Pizzicato Five

Pizzicato Five, a Japanese pop group best known to American audiences in their later incarnation as a duo of Maki Nomiya and Yasuharu Konishi, are widely credited to have spearheaded the shibuya-kei movement of Tokyo in the 90s, along with Flipper's Guitar. They are known for their ecletic and energetic compositions, which often sound like "new" releases from the late 1960s hipster scene. Their catchphrase--"A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular"--captured the group's ironic stance but eager attitude. The group, formed in 1985, broke up in March 2002.

The P5's style matured over the years. They gradually eschewed covers of 60s standards like the Beatles' "Day Tripper" or "