Luna: S&D

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The Dean Wareham thread the other day got me thinking - I love Galaxie 500 but don't have anything he's done since. My brother's got a couple of Luna albums which I've heard once or twice and liked (not sure which), but where should I start if I want to get one?

― James Ball (James Ball), Friday, 7 February 2003 12:05 (10 years ago) Permalink

penthouse and bewitched are both great. there is also a good wareham appearance on a mercury rev single--car wash hair i think...

― marcg (marcg), Friday, 7 February 2003 15:25 (10 years ago) Permalink

"I Love Everything" and "California All The Way"

― Chris V. (Chris V), Friday, 7 February 2003 15:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

Penthouse is my most-played album of the '90s; make of that what you will.

I like all their albums a lot, though Bewitched is probably my least favorite except maybe Live. (A very relative judgment, that.)

― M Matos (M Matos), Friday, 7 February 2003 15:55 (10 years ago) Permalink

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

― beetrum, Friday, 7 February 2003 21:56 (10 years ago) Permalink

mathwiz and the first song on strike match here

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 7 February 2003 22:06 (10 years ago) Permalink

Either Bewitched was so bad that it turned me off to all subsequent Luna albums or it was so great that no subsequent Luna album could measure up to it. On most days it's the latter.

― Nick Mirov (nick), Saturday, 8 February 2003 08:39 (10 years ago) Permalink

I have all the Luna albums, but I only ever play one (Penthouse). The others are quite nice too; but for whatever reason I'm hardly ever inclined to listen to them, and I know Penthouse backwards and forwards.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 8 February 2003 08:52 (10 years ago) Permalink

penthouse is my most listened to as well and I think a fine place to start. Bewitched has some swell songs, but doesn't have the same dark, drunk feel to me. I would also elevate Pup Tent, though many others seem dismissive of it. "Fuzzy Wuzzy" is one of my favorite Luna songs. After Pup Tent, they're ok, but don't have the magic they had before. Still fine stuff, but it seems much more pedestrian.

― nick ring (nick ring), Sunday, 9 February 2003 19:18 (10 years ago) Permalink

I'm rather surprised no one's mentioned Romantica. It's the sequel to Bewitched in many ways, but perfectly capable of holding its own.

Pup Tent's great, and unfairly maligned.

But I have to agree with the majority here and cast a vote for Penthouse.

― paul cox (paul cox), Sunday, 9 February 2003 22:36 (10 years ago) Permalink

Romanica (their latest) is quite beautiful. Songs like the Renee is Crying, Mermaid Eyes and above all, Rememories, I listen to over and over again. People take Dean Wareham for granted.

It's my favourite since the first, Lunapark (which no one has mentioned and is quite wonderful and v.immediate) , though I haven't heard all of the ones in between. Is Penthouse the one with Chinatown on it?

Destroy - the one with the 'Sweet Child Of Mine' cover on it. That's the only good track on it as far as I recall.

"I Love Everything"

Do you mean 'I Want Everything'..?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 10 February 2003 00:29 (10 years ago) Permalink

shameless plug for my own writing time: http://www.citypaper.com/2002-05-15/music.html

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 10 February 2003 01:55 (10 years ago) Permalink

their Kraftwerk cover is really pleasant.

― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 10 February 2003 01:56 (10 years ago) Permalink

Luna's cover choices have always been great (and that includes that one song on Romantica that's basically just Van Halen's "Jump"). Maybe they should release an all-covers album sometime, either all new covers or just a collection of the ones they've done already.

― Nick Mirov (nick), Monday, 10 February 2003 06:37 (10 years ago) Permalink

I'll vote for Lunapark myself. Bewitched is too much of an ok thing, Penthouse always struck me as too reserved - reminds me of the Dream Syndicate in that way (though I find some great bits and pieces in there). Never heard Pup Tent, hated what I heard of Days Of Our Nights (especially the G'N'R cover. Only made me wanna hear the original) and Romantica just sounded okay for me. Only the first album consistently entertains me.

and I prefer Galaxie 500 totally.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 February 2003 23:39 (10 years ago) Permalink

Bewitched is the one with "California" on it, right? That's my favorite still. It hits a mood, captures it and maintains it. None of the rest have seemed anywhere so distinct.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 00:14 (10 years ago) Permalink

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I'll check out 'Penthouse' first but keep an eye out for the others.

