Saucy Dog provides comfort on 2020’s Take Me. The trio’s fourth mini-album finds vocalist-guitarist Shinya Ishihara, bassist Akizawa Kazuki, and drummer Seto Yuika diving deeper into its cheery rock sound and slice-of-life lyrical subject matter. This musical approach helped the Osaka-born group gather a following over the previous four years. On Take Me, the soaring melodies come across as fuller and more evocative—even nearing balladry—and the lyrics deliver greater depth and insight. Earlier Saucy Dog releases spotlighted a group full of energy. The band brings a little of that drive on Take Me via opener “Kaminari Ni Utarete,” but for the most part, it has slowed down its pace. “Imasaradatte Boku Wa Iukana” and “Neko No Se” play out at midtempo and with the same warmth (nodding to Japanese outfits like Spitz) that Saucy Dog delivered on prior releases. A more spacious structure allows Ishihara to better showcase his lyrics. Across Take Me, he offers intimate details about the real-life settings where his stories of love and loss take place. His descriptions of apartment rooms on the galloping “Sea Glass” and the weather on the reflective “Yui” bring richness to his words. On Take Me, the band demonstrates optimism. Even when the characters face heartbreak, they find a way to stay positive.