A little context…I’m listening to (and writing about) this one from downtown Shibuya, so seeing all of the bright lights and people wandering around (on a Monday! What a city!) is playing a role here. But Futari No Bungaku’s “City Liner” manages something not much city pop revivalists can, which is actually get some emotion into the smooth tempos and sleek guitar notes. Whereas other songs simply chill out, “City Liner” features something approaching longing, conveyed primarily through the vocals, though also driven home by the keyboard notes that pop up post chorus. Always nice to have some melancholy sneak into your breezy tunes. Listen above.