― James Ball (James Ball), Tuesday, 11 February 2003 10:32 (10 years ago) Permalink

Bought 'Penthouse' yesterday. Sounded good on first listen, but nothing like Galaxie 500. Don't know why that should've surprised me.

― James Ball (James Ball), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 09:43 (10 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Luna's breaking up!

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 24 September 2004 16:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

'Tigerlily' is a nice song...

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 24 September 2004 16:47 (8 years ago) Permalink

They even shut down the website!

I do love Luna .. But I suppose they had run the course..

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 24 September 2004 16:48 (8 years ago) Permalink

Oh that’s sad. I really loved their last ep and the last couple of shows I saw were some of their best.

Maybe this means more Dean and Britta now, which wouldn't be such a bad thing.

― danh (danh), Friday, 24 September 2004 17:20 (8 years ago) Permalink

Rendezvous is mediocre at best. Touring Penthouse and Puptent, they were great. L'avventura has some good songs on it. Hopefully, Dean and Britta will continue to make music but I'll miss Sean's guitar.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 24 September 2004 17:27 (8 years ago) Permalink

I'll have to try to see them, then. I think Rendezvous is pretty good actually -- much better than L'Avventura and right up there with Penthouse.

― JC-L (JC-L), Friday, 24 September 2004 18:08 (8 years ago) Permalink

Funny, 'cause I find L'Avventura better than both Romantica and Rendezvous.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 24 September 2004 18:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

"bonnie and clyde"

― reo, Friday, 24 September 2004 18:34 (8 years ago) Permalink

If Galaxie 500 is CCR, Luna is John Fogerty going solo. Maybe it's because I'm not crazy about Galaxie either.

― strom (strom), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

Oh no no no. Luna pretty much wipes the floor with Galaxy 500. I like them fine, but really their biggest tallent was making covers sound like the mush the rest of their songs tended to be. I guess Luna tend to do that as well. But without the mush!

― danh (danh), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yes, you have a point. My favorite Galaxie song is probably "Listen the snow is falling".

― strom (strom), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:23 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, and mine might be "Here She Comes". OTM about the covers, but I like the rest of the mush, too.

― JC-L (JC-L), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:34 (8 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

i wonder why their european farewell tour visits only spain and london. weren't they appreciated in the rest of europe?

― joan vich (joan vich), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 12:02 (8 years ago) Permalink

"Tiger Lily" and much of Bewitched.

"Ihop" but little else from Pup Tent.

― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 13:49 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, Penthouse. What Matos said in his article.

I got the live album but I didn't listen to it that much because I was put off by the liner notes of all things.

And search: their cover of "Season of the Witch." (Is that on Bewitched?)

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 11 January 2005 14:01 (8 years ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

We're going to see them this Saturday on their last SF appearance ever. I'm quite verklempt actually 'cause my my gf seduced me to their music, we've been to almost every show they've done here, and they kind of re-introduced me to pop music at a time when all I would listen to was jazz and classical. I haven't really liked the albums all that much since 'Pup Tent' though there are lovely bits on Rendezvous and Romantica but I feel like an era in my life is passing. I like what Dean and Britta are doing but I think I'm going to miss Sean's guitar. Anybody else similarly sentimental or going to see the last tour?

― Michael White (Hereward), Thursday, 3 February 2005 03:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

Classic for the underwear picture.

― adam.r.l. (nordicskilla), Thursday, 3 February 2005 04:16 (8 years ago) Permalink

loved them about 14 years ago, saw them open for the screaming trees in tijuana, mexico (they were known as luna2)... didn't know they were still around, i think galaxie 500 was better.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 3 February 2005 04:22 (8 years ago) Permalink

didn't know they were still around, i think galaxie 500 was better.

