by Heather PharesFresh and funky, female and Japanese, the trip-hop\u002Frap duo Cibo Matto has been the recipient of a lot of hype. Fortunately, it's well-founded; all trendiness aside, Viva! La Woman is an innovative and catchy mix of eclectic samples and stream-of-consciousness lyrics. The likes of Paul Weller, Ennio Morricone, and Duke Ellington combine with observations like My weight is three hundred pounds\u002FMy favorite is beef jerky (from Beef Jerky) and Shut up and eat! You know my love is sweet! from (Birthday Cake) in a fun and refreshing way. The tone of the album varies with each song; on tracks like Sugar Water and Artichoke, Cibo Matto plays it spooky and ethereal, while Birthday Cake and the single Know Your Chicken find them as a couple of cryptic Beastie Girls, tossing off wacky non sequiturs over found soundscapes. Cibo Matto cooks up a tasty appetizer of their talent with Viva! La Woman. Like their tongue-in-cheek cover of The Candy Man, Cibo Matto makes everything they bake satisfying and delicious. A diverse and entertaining album, Viva! La Woman leaves the listener hungry for more of their crazy food for thought.