Their name may mean “lacking grace” or “awkward”, and that fits well for GAUCHE — in a good way.

GAUCHE’s second mini album, titled 青ノ世界 (Aoi no Sekai, Blue World) came out in March.

It’s seven tracks of…well, I’ll explain:

The indie rock quartet GAUCHE do their thing and they do it they do it well. They flesh out vivid, dynamic rock music that’s as blaring as it is serene. An awkward description by my book and that is terrific.

“唄声の証明” (Uta Koe no Shomei) leads things off on Aoi no Sekai. It starts something carried though the release, especially on tracks like “ハルリフ” (Harurifu?) and “クロール” (Crawl) among others.

A first impression mostly hears lead singer and guitarist Nagashima Hiroyoshi’s (長島弘佳) distinct vocals. In many tracks, his anxious and emotional yet restrained style falls in line with the previous description. The interplay between his and Nose Manabu’s (能勢学) guitar contributes to a melodic foreground. Abe Akira’s (安部光) pulsating bass provides a substantial layer that is ofter heard loud and clear while drummer Takashi Michiyo (高師三知代) puts it all together. The “GAUCHE sound” rocks on all four fronts.

GAUCHE was formed in 2002. They began performing in clubs in Chiba and Shimokitazawa. They have released a single, a MAXI single, and two mini albums. Their latest mini album was released with ZERO COOL Corporation.

Watch the PV for “唄声の証明”:

Buy Aoi no Sekai by GAUCHE

Check out more tracks and videos on GAUCHE’s official MySpace