Since releasing “Citrus,” Asobi Seksu has received stellar reviews from a variety of sources. Each asserts, in one way or another, the bands ability to transcend the narrow confines of Shoegaze, as well as the ever present My Bloody Valentine reference. All of this coming from reputable sources ranging from mainstream giants MTV and Spin, to hipster crushes Pitchfork and Coke Machine Glow. Even a few unlikely venues such as Entertainment Weekly have taken notice. Not long ago we spoke with Yuki, the lead vocalist and keyboardist for Asobi Seksu, as she and the rest the band were “doing lunch somewhere in Oregon,” in order to discuss, among other things, all of that positive attention.

“We were just pleased that people accepted and liked the album. We thought people would trash it.” Yuki, a certified music teacher, said and continued with some explanation. “Making a record is just such a personal thing. You start to get paranoid about how people will respond. You’re just vulnerable, I guess.” As far as comparisons to My Bloody Valentine, “You get tired of it. Every band gets tired of [such comparisons], but its something we all have to deal with.”

As can been seen in almost every recent article on Asobi Seksu, it is hard not to be drawn to the Japanese thread that runs through the bands music. Most reviews either mention what Asobi Seksu means (“playful sex”), the fact that Yuki is Japanese-American, or the weaving of English and Japanese lyrics throughout the songs on “Citrus.” When asked if she ever worries about any of that being seen as a gimmick, Yuki had this to say. “Japanese is another resource that I have. So why not use it? Why not sing in Japanese? …I like the way Japanese sounds and the flow of the language works for the melodies we write.”

Continuing upon that subject she added, in regards to their writing process, “Music comes first and the lyrics are secondary.” Coming from a woman who has recently earned a degree in music education, we can only imagine it’s true. Still, despite her love for “working with kids,” Asobi Seksu shows no signs of slowing down. They’ve toured the country for the greater part of this year, and though, as Yuki said, “touring can get really tiring.” She loves performing, their turn out is improving, and she wants to ride this wave out as long as she can. “I don’t think I’ll be teaching for a while.”

We’re just glad she’s riding the wave to Baton Rouge. Despite suffering from what she labeled as “post-traumatic stress disorder,” after a unwarranted and scary run-in with state police last time Asobi Seksu rolled through Louisiana.

Check out Yuki and Asobi Seksu tonight at the Spanish Moon in Baton Rouge.