A slogan announces: "People, Let's get stoned with Pizzicato Five!" This is no call to hippie arms but to a stoned soul picnic. After a few false starts, [wimpLink artistId="3574993"]Pizzicato Five[/wimpLink] changed their lineup, and a more powerful singer makes all the difference on [wimpLink albumId="144930239"]Belissima![/wimpLink] The album introduces Tajima Takao, "Genius," who makes like a Japanese soul crooner. Where [wimpLink artistId="3574993"]P5's[/wimpLink] previous singers were stilted, Tajima Takao floats over these Sound of Philadelphia grooves, finally giving [wimpLink artistId="3574993"]P5[/wimpLink] the push they needed. Ersatz soul, perhaps, but confident ersatz soul. Their sound is filled out with organ, harmonica, sax, congas, the kind of soul-jazz instrumentation Tajima Takao took with him when he left [wimpLink artistId="3574993"]P5[/wimpLink] to form [wimpLink artistId="3514842"]Original Love[/wimpLink]. But in the second half of the album, his vocals revert to the sleepy woodenness of his predecessors. Ironic, since part of "Couples" would help form the backing track for a song that would help introduce his successor Maki Nomiya, "Baby love child." Still, an auspicious debut, and [wimpLink artistId="3574993"]Pizzicato Five[/wimpLink] would get even better. ~ Pat Padua