by Ted MillsA compact survey of Pizzicato Five's first period, this compilation makes a nice introduction for those fans interested in the years before Nomiya Maki was vocalist. Balancing heavily towards material from their first LP, Couples, early Pizzicato Five comes across as an exceedingly light pop band searching for a style. Early vocalist Sasaki Mamiko had a high wispy voice typical of a Japanese pop singer, but it works on such delicate tracks as Summertime, Summertime, and The Apartment. Tajima Takao, who took over from the second album onward, brought the group a more urban soulful sound, and the representative tracks here -- Temptation Talk, Bellissima 90, and Lip Service -- are some of his best work. For collectors, the album also includes a rare track, the very early Kiss, Kiss, Bang! Bang!, a new mix, They All Laughed, and two reggaefied songs that marked Nomiya Maki's early entry into the band -- Lovers Rock and Two Sleepy People.