Pizzicato Five – Overdose

Pizzicato Five's sunny brand of Japanese retro-pop reaches OVERDOSE levels on this album, with the one of their biggest hits taking the cake here: "Happy Sad," a vibrant piece of pop that put them on the radar of hipsters around the world. But elsewhere, there's plenty of joy to be had, from the groove of "Airplane" or wah-wah funk guitar of "Statue Of Liberty," though I could have done without the rap. I'm also not too sure about the grinding guitars on "Superstar," either, but the easygoing house of "If I Were a Groupie" brings back the smiles. Indeed, the house vibe continues with "The Night Is Still Young," remixed here by Yukihiro Fukutomi. The poppy bubble of "Hippie Day" riffs on the horn section of the classic soul song "Am I the Same Girl?," while an electro bassline punches up "The Sweetest Girl." "Questions" continues to channel 60s pop with its horns, but adding some disco strings to add extra slickness before "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" closes the album on a slower note, though no less perky. It's the happiest overdose you could ever have.