House of Pizzicato [Import]

House of Pizzicato [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Tracks Include- DJ Quicksilver "Free", Brooklyn Bounce "Get Ready to Bounce", Sash "Ecuador", Jam and Spoon "i Pull My Gun Twice", Other Groups Include: Faithless, Future Breeze, Brain Bug, Red 5, Flexx, M-zone, and Many More

Tracks:

I
Sweet Soul Revue
Magic Carpet Ride
Readymade FM
Baby Love Child
Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy Vs. James Bond
This Year's Girl #2
I Wanna Be Like You
Go Go Dancer
Catchy
Peace Music

Customer Reviews:

Sophisticated Catchy!.......2006-10-04

I mainly bought this cd to have TWIGGY,TWIGGY but I ended up liking the entire cd. I had no prior knowledge of P-5 until I saw the video for Twiggy,Twiggy at a club here in Chicago. P-5 incorporates all different types of dance music; from retro sounding to hip hop beats-from many of the tracks utilizing the house sound. Nomiya Maki's voice compliments the arrangements which were penned by the brainchild of the group Konishi. I found later that P-5 in their earlier incarnations(late 80's)were 3 men including Konishi and K-taro who eventually went solo.
I irritated my freinds with this;as some of them couldn't stand TWIGGY,TWIGGY or any of the Japanese tracks for that matter of fact. The first track entitled "I" was featured in Pauly Shore movie as he was singing along with it in one of the scenes. You have to keep in mind that several of these tracks appeared earlier in other P-5 albums but were here for inclusion for P-5's American release. Eventually, I bought the Japanese releases with similar track listings but which included songs that weren't on the American releases.

A Great Introduction to Pizzicato Five.......2005-10-13

"Made in USA" was the first P5 album I ever heard, and I couldn't decide whether it was American, French, or Italian. To learn that a Japanese group could move so smoothly from styles that I'd always associated with European and American music of the Sixties and early Seventies. But P5 hasn't only mastered these genres. They've remade them in the band's own image. Fans of the group, used to its sometimes unusual, often eclectic, style may not think this P5's best album, but it may be the best place to start.

Clunky compared to later P5.......2005-09-22

I had an odd introduction to Pizzicato Five, my first album of theirs being the 2001 import "In The Mix," a Yoshinori Sunahara live mix album.

"In The Mix" is fantastic. The tracks, ranging from a snappily remixed version of "Baby Portable Rock" to a beautiful, live, acoustic version of "The Night is Still Young," are excellent as they are varied.

In comparison, "Made in USA" feels a lot less sophisticated and mature. The tracks generally lack the sort of captivating arrangements and lush, beautiful instrumentation that characterize P5's later work, and feel fairly dull and repetitive.

one of the great pop bands of our time.......2005-07-29

pizzicato five (P5, to those of you in the know) made a career (a career sadly that sadly ended a few years back) of making some of the catchiest, addictive pop songs you could ever hope to hear. thankfully, matador collected some of their finest pop nuggests and released them as 'made in the usa.'

how does one define p5? you don't. p5's influences are broad: electronica, bossa nova, chamber pop, baroque pop, art-rock, house, twee, etc, etc, etc. it's impossible to pigenhole a band who never sticks to one sound (and thank heavens for that).

some may argue: 'well, it's in japanese!' answer: so what. off the top of my head, two songs--the exquisite 'magic carpet ride' (my fav p5 track, along with 'on the sunny side of the street') and the charming 'baby love child'--nomiya maki sings in english. great pop songs are great pop songs, regardless of language. and besides, you can learn the japanese lyrics and impress your friends.

for beginners, 'made in the usa' is an excellent introduction the band. top tracks include 'twiggy twiggy' (try NOT to tap your foot or do a shimmy across the floor); 'magic carpet ride,' which borrows a bit from the beatles 'baby you're a rich girl,' and the positively infectious 'peace music.' these are but a few of the highlights on album completely devoid of duds.

