Hi Hi Puffy Amiyumi

A break from the heavyness for a moment to give notice to the "new" soundtrack to the Cartoon Network show "Hi Hi Puffy Amiyumi" that I got from Hermione for Christmas.

I was excited when they announced this show cuz I've been a fan of theirs for a couple of years, but let's just say that show stinks on ice. Awful bad terrible crap!!! (No wonder Godzilla keeps stomping Tokyo!) Lame Powerpuff Girls cartoon and the girls themselves only appear for about 15-20 seconds as bookends to the lameness. I turned off the tape halfway thru the second show. Pass at all costs.

BUT....the CD is a really good primer on their music, especially if you haven't obtained "An Illustrated History" (a hits comp to introduce them to America a couple of years back) or "Nice", cuz HHPAY recycles about half its tracks from those two albums, though there's enough good stuff to warrant another dip.

The Japanese lyric version of "Pure Asia" ( an awesome ELO ripoff) appears here as well as a remake of their creative guru Andy Sturmer's song from his old band Jellyfish, "Joining A Fan Club." It's hard to pinpoint what's duped by the track listing alone because "Invisible Tomorrow" on "Nice" becomes "Friends Forever" on "HHPAY". Stupid stupid stupid! (If I'd listened to "Nice" more in the last year, I'd prolly be able to spot more dupes.)

Sure the girls are cute, but their voices are nothing particularly special - they remind me of Bananarama - but the MUSIC is utterly brilliant. Their producers are incredibly clever in their writing and production as "That's the Way It Is" (HHPAY title - "Kore ga Watashi no Ikiruimichi" on "AIH") shows as it fuses a bunch of Beatles and Who licks that are simultaneously able to reference their inspirations without actually getting into copyright infringement. A neat trick.

Bottom line: Skip the show, get the CD or better yet, skip this one and get the previous two CDs. You're welcome.