Search - Pizzicato Five :: Made in Usa

Something really special!

pizicato | Chicago, IL | 04/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first heard the song Twiggy vs James Bond on the radio, for some reason I was captivated. I've always been into Asian culture, but I never bothered listening to music from a Japanese band. Well partly because I don't know the language, but something told me to give this Pizzicato 5 a try. I went to the store and picked up the CD and when I listened to it, boy am I ever glad I did. They are one of my favorite groups. And this CD is all good! My favorite is "Baby Love Child". It is so smooth and graceful, I almost melt when I listen to it. My girlfriend and I love this song! Other favorites are Magic Carpet Ride, Twiggy vs James Bond, I wanna be like you and Catchy. The whole CD has this "cool" vibe to it. I'd classify it as retro hip pop. Even though some songs are in Japanese, you can follow right along with it because the cover has all the translated lyrics! If you want something different give them a try!"

One of the great pop bands of our time

M. Lohrke | Provo, UT | 07/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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!"

Classic Pizzicato

plutoniclove | Dallas, TX United States | 01/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So "Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs. James Bond" was not in the "Charlie's Angels" soundtrack, and that was the one track you were looking for? Tell you what--you're better off buying "Made in U.S.A." Not only does it include the classic "Twiggy" in all its car-chase-down-the-French-riviere glory, but every track on it is worth listening to--from the sweet yet slightly dark "Baby Love Child" and the breathy, sexed up "Catchy" to the alterna-party "Go Go Dancer" and the mellow, plaintive "I Wanna Be Like You." Konishi and Takanami's not only use good samples, they are talented musicians, and Maki-chan's vocals are more than just the icing on the cake. Diverse music with a 60's spin and just plain hipness make it one of the classics of the 90's ."