Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

“永遠の脱臼サウンド”“LSD漬けの白昼夢”“アメリカン・オルタナの野生派”“生きる音の実験室”・・・長いキャリアの中で様々な形容を与えられてきたフレーミング・リップス、2002年のロック・シーンで大絶賛された傑作アルバム。「Yoshimi」とはボアダムスのヨシミ！まばゆいほどのポップは今作も健在！

Rolling Stone (7/25/02, p.72) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Ambitious with burbling electrobeats underpinning sci-fi orchestrations....the trio's love of sound sorcery is gently folded into gorgeous melodies..." Rolling Stone (7/25/02, p.72) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Ambitious with burbling electrobeats underpinning sci-fi orchestrations....the trio's love of sound sorcery is gently folded into gorgeous melodies..." Spin (1/03, p.70) - Ranked #4 on Spin's list of 2002's "Albums of the Year" - "...A concept album about heartsick rock-'em-sock-'em robots that's also a sermon about finding the courage to love in the face of death." Spin (1/03, p.70) - Ranked #4 on Spin's list of 2002's "Albums of the Year" - "...A concept album about heartsick rock-'em-sock-'em robots that's also a sermon about finding the courage to love in the face of death." Entertainment Weekly (7/19/02, p.74) - "...Spectacularly trippy..." - Rating: B+ Entertainment Weekly (7/19/02, p.74) - "...Spectacularly trippy..." - Rating: B+ Q (12/02, p.66) - Included in Q Magazine's "50 Best Albums of 2002" Q (8/02, p.127) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Their second masterpiece....It's hard to remember a record so concerned with mortality and yet so heart-burstingly hopeful. It quivers with life..." Q (12/02, p.66) - Included in Q Magazine's "50 Best Albums of 2002" Q (8/02, p.127) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Their second masterpiece....It's hard to remember a record so concerned with mortality and yet so heart-burstingly hopeful. It quivers with life..." Uncut (1/03, p.94) - Ranked #1 in Uncut's "100 Best Albums of the Year" Uncut (8/02, p.96) - 5 out of 5 - "...Astonishing..." Uncut (1/03, p.94) - Ranked #1 in Uncut's "100 Best Albums of the Year" Uncut (8/02, p.96) - 5 out of 5 - "...Astonishing..." CMJ (12/30/02, p.8) - Ranked #2 on CMJ's "Top 10 of 2002" CMJ (7/22/02, p.4) - "...Impressionistic sonic wonder..." CMJ (12/30/02, p.8) - Ranked #2 on CMJ's "Top 10 of 2002" CMJ (7/22/02, p.4) - "...Impressionistic sonic wonder..." Mojo (Publisher) (p.63) - Ranked #36 in Mojo's "100 Modern Classics" -- "They remain at the forefront of rock'n'roll mutation." Mojo (Publisher) (1/03, p.72) - Ranked #2 in Mojo's "Best Albums of 2002" Mojo (Publisher) (7/02, p.60) - "...A brilliant development of BULLETIN's tough'n'mellow blend..." Mojo (Publisher) (1/03, p.72) - Ranked #2 in Mojo's "Best Albums of 2002" Mojo (Publisher) (7/02, p.60) - "...A brilliant development of BULLETIN's tough'n'mellow blend..." NME (Magazine) (7/13/02, p.36) - 8 out of 10 - "...Confident and imaginative....it sets yet another benchmark." NME (Magazine) (7/13/02, p.36) - 8 out of 10 - "...Confident and imaginative....it sets yet another benchmark."

フレイミング・リップスが贈る21世紀の寓話〈ヨシミとピンク・ロボットをめぐる闘いの物語〉──そんな装いでバンドは新世紀の扉をくぐる。〈ヨシミ〉とは彼らとの付き合いも長いボアダムスのYoshimi P-weのことで、彼女が悪のロボットをやっつける!　小学生の夢物語みたいなこのコンセプトの裏には、ヨシミと同じく日本人でリップスのファンだった女の子の死という〈現実〉が隠されていて、この作品はいわば死についての一種のファンタジーなのだ。だからここには悲しみや、苦悩、押さえようのない歪みが渦巻いていて注意していないと巻き込まれそう。でもそのすべてを胸に抱き高らかに上昇するウェイン・コフィンの歌声の素晴らしいこと!　フレイミング・リップスという驚異のサウンドシステムが地上に降り注ぐ時、ニンゲンも北極グマも新しい季節の到来に恋焦がれるだろう。ウェインが歌っている、〈It's Summertime!〉。
bounce (C)村尾泰郎