The opening of Lightbulbs, the third LP from Brighton, UK, quartet Fujiya & Miyagi, is uncomfortably similar to the beginning of the band’s 2006 Transparent Things: singer and guitarist David Best chants, “Vanilla, strawberry, knickerbocker glory” much like he intones “Fujiya, Miyagi” in the song “Ankle Injuries,” as a drum beat replicates the earlier song’s bassline. “I saw the ghost of Lena Zavaroni,” Best whispers, like a harbinger of tragedy. (Zavaroni was a child star that died at 35 due to complications from anorexia.) The album only gets worse from there.
Lightbulbs is similar enough to Transparent Things to deny any pretense of experimentation, yet disparate enough to feel inferior. At its worst, Things fizzled with a few forgettable songs towards the end, but it had strong singles like “Collarbone” and “Conductor 71” to carry the dead weight. Lightbulbs, meanwhile, walks a thin line between innocuous songwriting and saturated pap.
“Pickpocket” and the aptly named “Pussyfooting” are the main offenders on the album, the former suffering from a horrible synth overlay and the latter from the combination of David Best’s voice and the word “pussyfooting.” Down-tempo numbers like “Goosebumps” and “Lightbulbs” recall Hot Chip’s electro-balladry but with shades of pessimism. Only “Uh,” “Dishwasher,” and “Knickerbocker” manage to leave a positive impression, yet not a strong enough one to compensate for the other faux pas.
Even if you dig Fujiya & Miyagi’s blend of krautrock and funk, I would recommend leaving the tracksuit and Reeboks in the closet on this one; Lightbulbs exhausts the sleek chic of Fujiya & Miyagi’s previous work to a point of agitation.
Voice’s Choices: “Uh”