if 'made in the usa' whets your appetite, check out 'big hits and jet lags' next. both compilations (greatest hits) are worth the heavy price tag.

i can't be totally objective when it comes to p5 because i love them dearly. i was saddened when i heard they decided to stop recording. i saw p5 in LA back in 1998 and it was by far the most entertaining and fun gig i've ever seen: costume changes, feather boas, dancing bears, and the dynamic, sultry, sassy, beautiful, glamorous nomiya maki. i've yet to hear her solo work, but i'm anxiously awaiting.

dive into the world of p5 and you'll hear all that's right with pop music. we love you, p5! oh yes we do!

P5 - a band like no other.......2004-01-07

I'm very big fan of this band. I bought this cd years ago. And yet i don't get tired of listening to it. The songs are a beautiful blend of jazz, blues, rock, and pop. Sweet Soul Revue and Baby Love Child are top tracks.

Average customer rating:

I'm feelin' so happy sad
good Pi 5 release
Your friends will think you're weird...
One of the best P-5 CD's
Only for the P Fi collector

The Sound of Music by Pizzicato Five
Pizzicato Five
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Stereo Type A

ASIN: B00000581X
Release Date: 1996-10-22

Tracks:

We Love Pizzicato Five
Rock N' Roll
The Night Is Still Young
Happy Sad
Groovy Is My Name
Sophisticated Catchy
Strawberry Sleighride
If I Were A Groupie
Sweet Thursday
CDJ
Fortune Cookie
Good
Number 5
Peace Music (St. Etienne Remix)
Airplane
Rock N' Roll

Amazon.com

Some look into the face of American popular culture and see the deep dark abyss of lowest-common-denominator commercialism. Tokyo duo Pizzicato Five, however, peer stateside and see the sparkling disco-ball inferno of souped-up drag-race hyper-enthusiasm, a kitschy retro-futurist youthquake, and a high-fashion, heavy-plastic glob of fun. The ever-changing group masterminded by Warhol-wannabe Yasuharu Konishi and fronted by Twiggy-disciple Maki Nomiya has borrowed, sampled, and stolen its way through an irresistible melange of Esquivel's bossa nova cocktail swing ("Rock and Roll"), Bacharach's jazz pop ("Fortune Cookie"), chewy psychedelic bubblegum ("Strawberry Sleighride"), cartoonish Jackson Five Motown ("Happy Sad"), and Dee-Lite's frenetic disco house music ("The Night Is Still Young"). --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews:

I'm feelin' so happy sad.......2005-05-05

Never can it be said that Pizzicato Five doesn't have fun with their music. In "The Sound of Music," this Japanese band revels in glitzy sound and poppy melodies. Dancey, sparkly, plastic, sugary and enchantingly earnest, this is kitschy pop at its most entertaining.

After a brief intro with children singing about how they love "P. 5, oh yes we do," the band launches into the thoroughly danceable (and ill-named) "Rock'n'Roll," an infectious little song that would be maddening if it weren't so much fun, and so darn cute.

To judge from "Sound of Music," Pizzicato Five seem to be cheerfully cannibalizing various popular American music periods: There's a disco tune, a bit of bossa nova, bouncy funk, jazz, dance, and bubblegum pop that refuses to be serious about anything. A few -- like the conversation-filled "Groupie" -- are somewhat less charming, but it's hard not to be charmed by the repeated sentiment of "If I were a groupie..."

Pizzicato Five made music for years before "Sound of Music" started to capture American listeners. It's amazing that these guys didn't get attention before that. Rather than the wild experiments of Cornelius and Buffalo Daughter, Pizzicato Five are out to enjoy themselves (okay, they experiment once or twice). And they do so with great gusto -- the entire album sounds like a party where nobody cares what's cool, only what's fun.

