Happy End of the World
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| Happy End of the World | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Matador issue | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 21, 1997 | |||
| Genre | Shibuya-kei | |||
| Length | 62:40 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Pizzicato Five chronology | ||||
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| Pizzicato Five US chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Happy End of the World | ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 2006 reissue | ||||
Happy End of the World (ハッピー・エンド・オブ・ザ・ワールド) is the tenth studio album by Japanese pop band Pizzicato Five. The album was released on June 21, 1997, by Readymade Records.[3] In the United States, it was released by Matador Records on September 9, 1997, and peaked at number 32 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart.[4][5] A companion remix album, Happy End of You, was released in 1998.[6] Happy End of the World was reissued by Readymade on March 31, 2006.[7]
On Happy End of the World, Pizzicato Five incorporated influences from contemporary styles of electronic music, including breakbeat, downtempo and drum and bass, into their trademark Shibuya-kei sound.[8][9] Tokyo Weekender writer Ed Cunningham found that the album saw the band expanding on the "beat-driven experimentation" that had been hinted at on previous albums such as Sweet Pizzicato Five (1992) and Bossa Nova 2001 (1993).[9] He describes it as having "both the density and adventurousness of a plunderphonics record (despite much of it being performed live) and the chilled, featherweight listenability of lounge and easy-listening pop."[9]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[11] |
| The Guardian | [12] |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10[13] |
| Q | [14] |
| Select | 4/5[15] |
| The Times | 8/10[16] |
| Uncut | [17] |
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."[11] Writing for The A.V. Club, Stephen Thompson commented, "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."[18]
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."[10] 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."[10]
In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan placed Happy End of the World at number 64 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".[19]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Yasuharu Konishi, except where noted; all music is composed by Konishi, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "World Is Spinning at 45 RPM" (世界は1分間に45回転で廻っている) | 4:40 | ||
| 2. | "The Earth Goes Around" (地球は回るよ) | Michio Yamagami | Osamu Shoji | 2:55 |
| 3. | "Trailer Music" | 1:50 | ||
| 4. | "It's a Beautiful Day" (イッツ・ア・ビューティフル・デイ) | 4:26 | ||
| 5. | "Love's Prelude" (愛のプレリュード) | 2:18 | ||
| 6. | "Love's Theme" (愛のテーマ) | 4:16 | ||
| 7. | "My Baby Portable Player Sound" | 5:05 | ||
| 8. | "Mon amour Tokyo" (モナムール東京) | 4:55 | ||
| 9. | "Collision and Improvisation" (衝突と即興) | 4:35 | ||
| 10. | "Porno 3003" | 9:51 | ||
| 11. | "Arigato We Love You" (アリガト WE LOVE YOU) |
| 5:15 | |
| 12. | "Ma vie, l'ete de vie" (私の人生、人生の夏) | 5:05 | ||
| 13. | "Happy Ending" (ハッピー・エンディング) |
| 7:29 | |
| Total length: | 62:40 | |||
Notes
- "Porno 3003" is divided into the segments "Music for Sofa" (ソファのための音楽), "Galaxy One" and "It's All Too Beautiful".
