Love in City

Aido's second album came after Shogo Hamada left the band, a change that has sometimes overshadowed the music itself. There is plenty here worth hearing. Taking something of a cue from Sentimental City Romance, the remaining band gives its own sound a fresh West Coast inflection. Even the sleeve illustration points in that direction.

“Gozen 10-ji no Samba” pairs an unforced pop feel with an easy sense of movement. On “Natsu no Futari,” the music travels from folk-tinged verses into a soulfully sung chorus. The balance did not last: without its leader, the group fell apart. This album preserves the moment when that balance still sounded possible.