Asobi Seksu
Hush
EMI Japan/Polyvinyl Records
7/10
Sometimes it can seem that eclectic rock is a hit and miss proposition. That certainly appears to be the case with Asobi Seksu. While the New York band’s latest album Hush is festooned with ornate electronic tracks and whimsical lyrics, to the casual listener the band’s unconventional musical style is in danger of flying over their heads. Thus, the record comes across more as an intellectual exercise, a statement about music as it were- but not a musical statement.
Take for instance the opening track, “Layers”. From its very beginning, the song has an airy, ephemeral air, which is only reinforced by the heavy presence of synths and the conspicuous absence of guitars. In place of those staples of the genre are tight arrangements and stripped down lyrics that have more in common with the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop than typical indie faire. There are still elements of good rock and roll- see “Mehnomae” or “Me and Mary”–but you have to look hard to find it.
That isn’t to slight the duo of Yui Chikudate and James Hanna. Against the backdrop of losing a band member and faced with the prospect of having to reinvent their sound, they had to play the cards they were dealt. The result is an album that is still vintage Asobi- Chikudate’s vocals are still tight, and Hanna’s guitar work is nothing less than impressive. Yet the album is still a shot in the dark- some tracks are right on target, others feel artificial and forced. The diagnosis boils down to the feeling that they were trying too hard to make an already elaborate album even more so.
But by the standards of many of their peers who have taken the same track, they are still far better at this game than appearances would leave many to believe. Even with the bare, sonic arrangements of Hush, they knew better than to try to be something they no longer were. Asobi Seksu pre-2009, we hardly knew ye. But whereas the old lineup were more in keeping with the indie rock of today, this new one has the potential of being something it otherwise could not- an unconventional, trailblazing band.
At $11.99, it’s worth a stab for hardcore fans. The rest of us, not so much.
–John Winn