by Pat Padua A slogan announces: "People, Let's get stoned with Pizzicato Five!" This is no call to hippie arms but to a stoned soul picnic. After a few false starts, Pizzicato Five changed their lineup, and a more powerful singer makes all the difference on Belissima! The album introduces Tajima Takao, "Genius," who makes like a Japanese soul crooner. Where P5's previous singers were stilted, Tajima Takao floats over these Sound of Philadelphia grooves, finally giving P5 the push they needed. Ersatz soul, perhaps, but confident ersatz soul. Their sound is filled out with organ, harmonica, sax, congas, the kind of soul-jazz instrumentation Tajima Takao took with him when he left P5 to form Original Love. But in the second half of the album, his vocals revert to the sleepy woodenness of his predecessors. Ironic, since part of "Couples" would help form the backing track for a song that would help introduce his successor Maki Nomiya, "Baby love child." Still, an auspicious debut, and Pizzicato Five would get even better.