roll up the sleeves of your blazer because the new-wave resurgence has started. If you've ever wondered what the evolutionary repercussions would be if Devo were influenced by the Sunset Strip, then Ima Robot is your reference point. Ima Robot's self-titled record is more than retro-rock – it’s a natural progression from where bands like the Talking Heads left off.

It's not typically good in the sense of catchy, easy listening. Ima Robot definitely takes some getting used to – but like any epiphany, when you get it, it sticks. The rap-inspired bonus track "Black Jettas" is worth the time commitment of listening to the entire CD. Alex Ebert's vocals are a weird hybrid of Johnny Rotten and David Byrne. Accompanied by L.A. session musicians Joey Waronker (drums) and Justin Meldal-Johnsen (bass), the songs are funny and strangely aggressive at the same time. When ’70s whup-ass meets ’80s synthesizer, this album becomes a time machine of sound. They even bring back the good old-fashioned sex song with "Dirty Life," a highly erotic ditty in the tradition of The Cure."

4/5

KIRSTEN KOSLOSKI