This doesn't make sense. I love Galaxie 500 and Luna, but I couldn't compare them if I hadn't listened to one for 14 years.

― Michael White (Hereward), Thursday, 3 February 2005 04:52 (8 years ago) Permalink

Oh it is that Luna. I AM GOING TO GRIME NITE, MICHAEL!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 3 February 2005 04:55 (8 years ago) Permalink

HELLO SF!! i was thinking this thread was revived solely for the underwear pic. funny

― El Janko (JasonD), Thursday, 3 February 2005 05:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

well, dean wrote all the songs for both bands, it's not a big stretch you know? or are you saying dean completely transformed into a different songwriter...

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 3 February 2005 08:24 (8 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

bought a copy of Bewitched the other day - knew the album well, friends n housemates always had it around. its strange to me how there really isn't anything that unique or unconventional about their sound or approach, and yet they are perfectly evocative of a very specific mood and aesthetic - definitely urban, a sheen of slickness and artificiality, inhabiting a world of designer shirts, neuroses, and lazy afternoons, with occasional smirky in-joke/New Yorker magazine-style reference. I can clearly remember the unique circumstances under which I heard every album up through "The Days of Our Nights" (at which point I lost interest - altho there was at least one great 7" that followed, the "Sucking Ice Cubes/7-11" single). Everything is catchy and simple, sometimes to the point of banality... but where this should make them generic, I can't really think of too many other bands with a similar style, even though they have clear, fixed, very common reference points (the Velvets, Television, first Modern Lovers album). There are a couple great songs on every record, but I'll rank 'em anyway:

1. Penthouse
2. Luna2
3. Bewitched
4. Pup Tent
5. The Days of Our Nights
6. Luna EP

but hands-down best ever song is the b-side, "Roll in the Sand".

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 26 May 2006 20:27 (6 years ago) Permalink

Shakey Mo, you really should go buy Romantica sometime soon.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 26 May 2006 21:40 (6 years ago) Permalink

Also I can urge folks to seek out the "Slide" EP, which came out after the debut record. It includes a nice covers:

"Indian Summer" (Beat Happening)
"Ride into the Sun (VU)
"That's what they always say" (Dream Syndicate)

Dean Wareham always had great music taste, as well as superior taste in shirts and women.

― kwhitehead (stephen schmidt), Saturday, 27 May 2006 02:10 (6 years ago) Permalink

the documentary about them that's coming out on DVD is pretty nice if you're a big big fan, which obv. I am. if not, don't even bother. this is true of 99% of music docs but especially in this case--we don't get any info on the band's history-by-numbers, mentions of Justin and Stanley w/o much (or any) other info, boo.

there's a new best-of coming on Rhino that Dean programmed. I wish I liked it a lot more than I do.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Saturday, 27 May 2006 07:00 (6 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

I am annoyed that a bunch of my favorite Luna songs are not available digitally, anywhere, apparently. I can't carry my record player on the bus, now can I

― Whats with all the littering? (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 26 March 2010 19:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

what's not available? The early stuff?

― tylerw, Friday, 26 March 2010 19:12 (3 years ago) Permalink

specifically:

Sucking Ice Cubes
7/11
Roll in the Sand
Dance With Me (Jonathan Richman cover)

― Whats with all the littering? (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 26 March 2010 19:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

I mean sure these are all b-sides but I rank them higher than a lot of album cuts

― Whats with all the littering? (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 26 March 2010 19:14 (3 years ago) Permalink

can't find an MP3 of the original flex-disc single version of Indian Summer either (which is def. better than the full-band version)

― Whats with all the littering? (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 26 March 2010 19:14 (3 years ago) Permalink

the full of wishes site has a bunch of these unavailable things converted to mp3 ... http://www.fullofwishes.co.uk/mp3/

― tylerw, Friday, 26 March 2010 19:15 (3 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 75 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

http://www.fullofwishes.co.uk/2011/10/28/audio-friday-recylcing-the-dean-wareham-elektra-demos/

― tylerw, Monday, 31 October 2011 19:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

I think one of those Elektra demos made it onto a Chemical Imbalance 7".

