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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It's hard to not like a good-looking, female-fronted, Brooklyn-based band whose name translates loosely as "playful sex." The obvious vocal comparisons are to shoegazers and goths of twelve to thirty years ago—Siouxsie, Spirea X, Lush, Kate Bush, and the Cocteauu Twins. Singing in Japanese and English, vocalist Yuki's heavily reverbed voice is sensual and strong at the same time. But there's more of a manic, vaguely garage band energy evident on Citrus, the group's sophomore release (a vast improvement over their scattered debut). It's clear now that they're far closer to Blondie than My Bloody Valentine or Loop. The band has a woozy sound, but it's also tightly controlled and highly melodic, propelled by Interpol-ish bass lines. It's not "original" music, but it is very pleasant stuff, the ideal soundtrack to a hot affair in some futuristic hotel tucked away downtown, or out near the airport. --Mike McGonigal
Product Description
Asobi Seksu's second album, Citrus: thirteen slices of guitar-swirling, sweet-and-sour, bilingual dream pop. Asobi Seksu (colloquial Japanese for "playful sex") released its debut album in 2004 to significant critical acclaim, winning rave reviews from the New York Times, Nylon, Under the Radar, YRB, and XLR8R, among others. A powerful, sweeping album, sung in both English and Japanese, that showcases Yuki and James' ever-growing songwriting skills.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When I picked up this album today, I had never heard of this group, let alone heard any of their music. But I'm glad I got this album! This music is right down my line.
What I hear in the music is a blend of psychedelia, 80s pop, and lots of that wonderful early 90s music that I call "brightwave," but I guess the common term is shoegazer--music like Cocteau Twins, Autumn's Grey Solace, or Lush.
"Exotic Animal Paradise" and "Red Sea" remind me the most of Cocteau Twins, their shimmering, floating sound that I associate with big ocean waves and peaceful summer days. "Red Sea" has a big sound grand ending. "Thursday" also has some of this sound at the end, but with more of a feel-good pop flavor.
Songs such as "New Years," "Goodbye," and "Mizu Asobi" have a sound that reminds me of cheerful, quirky 80s new wave pop, where I hear occasional touches of Blondie, glitzed up with fuzzed-out, psychedelia guitars. In some songs, such as "Strings" and "Pink Cloud Tracing Paper," I hear traces of mid-80s New Order influence.
The songs are sung in a mixture of English and Japanese, with all the tracks but one featuring a female vocalist. There's not a song on here I don't like. This is quintessential summer music for me, and I expect to be listening to this a lot the remainder of this summer.
March 2007 Update: I originally reviewed the day I got it in summer 2006. Amazon's system doesn't permit changing of stars, but if I could, I would change this to 5 stars. There was no album in 2006 whose music I liked better than this one. The music is so beautiful that it deeply moves me.
What I hear in the music is a blend of psychedelia, 80s pop, and lots of that wonderful early 90s music that I call "brightwave," but I guess the common term is shoegazer--music like Cocteau Twins, Autumn's Grey Solace, or Lush.
"Exotic Animal Paradise" and "Red Sea" remind me the most of Cocteau Twins, their shimmering, floating sound that I associate with big ocean waves and peaceful summer days. "Red Sea" has a big sound grand ending. "Thursday" also has some of this sound at the end, but with more of a feel-good pop flavor.
Songs such as "New Years," "Goodbye," and "Mizu Asobi" have a sound that reminds me of cheerful, quirky 80s new wave pop, where I hear occasional touches of Blondie, glitzed up with fuzzed-out, psychedelia guitars. In some songs, such as "Strings" and "Pink Cloud Tracing Paper," I hear traces of mid-80s New Order influence.
The songs are sung in a mixture of English and Japanese, with all the tracks but one featuring a female vocalist. There's not a song on here I don't like. This is quintessential summer music for me, and I expect to be listening to this a lot the remainder of this summer.
March 2007 Update: I originally reviewed the day I got it in summer 2006. Amazon's system doesn't permit changing of stars, but if I could, I would change this to 5 stars. There was no album in 2006 whose music I liked better than this one. The music is so beautiful that it deeply moves me.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
whenever a new bands surfaces and mines old territory, the naysayers inevitably appear and begin to knock down the current in favor of the past. not only is comparing the present to past generally unfair and shortsighted, it's also amounts to a display on narrow-mindedness. no, asobi seksu aren't my bloody valentine, slowdive, ride, swervedriver, or any number of other shoegazer bands. shoegazing hit its peak nearly 15 years ago. those who hold on to as though it were some holy grail do themselves a disservice by refusing to properly acknowledge a band who has nothing but love for the aforementioned band.
asobi seksu, a nyc quarted, is a crazily fantastic band. sure, the elements of shoegazing are there, name in the swirling, kaleidoscopic guitars and yuki's occasional elizabeth-frasier-esque vocals tics. but yuki owes more of debt to harriet wheeler than elizabeth frasier. asobi seksu is everything that's right about great pop/rock music. tight, effecient songs, effortless melodies, intricate and interesting musicianship, and enough energy to light a city for weeks. if it seems that asobi seksu is a highly calculated band, nothing could be futher from the truth.
