Album of the Day

Formed in New York City by Japanese expatriates Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, Cibo Matto means “crazy food” in Italian. As Honda explained, “Food is something you can't escape. It's there every day,” and the duo get plenty of mileage out of the concept on their 1996 Warner Bros. debut, VIVA! LA WOMAN. Including a cover of “The Candy Man” and such originals as “Sugar Water,” “Know Your Chicken” and “Birthday Cake,” the collection features plenty of gastronomic references, but this is no novelty album. While the off-the-wall lyrics are lots of fun, an equally creative use of samples ranging from cool jazz, rap and bossa nova keeps the sonic stew bubbling. VIVA! LA WOMAN topped the College Music Journal chart for six weeks, but you don't need a degree to enjoy this tasty trip-hop treat.