Perhaps one of the most entertaining things about "Sound of Music" is that the band does absolutely nothing halfway. If the music is jazz, it drips jazz from every note. If it's dance, the tempo is mad. If they inject weird sound effects, it sounds like a haunted house. Synth, keyboard, wild drums and samples add to the fun, colorful maelstrom.

For anyone who doesn't speak Japanese: Most of the lyrics won't make any sense at all, despite the odd English word ("groovy!") thrown in. "Happy Sad" is one of the exceptions, with a the upbeat question "shoop-e-doop-e-doop/happy sad/are you feelin'/are you feelin' bad?/Happy sad..."

Pizzicato Five enchants in "The Sound of Music," a delightfully unpretentious album that tries out just about every variety of pop there is. The hills are alive!

good Pi 5 release.......2003-06-17

I like this album for listening in the car when I am driving. There are some slow parts on this one that I wish that weren't there ^mainly rock and roll^.

My favorites on here are The Night is Still Young; Happy Sad; CDJ; Peace Music (actually St. Etienne Remix); Strawberry Sleighride; and Airplace. The biggest problem that friends have with this CD is the fact that there are only a few English songs on here. I reccomend that you get Happy End of the World if you want an Pizzicato Five release with english on it. For those of you who do like to listen to Japanese music, this one is a good one for the collection. Although I won't say that it is a must have.

Your friends will think you're weird..........2002-07-27

...if they're anything like mine. Peer pressure notwithstanding, Pizzicato Five have a great sound, and some of these tracks really are excellent. Rock n' Roll and Strawberry Sleighride specifically, are some of the most pleasant and mellow tracks I've come across in a long time, and I listen to pretty much anything from Classical to Rock.
Twiggy Twiggy attracted me to the P-5, and this CD has made me a fan of the band. Their sound is both unique and classic mainstream at the same time (reminds me of USSR-era Russian pop music), that not everyone might like or understand. But then again, just because a band is widely accepted, doesn't mean they're worth their salt - just look at N-sync.

One of the best P-5 CD's.......2002-01-05

There are some songs that remind me of my dysfunctional self. I love it. Just remember that before you buy that the CD is mostly Japanese.

Only for the P Fi collector.......2001-11-05

I liked the album, don't get me wrong. But if this had been the first Pizzicato Five album I had heard, I would've never purchased more. All in all, not as good as 5th release or Happy End of the World (the only two I have for comparison).

Average customer rating:

Set Your World Spinning
"HAPPY LISTENING TO ALL OF YOU"
Smile while you play this one
irresistable, sez I
try something new already!

Happy End of the World
Pizzicato Five
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Five by Five
Future Listening

ASIN: B00000JHAS
Release Date: 1999-06-23

Tracks:

World Is Spinning At 45 RPM
The Earth Goes Around
Trailer Music
It's A Beautiful Day
Love's Prelude
Love's Theme
My Baby Portable Player Sound
Mon Amour Tokyo
Collision and Improvisation
Porno 3003: I Music For Sofa; II Galaxy One; III It's All Too Beautiful
Arigato We Love You
Ma Vie, L'Ete De Vie
Happy Ending

Amazon.com

The stylish Tokyo retro pop/dance act is led by DJ Yasuharu on this buoyant third album. Think of them as an Asian answer to Swing Out Sister with sharper, edgier rhythms and the happily different sound of pop tunes sung in Japanese. --Jeff Bateman

Album Description

Special Japanese edition of their new album featuring earlier availability in a cool, oversized, clear plastic box. 13 tracks, including the singles 'Mon Amour Tokyo' and 'Porno 3003'. 6' x 6' package.

Album Details

Japanese Version Featuring A Thick Transparent Case

Customer Reviews:

Set Your World Spinning.......2005-10-13

The imaginative and polished lead track "World is Spinning at 45 RPM" sets up the rest of this album perfectly. "Happy End of the World" is, in true Pizzicato Five fashion, a blend of attractive vocals and layered instrumentals that conjures up a groovy (and there is no other word) dimension unlike anyone else in pop--in Japan or any other country.