through they do mine familiar shoegazer territory, asobi seksu is a highly orginal and exciting band. the first 1/2 of the album is as good as anything i've heard in a LONG time (and i listen to a lot of music). the one-two punch of 'new years' and 'thursday' is as great as anything you'll hear this year. both are heavy, exciting, i dare say thrilling, tracks. the choruses, particularly 'thursday,' are spine chilling.
sure, asobi seksu will make you a bit nostalgic for the days of mbv and slowdive, but they'll also make you excited about the future of music. with a soundtrack like this, how can life be anything but beautiful and wonderful? a really remarkable album.
asobi seksu, a nyc quarted, is a crazily fantastic band. sure, the elements of shoegazing are there, name in the swirling, kaleidoscopic guitars and yuki's occasional elizabeth-frasier-esque vocals tics. but yuki owes more of debt to harriet wheeler than elizabeth frasier. asobi seksu is everything that's right about great pop/rock music. tight, effecient songs, effortless melodies, intricate and interesting musicianship, and enough energy to light a city for weeks. if it seems that asobi seksu is a highly calculated band, nothing could be futher from the truth.
through they do mine familiar shoegazer territory, asobi seksu is a highly orginal and exciting band. the first 1/2 of the album is as good as anything i've heard in a LONG time (and i listen to a lot of music). the one-two punch of 'new years' and 'thursday' is as great as anything you'll hear this year. both are heavy, exciting, i dare say thrilling, tracks. the choruses, particularly 'thursday,' are spine chilling.
sure, asobi seksu will make you a bit nostalgic for the days of mbv and slowdive, but they'll also make you excited about the future of music. with a soundtrack like this, how can life be anything but beautiful and wonderful? a really remarkable album.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Andrew Vice
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
On their second LP, Citrus, Asobi Seksu sound like a band that has come into their own. The songwriting on Citrus far outclasses the work on their self-titled debut, with tracks like "Thursday" and "Goodbye" standing as some of the best tracks of 2006. Stylistically, the album is at times both more and less shoegazy than their debut. Tracks like "Pink Cloud Tracing Paper" and "Red Sea" sound like they would belong on a Slowdive record, whereas the aforementioned "Goodbye" is more of an alternative power-pop track, managing to be both playful and smart. There isn't really a single track on this record that isn't worth its weight, and the sequencing is exciting and well planned.
Ultimately, for any fan of shoegaze, alternative pop, or luscious female vocals, Citrus is a must-have. And, for any fan that enjoys this record, definitely check out their debut, which is a competent, if not quite as dynamic, record. Definitely one of the best of 2006.
Ultimately, for any fan of shoegaze, alternative pop, or luscious female vocals, Citrus is a must-have. And, for any fan that enjoys this record, definitely check out their debut, which is a competent, if not quite as dynamic, record. Definitely one of the best of 2006.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice grooves
Read reviews of this CD and thought it was worth a try: truly excellent deep grooves and solid dance vibes.
Published 2 months ago by Steve Cruz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shoegazer at its best
Honestly, I've never heard of this group till last week. Normally I would not like what is categorized as 'shoegazer' much less listening to weird name sounding group
such as... Read more
such as... Read more
Published on September 21, 2009 by madwok
4.0 out of 5 stars
4.5 Dream, Cream, Tangerine
I am surprised I like this as much as I do. It pretty much happenned straight away and it seems to be the one record I continue to play over and over. Read more
Published on June 7, 2009 by Kurtis R. Reed
5.0 out of 5 stars
Add Some Citrus to Your Lush Sundays
Shoegaze or nu-gaze. Dream pop or noise pop. Call it what you will, Asobi Seksu's swirly sounds and ethereal vocals will fit right into your iPod playlist somewhere between the... Read more
Published on April 29, 2009 by Richard Hine
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love this album
I can't believe someone would give this album 1 star. I bought it today and I just cannot believe how good this is. My only concern is that I did not buy it earlier. Read more
Published on November 16, 2007 by Mr. Keith Abbott
2.0 out of 5 stars
False promise
I hate to admit this but I bought this CD based on favorable reviews and the song 'Thursday'. In short, the female singer cannot hold a tune and its quite distracting. Read more
Published on October 5, 2007 by Alexander C.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brillant, Brillant brillant!
frist off, how can any one give this album one star is an absoult mystory to me.
right from the off, the wall of noise hits you between the eyes like a tone of... Read more
right from the off, the wall of noise hits you between the eyes like a tone of... Read more
Published on August 23, 2007 by Whipelsmacker
3.0 out of 5 stars
Looking at my Feet
(Okay. My self-imposed goal with this Asobi Seksu album is to write a fair and solid review without giving-in to the temptation to fill the page with My Bloody Valentine... Read more
Published on July 14, 2007 by Richie Corelli
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very catchy yet subtle tunes.
Good stuff, solid record. Some of the later tracks seem a bit weaker, but I haven't listened to them as many times. Recommended, nevertheless.
Published on April 28, 2007 by Borkmaster
4.0 out of 5 stars
Liked Lost in Translation? Check this Out
I couldn't care less about how you categorize this album in musical terms, who it sounds like, or doesn't - all I know is, if you liked the atmospheric sounds in the movie Lost in... Read more
Published on January 12, 2007 by Bec
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