Yosuga

Nagisa Ni Te's sixth album Yosuga finds them taking another step away from the fragile acid-folk that served as the basis of their early records toward a more song based and straight-ahead classic rock-inspired approach. There are still some folky moments here and there but for the most part, the duo hit a slow and steady groove that is equal parts Neil Young and Galaxie 500. The influence of Neil is in the spiraling guitar leads and the rustic balladry, that of Galaxie 500 is found in the underwater dreaminess of the sound. Longtime fans may miss the otherworldly weirdness of the early records but the songcraft and tender beauty of Yosuga's sound, the lilting melodies and sweetly sung vocals, should be enough to keep most people happy as the record peacefully eases it's way through its 13 songs. That ease is actually the main problem with the album as the songs have a tendency to drift by without really grabbing hold, and before you know it the album has ended and you can't really remember even listening to it. Only a few songs make any kind of waves (the heavy distortion of "Reaction in G," the welcome return of some freaked out folk on "Ishi River" and "Close by Night") or break from the mellow, slow, and hazy feel that predominates. The similarity of the tempos, the use of the same kind of guitar tones on nearly every song, and the album's seemingly endless length combine to lull listeners into a sleepy, classic rock-y trance. Granted, it's a pleasant and often fulfilling trance (that's broken a bit at the end of the album by "Yosuga (My Refuge and Strength") which takes the established template of the album and tweaks it with burbling electronics), but still enough of one to make the record less successful than previous efforts. Perhaps taken in small doses the overwhelming consistency of Yosuga would be less problematic. Almost any of the songs taken out of the whole would sound great on a mix CD or as a contrast to the busy and clamorous tones of everyday life. "Midsummer Overhead" could even be a pop hit in some strange alternate musical universe. As it stands, though, Yosuga is too much of a good thing, which feels like a minor complaint but it's real and it's enough to make the album a slight disappointment in an otherwise stellar career.