"HAPPY LISTENING TO ALL OF YOU".......2005-01-12

Hello everyone! I am a major fan of P-5 and own almost all of their stuff. I just can't find some of their imports(certain ones however). This album was released domestically 'cause around 1998 p-5 was becoming more known on a sub-pop level. I highly recommend this so you can say to yourselves after listening to it, that P-5 has such better tracks other than "TWIGGY,TWIGGY VS. JAMES BOND" which became so trendy and mainstream(Oh God!). The 1st CHARLIE'S ANGELS movie utilized this at the japanese party scene and everytime I'd see supermodels struttin' their stuff on that damn catwalk they would be playing it in the background. I was like thinking can't they use another of P-5's songs instead!!! I bet even P-5(which I'm sorry to say has broken since 2001 if I'm not mistaken),was thinking that. I'd love to find this on vinyl/record if one even exists as I have a stereo record player; which I think all of you should invest into buying one. So sit back and enjoy this gem- that's what I do! I especially like track #'s 1 through 6; I listen to them over and over. Plain and simple, just try to get your hands on any of P-5's stuff- even all of the only japanese albums- you'll be pleasantly surprised! P-5 started out in the late 80's('round 1988) w/ three guys- of one being the lead singer. I have 3 albums from that period; they are as follows: "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE"... Oh nuts, I can't remember the other 2 titles at the moment. I hope I have helped U prospective buyers a little- good luck- JULIUS-ALLAN

Smile while you play this one.......2003-06-01

This was my first Pizzicato Five CD that I ever owned. About 4 monts before I got this CD for my birthday I had discovered Pizzicato Five. And I have to say that this was a good first CD for me. If you are curious about Pizzicato Five and want to try out your first CD, this one is a good one to start with (especially if you don't speak Japanese). It has a lot of great songs, and it is a good mix of English and Japanese Music. And for those of you who don't speak Japanese, the CD comes with a mini-translation booklet so that you know what they are saying.

The best songs on this CD are Trailer Music and Arigato We Love You. Trailer Music is sort of an instrumental part (the beginning they just introduce the album in the background) and then it is a catchy tune that I keep on wishing that they would have made longer. And then Arigato We Love You is more of the pop/dance genre that has a catchy toon and is in English. The only low point is the 10 minute Porno 3003, which I skip over. The rest of the songs are all different and they all are really good too.

This CD is the perfect thing to stick on a blue afternoon and then you can feel the smile run to your face.

...

irresistable, sez I.......2002-12-18

Yes, as others said, this stuff may be an acquired taste, but once you let yourself acquire it, you'll be addicted. Now I need to check out their other stuff. If you like Arling and Cameron or Dimitri from Paris, try this!

Oh, but what's up with the Korean (not Japanese) letters on the cover??

try something new already!.......2002-10-19

OK, well, my husband already thinks my taste in music is shall we say...unique. When I put this CD into the stereo and cranked it up he thought I had really lost my mind. Now he is begging me to put it on. I suppose it's not run of the mill. It's not like all the other uninspired, mindless bleck that you hear on the radio. Yes that is true. People may think you've lost your mind too until they are taken over by the catchy melodies and the way the vocals compliment the unusual dancy, loungy, martini in your hand kind of sound. You will suddenly feel superior, dare I say it, COOLER than everyone else in the world if you buy this! I feel that I am transformed into an ultra hip chick when I listen to this - sure it's in Japanese. Just take a chance and try it!! YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY.

Average customer rating:

Five x Five x Five Stars
Hideous Kinky Fun
my fave p5, so good

Five by Five
Pizzicato Five
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Happy End of You
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ASIN: B0000036SW
Release Date: 1994-08-10

Tracks:

Pizzicatomania
Baby Love Child
This Year's Girl
Twiggy Twiggy
Me, Japanese Boy

Customer Reviews:

Five x Five x Five Stars.......2000-10-31

Each track is truly a gem - and an aural delight as well. Utterly brilliant performance and production!

