Happy End of the World
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Happy End of the World is the tenth studio album by Japanese pop band Pizzicato Five. The album was released on June 21, 1997 by Readymade Records and Matador Records.[1] In the United States, it peaked at number 32 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart.[2] A companion remix album, Happy End of You, was released in 1998.[3]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[5] |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10[6] |
| Select | 4/5[7] |
Matt Diehl of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Japan's favorite avant-lounge duo, Pizzicato Five, returns with a more club-oriented set, but their blend of '60s kitsch and savvy pop-culture references remains intact in Happy End of the World, giving the Cardigans a run for the retro-hip money."[5] Meanwhile, Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club said, "It's an excellent addition to the duo's expansive canon, and a must for any pop fan who thinks mainstream dance music can and must be better than the 'Barbie Girl' drivel that populates Top 40 radio playlists."[8]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said, "It's a surprisingly laid-back album, but that's not necessarily a bad thing -- the lush arrangements have an engaging, low-key charm, and the beats are nice and subtle."[4] He added, "Happy End of the World runs a little too long, and no song stands out as a single, but it's an engaging record that suggests there may be more to the Pizzicato Five than kitsch."[4]
In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan placed it at number 64 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".[9]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Yasuharu Konishi, except as noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "World Is Spinning at 45 RPM" | 4:40 | |
| 2. | "The Earth Goes Around" |
| 2:55 |
| 3. | "Trailer Music" | 1:50 | |
| 4. | "It's a Beautiful Day" | 4:26 | |
| 5. | "Love's Prelude" | 2:18 | |
| 6. | "Love's Theme" | 4:16 | |
| 7. | "My Baby Portable Player Sound" | 5:05 | |
| 8. | "Mon Amour Tokyo" | 4:55 | |
| 9. | "Collision and Improvisation" | 4:35 | |
| 10. | "Porno 3003" | 9:51 | |
| 11. | "Arigato We Love You" |
| 5:15 |
| 12. | "Ma Vie, L'ete De Vie" | 5:05 | |
| 13. | "Happy Ending" |
| 7:29 |
| Total length: | 62:40 | ||
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[10] | 15 |
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[11] | 32 |
References
- ^ "Happy End of the World". Oricon. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ "Pizzicato Five – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Happy End of You – Pizzicato Five". AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Happy End of the World – Pizzicato Five". AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ a b Diehl, Matt (September 12, 1997). "Happy End of the World". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ Schreiber, Ryan. "Pizzicato Five: Happy End of the World". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 13, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ Barnes, Mike (November 1997). "Pizzicato Five: Happy End of the World". Select (89).
- ^ Thompson, Stephen (March 29, 2002). "Pizzicato Five: Happy End Of The World". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ Lindsay, Cam (November 14, 2007). "Finally! "The 100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time" Listed". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ "1997.7.7付 アルバムTOP20". Oricon. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ^ "Pizzicato Five Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
External links
- Happy End of the World at Discogs (list of releases)