Pizzicato Five

Happy End of the World (Matador/Capitol)
by Bob Ham

Pizzicato Five is a duo that’s been around for many years in their home country and, thanks to the fine people at Matador, the U.S. has been getting a taste for a few years now. Again, this group doesn’t stray too far from normal, that is, pumping out upbeat disco-like Bacharach-isms for the ’90s, but it’s good to hear them taking into account some of the modern sounds of the dance floor. Incorporating drum and bass beats into the mix, soundmeister Yashharu Konishi has created a great mix of sounds for any house party/fashion show. All the lyrical content on this album revolves around that wonderfully universal theme of LOVE (“Love’s Theme,” “Mon Amour Tokyo,” and “Arigato We Love You,” for obvious examples), but honestly, it suits the music to a T. This CD is also worth buying for the express purpose of hearing the lovely voice of Maki Nomiya, the wonderfully puerile chantuese who pushes the songs right over the sugary sweet edge.