Hideous Kinky Fun.......1999-06-25

I just don't know where to place this band in the pop spectrum; each piece surprises me!

my fave p5, so good.......1999-04-06

every song is a gem, it's over so soon you have to play it again. catchy kitchy pop tunes, very clever and creative. this cd saved my marriage, almost.

Tracks:

Love's Theme (Automator Mix)
Trailer Music (808 State Remix)
The Earth Goes Around (Daddy-O Half Mix)
Porno 3003 (DJ Dara Remix)
Porno 3003 (GusGus Mix 2.0 Edit)
My Baby Portable Player Sound (High Llamas Remix)
Happy Ending (If Then Else Mix)
It's A Beautiful Day (The B-Day Arrangement)
Love's Theme (Saint Etienne Mix)
Trailer Music (Ram Tam Tush Mix)
Collision And Improvisation (The Shooter Remix)
Contact (Dimitri's Old Skool Flava)
The World Is Spinning At 45 RPM (Sunroof Mix Edit)

Amazon.com

So what happens when one DJ (in this case Pizzicato Five's Konishi Yasuharu) sets out to honor the craft of his fellow DJs? His fellow DJs then turn around and return the favor. Remixes: Happy End of You is a collection of interpretations of P5's Happy End of the World as concocted by such visionaries as St. Etienne, Dimitri from Paris, 808 State, Gus Gus, and more. 808 State lead "Trailer Music" through some industrial drum and bass maneuvers; Gus Gus take the eerie, sprawling, and hypnotic "Porno 3003" and turn it into a subterranean earthquake; and Dimitri from Paris's treatment of "Contact" spins like an all-night retro beat party, calling on disco, hi-NRG, house, and techno-pop to rework the cut into a celebration of the dance decades. The Automator, DJ Dara, Oval, and John Oswald also manipulate Konishi on this collection. --Steve Gdula

Customer Reviews:

Pizzicato Five Fan.......2006-09-26

This Album is Bad. These re-mixes are just awful. I totally love Pizzicato Five and really can't get enough of them, but this is not them. I have no idea if they produced this or had anything to do with it but I am pretty disappointed with this product. P5 is so interesting, exciting and clever that I can't imagine them having anything to do with such a poor product. Save your money. This is garbage, I can't listen to it!

u-never-know-what's-around-the-corner.......2001-06-28

i'm not a hardcore pizzicato five fan but i really dig this collection of rmxs. the frenetic tempo and overwhelming composition of their songs is reduced, in some cases, to more lazy, relaxing beats and the different samples, choruses, and instruments are allowed to stand on their own without having to compete with one another for your attention. however, don't assume that this cd is all about downtempo; the remixers selected are not all of the same genre, spanning hip hop, techno, minimal electro, jungle, pop, and house. the forte of this album is that the remixes don't echo one another.

love's theme is remixed by dan the automator. as the first track, it sets a great mood. some laugh-out loud samples are placed (unobtrusively) throughout the song. "mamma had many servants but she still insisted on making her own tortillas...oohhh, what enchiladas. today, my lovely american wife has no time for that kind of cooking. almost nobody does." an easy hip hop beat alternates with some lite mariachi music and dubbed out choruses that sound as if they were contributed by the boys of komeda. immediately, 808 state picks the pace up with trailer music. this song makes you feel like throwing on a mod smock, running out to the local supermarket and pulling cans of spam off shelves with abandon...perhaps a sort of soundtrack for stockpiling? the sean o'hagan re-tooling of my baby portable player sound has a dub feel to it and uses all sorts of sounds (vibraphone, chimes, animal chirpings) sparingly at first, then building up to multiple swirling layers. very nice effect. love's theme shows up again, this time remixed by saint etienne into a dreamy pop concoction. momus's rmx of trailer music (another favorite apparently!) uses distorted voices which are either staccato beats, diving airplanes or dead take-offs of the dwarf from the twin peaks dream sequence placed against gentle peals and clangs and very light skittering beats. uptempo drum n' bass permeates the shooter's rmx. however, it is melodic and not monotonous, constantly shifting its non-percussive elements. dimitri from paris uses synth elements, vocoder and disco beats in contact. it is probably the only song that you could really get down to on a dancefloor with and a nice touch.

those who aren't huge fans of pizzicato five may find themselves really enjoying this disc. a diverse group of remixers results in a never-boring listening experience.

