Butter
It's those Japanese girls from Cibo Matto being postmodern and surprisingly likable. They don't mention what happened to Butters 01 to 07, but somehow it doesn't matter. There's hip-hop and rap (hey, this is on Grand Royal, after all), some tasty rock & roll guitar, traces of disco, a little bit of funk, and lots of trashy '70s influences, all whipped up to make something pretty damned exciting. Of course, it's all a little bit arty and self-conscious, but you didn't expect to get out of here scot-free, did you? What we've got here, though, is a record that truly defies insidious pigeonholing (for once the hype is really true), and is an joy to listen to. In these listless days, the simple fact that it's not a bowwow is cause enough for celebration.--Chris Nickson