Fujiya-Miyami
is a British group using analog synths which totally nails a sound redolent
of the best aspects of '70s/'80s synth-dance music. Reference Roxy Music meets
Mi-Sex and Young Marble Giants. David Best handles vocals and guitars, Steve
Lewis the electronics.
"Knickerbocker"'s
fabulously stream of consciousness lyric, and the chorus of "vanilla,
strawberry, Knickerbocker glory" makes it a fabulous dance that could
easily fit into any avant-new wave mix, its lyric as fun as Ian Dury's "Reasons
To Be Cheerful, Part 3."
The lyrics of
Lightbulbs steer clear of the generic lovelyric, but when they do deal
with romance, such as in the ballad "Lightbulbs," there is a true
tenderness in their picture of quiet domesticity. "You change the lightbulbs,
I do the dishes." Ray Davies-quaint.
"Uh"
is equally danceable, and vocalist David Best's nearly whispered lyric refrain
is just plain fun, "Oh, she made me go Uh Uh Oh!"
In the ballad
"Goosebumps," Best sounds like Bryan Ferry would if he traded his
rasp for a whisper licking your earlobe.
"Rook to
Queen's Pawn Six" finds David Best channeling Donovan (the folk singer,
not the reggae singer), viz: "Hy-po-thetic-a-lee" - pure Donovan
phrasing.
Pure fun filtered
through intelligence and cleverness; the kind of record you'd want to marry
because the kissing is so good.
Note: I'm auditioning
the album this via mp3. I haven't seen the physical product.