It grows on you.......2000-01-13

Not something I would expect myself to say about a band as kitschy and hit-you-over-the-head as Pizzicato 5. The remixes on here are widely varied in approach, some of which are immediately likeable but some of which take getting used to. The highlight of the album is from Oval, with a chugging, churning mix of "Happy Ending" which is essential. Nothing else on here really lives up to these expectations, although several come close, such as the chunky beats and boinging trance of the Daniel Miller/Gareth Jones remix of "The World is Spinning at 45 rpm" and the 808 state mix of "Trailer music." I loved "Happy End of the World" so this one isn't quite as great, but there are moments that make this one worth looking into if you are a fan.

P5 concocts another enligtening aural escapade.......1999-06-15

I lived in Japan for a short time, just long enough to become a great fan of Kansai's own Pizzicato Five. (I sure wish I could have seen them perform while I was there!)

Anyway, I love to chill out with their unique kitch-hop music. It's wonderful lounge music for your pad. Anybody who loves campy 50s and 60s style music might enjoy this album. Some of the beats (like 2 or 3 tracks) are a little too ragged for my tastes, but the original album mixes are well within my normal sterophile operating parameters. The music is such an ecclectic mix that I would argue that it's actually enlightening to listen to, since your brain is forced to accept so many disperate musical elements, chock-a-blocked into one CD.

Snap this CD up and revel in the kitch-conscious, fun-loving, dancy atmosphere of the music. Definitely recommended listening for anybody with a sense of lounge humour.

A Six-Stars!.......1998-07-02

Inteligent and very, very stylish! Exotic mood and groovy beat blend so perfectly with tripsy chain of chants. Perfection for cocktail clubbers and surely for fashion conscious alike.

Average customer rating:

A Japanese Swing Out Sister
Your Best Chance To Start Appreciating The Band of the Century
WONDERFUL!!!
Shagadelic Ride of your Life!
Essential P5

Playboy & Playgirl
Pizzicato Five
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Techno-House | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Happy End of You
Future Listening
Beautiful
Stereo Type A
Viva! La Woman

ASIN: B00000I6H4
Release Date: 1999-04-20

Tracks:

La Depression
Rolls Royce
A New Song
Week-End
Magic Twin Candle Tale
Concerto
Such A Beautiful Girl Like You
Playboy Playgirl
La Regie Du Jeu
I Hear A Symphony
Drinking Wine
The Great Invitations
Stars

Amazon.com

On their third full-length American album, The International Playboy and Playgirl Record, DJ Yasuharu Konishi and diva Maki Nomiya patiently escort the listener deeper into the filmic life of the fabulously pop. A resonant, quasi-Stephen Hawking, Japanese-speaking narrator describes the life of "Japan's coolest combo" between tracks, which erupt in exuberant, tambourine-sizzling 1960s French orchestral pop of a purity that reveals a mature P5 sound: these are fully orchestrated tunes rather than DJ pastiche. Konishi plays it straight on International Playboy, and to uncanny effect, as the "la-la-la-la" lyrics of "Week End," the Carpenters-ish "I Hear a Symphony," and the Sgt. Pepper's-inspired "Magic Twin Candle Tale" sweep the gals through airport lounges with vinyl raincoats swinging over their Nancy Sinatra boots. The Bacharach pop of "Such a Beautiful Girl Like You" and the frugging go-go of "Playboy Playgirl" may be built on sequencers, but they sound so much like live instruments on vinyl that it's creepy. Hard-core turntablists will be disappointed at the lack of variety, but the relentless flow of uptempo horn and string arrangements will be heard at every upscale party and art opening. --Dean Kuipers

