Transparent Things
by Fujiya & Miyagi
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Pitchfork
    83
    F&M's coy pose comes off as somehow original.
  2. Stylus Magazine
    83
    Transparent Things, then, sounds less the work of three programmers and more like a band that plays together and stays together—like Hot Chip holding it a little closer to the vest, maybe.
  3. AllMusic
    80
    When F&M stick to simple dance melodies and wound-up instrumental grooves, they're as good as anyone else out there.
  5. Observer Music Monthly
    80
    If you like the Hot Chip album, you'll love this.
  6. Prefix Magazine
    80
    It comes as no surprise that Fujiya & Miyagi's sound recalls other neo-futurists.... But Fujiya & Miyagi is undeniably its own band, with peppy melodicism and upfront sense of humor.
  7. Spin
    80
    This is dance music downsized for iPods but also indie rock expanded for the dance floor. [Jan 2007, p.89]
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  8. The Guardian
    80
    This is a multi-faceted delight from start to finish.
  9. Urb
    80
    The only complaint I have is that this disc clocked in just under 39 minutes, while it definitely wouldn't be bogged down by another 41 minutes of tracks like these. [Jan/Feb 2006, p.78]
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  10. Almost Cool
    80
    Downright awesome in places.
  11. Under The Radar
    80
    The difference between a wholly derivative artist and Fujiya & Miyagi is that they take their influences and condense them into one. [#17, p.91]
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  12. cokemachineglow
    78
    It has its flaws, and it certainly isn’t some great reinvention of krautrock, but Transparent Things is an incredibly likeable album.
  13. Mojo
    70
    Stereolab had similar starting blocks--there's no reason why Fujiya & Miyagi shouldn't become as notable. [Jan 2007, p.110]
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  14. PopMatters
    70
    It’s a little bit of a summer record, relaxed and unassuming, but for its patience and surprising originality, it rewards repeat listens.
  15. Blender
    70
    They're fascinated with rhythm, repetition and duplication, like early-'70s German experimental bands Neu! and Can. [Mar 2007, p.136]
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  16. NOW Magazine
    60
    There are worse artists to jack than David Byrne and company, but after all the breathless hype, you'd expect something a little more innovative.
  17. Dusted Magazine
    60
    The album's vocals exemplify the real problem here, which is that while the music is appealing and well-executed, everything feels perfectly coordinated and absolutely calculated.

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Best Album of 2007

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. kelly
    Feb 6, 2007
    10
    Not Japanese; not German; not original; but somehow contagious as a virus.
  2. RyanC
    Jan 26, 2007
    10
    For fans of Can and Kraftwerk.
  3. ToddW
    Jan 26, 2007
    7
    Oh, this trio of witty Brits making like the Vapors and turning Japanese. David Best, Stephen Lewis, and Lee Adams cop Can and Neu! with a Oh, this trio of witty Brits making like the Vapors and turning Japanese. David Best, Stephen Lewis, and Lee Adams cop Can and Neu! with a healthy dose of Steroelab. It's a potent mix...if the lyrics weren't so inane. The beats and music on this album are both wondrous and fresh. The lyrics, on the other hand, read like something Genevieve could pen. (An inside aside.) I mean, who needs to be reminded ad nauseum that the ankle bone is connected to the shin bone, etc. Didn't we learn that in the first grade? Ankle Injuries pummels you with the name of the band, although to be kind it is set to an infectious beat. That pretty much sums up what you're going to hear on the rest of this offering. Ironically, the best songs are the instrumentals - Conductor 71 and Cassettesingle - which hints at the strength of the writing. For a first stab at a full-length, however, there's a lot here on which to hang one's hopes. Me, I want lyrics to match the intelligence of the music.… Full Review »
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