The Pascals: "The Pascals Go"

The Pascals are a quirky collection of outstanding Japanese musicians whose tunes are penned in the spirit of the French composer Pascal Comelade.

Mssr. Comelade writes music to be performed -- on his own or with his Bel Canto Orquestra -- on highly unusual arrangements of instruments. For instance, plastic guitar, toy piano, ukelele, triangles and melodica stand proudly among the grand piano, violin and classical guitar. His compositions prove yet again a timeless musical adage -- it's not what you play, but how you play it. Comelade is also known to employ Brian Eno's "oblique strategies" in his music. In short, the strategies are a list of tips used to facilitate the creative process and include suggestions such as: "Don't be afraid of things because they're easy to do," "Be dirty," "Go slowly all the way around the outside" and "Do nothing for as long as possible."

On "The Pascals Go," The Pascals have inhabited Comelade's aesthetic with a beauty all their own. While it is unclear if they actually employ Eno's oblique approach, their intriguing compositions and gentle zaniness suggests their creative processes are getting some juice from unusual sources (and they give a nod to Eno on the opening track, a cute but mournful rendition of his song "Taking Tiger Mountain"). The Pascals comprise 16 members and their range of instruments exceeds that of Comelade's Bel Canto Orquestra to include synthesizer, electric guitar, musical saw, tuning fork, various horns, a gas hose, a barking dog and a heap of squeaking toys.