Album Description

Domestic debut of the Japanese pop/ neo-lounge legends 1998 album. 13 tracks, including the singles 'Such A Beautiful Girl Like You' and 'Playboy Playgirl'. Comes packaged in a gatefold digipak. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews:

A Japanese Swing Out Sister.......2006-12-06

This is a great album. The music is beautifully arranged and produced. Pizzicato Five taps into the same kind of music that Swing Out Sister does. Both duos bring such a fresh and unique sound to music that would have been recorded in the late 60's. A New Song is probably my favorite from the album. It is a fast song with a lot of brass. I would say this album is a mix of disco/jazz and late 60's sunshine pop.

Your Best Chance To Start Appreciating The Band of the Century.......2005-10-13

This is both one of Pizzicato Five's best albums and one of the most accessible. "Playboy & Playgirl" is a gateway drug, leading listeners on to harder stuff (like "Fifth Release from Matador"). Hearing "Such a Beautiful Girl Like You," "A New Song," and "Drinking Wine" for the first time is a revelation: You may never have suspected that music could be at once so whimsical and so sublime. A must-have.

WONDERFUL!!!.......2004-03-15

This is a great CD. After listening to this I would recomend buying "Made in USA", also by Pizzicato 5. If you like the whole Japanese thing I would buy all three of the Puffy AmiYumi CD's. Can't tell you how much I LOVE this CD!!!!!!!!!

Shagadelic Ride of your Life!.......2003-10-01

'Playboy/Playgirl' was the first Pizzicato Five CD I ever listened to. A student in my architectural studio class decided to play it on the communal jambox as background music to all those quietly drafting away and building cardboard models. The music became instantly infectious and each song was filled with gorgeous hooks, lush orchestration and production, and an exagerrated albeit fun mood throughout the entire length of the album. In other words, 'Playboy/Playgirl' was exactly what I needed to finish my architecture projects and keep me motivated and driven to the very last all-nighter. Unlike most CDs that I own which all were 'slow burners' in that they had to grow on me before I embraced them, this album is one of the very few to have lit the fire so fast it was more of a flame-thrower. Each song carefully studied the influences of Bacharach, Carpenters, Gainsbourg and the Beach Boys, yet each track is original and perfect. Not one mediocre track anywhere because the strongest aspect of the CD is its sequencing. Each song follows its predecessor perfectly, seamlessly, and therefore requires the listener to listen the entire LP as one carefully constructed piece. What differentiates this album from previous American releases like 'Happy End of the World' and 'Made in USA' is that it is a coherent and unified piece, while the former titles are mostly a hodgepodge of dance tracks and ballads randomly packaged. Although many would accuse this album of being cartoonish in its sentimentality, my response is that it's exactly this aspect that makes it such a guilty pleasure. Since it is a retro-inspired work, 'Playboy/Playgirl' does indeed remind us of the innocence lost from the 60s and 70s. Its 'sweetness' worked for me, as my fiancee and I first fell in love while enjoying this album. All I can say is that it's full of magic. 'Playboy/Playgirl' is the embodiment of happiness.

Essential P5.......2001-11-06

Les Pizzicato Five, how do I love thee, let me count the ways... Great songs, beautifully arranged and conceived, Nomiya Maki's fab voice, impossibly gorgeous style, the list goes on. Matador have released the international version of Playboy & Playgirl which differs only slightly to the Japanese release (the main difference being a long spoken word piece left off which will not bother most non-Japaenes speaking listeners, especially considering it is several minutes long and entirely in Japanese) and it is a tight, wonderful collection that showcases the talent of this outfit. There are great pop gems waiting to be discovered and the songs span from easy listening to drum and bass and from go-go pop to orchestral singsong. My only complaint about the album is the placement of the title track next to the song "Le Regle Du Jeu" as they sound too similar when played back to back. Not much of a criticism, and for good reason, this is a totally superb collection.

