A lonely pop masterpiece
E. Gironda | Berkeley, CA | 12/06/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first heard Yuji Oniki when he opened for Mark Kozelek of the Red House Painters in San Francisco. His songs were clear, well constructed, and beautiful, and I wanted to hear more - but I couldn't find his albums until Tvi came out.The sound is a little bit retro, a little bit psychdellic, and owes a lot to 60's pop, but still remains modern. Laid back tracks like Grapefruit and Beekeeper set up nicely for the more energetic songs, such as I Am A Cat, and the brilliant Reminders. Reminders is probably the most intense and incredible song on the album. Quiet and understated at the start, it swells to a force that can't be ignored, never abandoning its seeking tone.The songwriting is solid and this album, while initially sounding simple, really grows on you. Guitars are accented with strings and piano, and the result, with Yuji's plaintif voice, is a lovely, and yet slightly melancholy pop masterpiece."