Kyoto’s Homecomings have always sung in English prior to this year’s Whale Living, out next week. On that one, they switch it up to their native Japanese. Yet “Blue Hour” reminds that despite the linguistic change, the quartet remains capable of nailing the melancholy of everyday life. “Blue Hour” unfolds at a familiar Charlie-Brown-type shuffle, a pace allowing every word to hang out as long as needed to really get its feeling across. This has always been Homecomings skill — they make music that captures the feeling of taking a walk and just thinking stuff over, letting small details crash into the bigger nagging concerns. The language is different, but the impact is the same. Listen above.
