Society always celebrates the records that top the Billboard 200 album chart. Back of The Billboards is a Music Times weekly segment that looks at the opposite end: the new record that finished closest to the back of the Billboard 200 for the previous week. We hope to give a fighting chance to the bands you haven't heard of.
Week of 02/21/2013
WHO: Cibo Matto
WHAT: Hotel Valentine
SPOT: 168
The last new release on last week's Billboard 200 was also the best release of February up to that point. New albums this week from Angel Olsen and St. Vincent have critics' tongues wagging, but Cibo Matto's Hotel Valentine is one of the year's most slept-on records thus far. Hip listeners will make sure to listen to Vincent and Olden, but they should give Cibo Matto a fair share of attention.
Hotel Valentine marks the first album in nearly 15 years from the Japanese alternative pop duo, and the long pause gave the pair plenty of time to think. The result was a concept album that traces the ups and downs in the life of a ghost living in the title hotel. The ups are reflected in pop dance numbers such as "10th Floor Ghost Girl" and "MFN," while the unavoidable loneliness of being a ghost comes out in the ethereal "Check Out." The unnamed protagonist uses her immaterial platform to look and comment upon human activity, from sex to politics, and politics much more mundane ("sometimes I miss shopping").
Wilco guitarist Nels Cline makes several appearances (most noticeably on "Check Out"), and Reggie Watts contributes vocals. Members Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda are the headliners however, keeping listeners engaged with off-the-cuff vocals both quirky enough to keep us interested, and simple enough as to not scare us away.
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