Customer Reviews

Made In USA

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I first got this album in 1994, it literally became the soundtrack to my life. I listened to it nonstop, and ended up addicting my whole family as well -- my father the jazz enthusiast, my kid sister the alternative fangirl, and my mother the Japanese native and Beatles groupie. There is something innocent and invigorating and imaginative about Made in USA that makes it for everyone, all the time. And it lasts. I still listen to it 3-4 times a week, 9 years later. Definitely a Pizzicato Five essential.

Every song on this album offers something special, but if you want to sample before you buy, I suggest you try out "I," "Magic Carpet Ride," "Baby Love Child," and "Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy vs. James Bond."

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 .

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!

Made in the USA is just plain fun. Pizzicato Five (P5) really enjoys making music and that enjoyment comes through unfiltered to the listener. Their sound is very retro cool. Full of samples and musical flourishes, you never know what to expect in a song. It's a fusion of lounge music, cheery J-Pop, super spy themes, torch singers, dance, funk and a bit of everything else as well. My favorite tracks are: "Baby Love Child" a breathy love song that reminds me (child that I remain) of lazy sun-filled mornings in bed; "Peace Music" a great pick-me-up groove; and "Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy Vs. James Bond" a healthy dose of bilingual fun. P5 is a Japanese band and mixes Japanese and English together like Chex Mix. For the Japanese student, such as myself, it's great fun to pick out the lyrics you can understand but it's a great help to have everything translated in the liner notes as well. ^_^

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!

There used to be a indie music video show in Los Angeles that only lasted about two years. It is where I first saw the video for "Twiggy Twiggy" and, of course, had the natural reaction of "What the hell is this?" Well, to this day the Twiggy song remains my favourite P5 song, and Made in USA (a compilation of their pre-1995 hits) is just full of happy sophisticated pop songs like it. If you want great pop songs that makes you feel cooler just for listening to it, check out Saint Etienne. if you want the same giddfy effect but in a language you can't understand (which actually boosts P5's esoteric appeal), then definitely checkout this album.

Not to mention one of the greatest CDs of all time! Pizzicato 5 is in top form here and this is their best collection of music. Everyone loves Twiggy, but to me the real standout is Magic Carpet Ride! Such a great mixture of music, magic and imagination! Go Go Dancer is another fabulous addition. I've purchased roughly 3 copies over the past few years since I wear them out so much!

A lot of people would be intrested in buying this CD just for the track 'Baby Love Child'. Those interested probably know it as the song which plays at the end of the Futurama episode 'Leela's Homeworld' (while there's a montage of Leela's upbringing). The track isn't listed in the episode credits, so it's possible a number of people have been Google-ing words like "Futurama + Music + Leela" in a vain attempt to locate it.

Not counting their Greatest Hits imports, this is the P5 cd that you MUST own. If anything else, just for the fact the "Twiggy Twiggy/James Bond" is on this cd. Once you get past the familiarity of Twiggy, there are many other groovy tunes to crank out. "Sweet Soul Revue", "Magic Carpet Ride", "Baby Love Child", "Go Go Dancer", "Peace Music" and the tres' chic 'interview with a groove' track "This Year's Girl #2" are simply Cosmic! The sounds & musical stylings are a throwback to the 60's. Miss Maki Nomiya is simply Delicious (Yeah, Baby) and just too cool for words. This cd has it all....so what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Like everything by the P5, this is an utterly, utterly merry collection of spiky pop/punk/lounge tracks with a manic, cheerful edge. If you ever feel slightly depressed this album will probably make you slide into madness, as the group seem to be having so much fun. Think of the P5 as being a more hyper version of the Cardigans. As with the Cardigans, there's a strange edge to them, as if they were not really happy at all - 'Baby Love Child', for example, is sung in a near-monotone, and the lyrics seem to have all the genuine feeling of a television advert. Still, if you don't search for hidden meanings in everything this is excellent fun for a summer day.