Average customer rating:

Soft Landing on the Moon
Pizzicato Five
Manufacturer: Sony/Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0001N1ORY
Release Date: 2004-05-10

Tracks:

Party Joke
Bellisima '90 [Live]
Temptation Talk
Satellite Hour
They All Laughed
Yubikiri
Let's Go Away for Awhile
Let's Go Away for Awhile (Reprise)
Sex Machine
Lip Service
Boy Meets Girl
Two Sleepy People
Satellite Hour
Planets
World Standard
Top 40
Intermission
Medley: The Swim/Boogaloo in Action
Aloha de Blues
Let's Spend the Night Together
God Save the Queen
Couples

Album Description

Subtitled - The Music by Pizzicato Five. Japanese reissue of 1990 album. CBS. 2004.

Average customer rating:

A Solid, Enjoyable, Jazzy Album
One of my Favorite Pizzicato Five albums...
Best P5 Release Ever
get it!

Sister Freedom Tapes
Pizzicato Five
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Techno-House | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Combinaison Spaciale
Happy End of You
Five by Five

ASIN: B0000036X4
Release Date: 1996-11-22

Tracks:

Airplane '96
Domino
Snowflakes
Chicken Curry
Mini Cooper
Holger & Marcus
Cornflakes
To Our Children's Children's Children
Passing By

Album Details

Domestic release, featuring a selection of outakes from the Sound of Music sessions, and other sessions. Super deluxe packaging, double gatefold digipak, with a fold out poster.

Customer Reviews:

A Solid, Enjoyable, Jazzy Album.......2005-10-13

From the first chords of this tiny gem from the Pizzicato Five, the group's distinctive sound pulls you into an alternative timeline in which the Sixties never ended and Tokyo was the hippest city in the world. The frisky, frolicking melodies and the carefree, almost insouciant lyrics (especially on "Domino") are a pleasant change from the gloom or synth-pop of many Western groups.

One of my Favorite Pizzicato Five albums..........2003-09-19

Out of all the Pizzicato Five (and Shibuya-kei) music I have, this is probably my favorite album. It's a lot more Rock n' Roll than their other stuff, and definitely has a Girly-band type of sound... The drums and bass are also really good. Definitely worth adding to your collection of Shibuya-kei/Pizzicato Five!

Best P5 Release Ever.......1999-06-08

This is simply the best Pizzicato Five release ever put out...it's rockin', pure pop a la Komeda more guitar-bass-drums based than anything P5 have done....the best P5 ever...

get it!.......1998-11-08

This EP is not as produced as some of the other P5 stuff, but that's part of it's charm. It's also more rocky and less poppy. And it's only $6.00!

Average customer rating:

Retro-pop...all rapped-up!

Voyage a Tokyo
Pizzicato Five
Manufacturer: Sbme Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | CD Singles | Pop | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000050H6M
Release Date: 2000-11-21

Tracks:

Tokyo
Grandes Vacances
Tokyo

Album Description

All new Japanese only 3 track EP features, 'A Tokyo (w/DJ Doc Holiday behind the decks), 'Sles Grand Vacances' & 'A Tokyo (w/ Makoto Saito on guitars). As usual packed in a beautiful DVD style box which is limited to the initial pressing.

Album Details

The Japanese eclectics return with another EP go round. Sure to delight and please the faithful fan.

Customer Reviews:

Retro-pop...all rapped-up!.......2000-10-24

The relatively elaborate packaging for a CD5--in a box ala the Japanese version of THE INT'L PLAYBOY & PLAYGIRL RECORD--leaves the listener anticipating such lengthier P5 CD5s as DARLIN' OF DISCOTHEQUE, and thus feeling a bit of disappointment when the CD clocks in at a little less than fifteen minutes.