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

Beat Happening cover iirc?

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Indian Summer"?

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

that was released on a flexidsc single iirc

― unorthodox economic revenge (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah, there was an "anasthesia" solo single as well. don't know if i've heard the non-Luna "Indian Summer" though. It's different from the one released on the Slide EP I take it? Their version is great.

― tylerw, Monday, 31 October 2011 19:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah this was before Luna^2 which was before Luna.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

IIRC (always questionable but lol) Sonic Boom heard "Indian Summer" by way of the Wareham/Chemical Imbalance single and not via Beat Happening which is pretty great.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:52 (1 year ago) Permalink

Luna's is so much better than Beat Happening's.

― Juggy Brottleteen (ENBB), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:53 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah it really is. definitely textbook case for a cover delivering on the original's promise.

― tylerw, Monday, 31 October 2011 19:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

Can we talk about how "Lovedust" is an awesome driving-in-the-autumn song?

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:55 (1 year ago) Permalink

it is totally different. guitar + vocals + feedback-y solo and that's it.

― unorthodox economic revenge (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

ysi?

― tylerw, Monday, 31 October 2011 19:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

Ehhh i think the Dean Wareham demo is better because the vox are far less Kermit-y, not to mention the Luna version has this kinda "thick" 90s alt-crescendo that misses the point of the other versions that I enjoy (BH, DW, SB).

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 October 2011 19:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

Alfred - I love "Lovedust". Hadn't thought of it in that context before but I'm gonna put it on the stereo next time I'm in the car now.

― Juggy Brottleteen (ENBB), Monday, 31 October 2011 20:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's like the Go-Be's "Spring Rain."

― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 31 October 2011 20:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

Shasta OTM about the OG solo cover - there's no drums kicking in, no bass, it doesn't have the "build-up", it's much more laconic and langurous

I don't have it in MP3. I taped it off my brother's copy of the flexidisc back in the day and have never come across it in any other format.

― unorthodox economic revenge (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 31 October 2011 20:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

I think I might have it....

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, 31 October 2011 20:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's not the version over yonder, i guess. http://www.fullofwishes.co.uk/mp3/ (in the Luna folder). Sounds diff from the Slide version, but it's got drums.

― tylerw, Monday, 31 October 2011 20:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

kinda dig the slightly mellower "lovedust" -- you can listen to the full tracks at bandcamp: http://luna.bandcamp.com/album/romantica

― tylerw, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 16:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

actually, all of these bonus tracks are surprisingly strong.
maybe i just miss this band.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 1 November 2011 16:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

'mermaid eyes' is still my favorite Dean & Britta track, even tho it is technically a Luna track.

& yeah, the luna take of 'indian summer' is the definitive version of that song by a fair margin imo

― now they know how many holes it takes to fill buffandmaxsmom (Pillbox), Tuesday, 1 November 2011 16:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

8 months pass...

lengthy wareham interview over here http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2012/07/dean_wareham_interview.php
guess there was a semi-Luna reunion over the weekend! sort of exciting. also a dean wareham solo record in the works.

― tylerw, Monday, 23 July 2012 15:54 (10 months ago) Permalink

Sean just played with them, right?

― sive gallus et mulier (Michael White), Monday, 23 July 2012 16:25 (10 months ago) Permalink

yeah, here's the setlist

Flowers
When will you come home
I'll keep it with mine

then Sean joined the trio to play
Bewitched
23 Minutes
Tiger Lilly
Moon Palace
Blue thunder
Tugboat
Bonnie & Clyde
Indian Summer

Encore:
Listen the snow - without Sean
4th of July - with Sean

― tylerw, Monday, 23 July 2012 16:27 (10 months ago) Permalink

I was indifferent to/annoyed by these guys in high school/college, always seemed too smug and docile, but man between getting older, moving to new york and reading Black Postcards (a rare rock memoir i'd recommend to someone who wasn't already a fan of the author) something really flipped. Now they're one of my favorite bands of the 90s. Maybe I got smug and docile.

― da croupier, Monday, 23 July 2012 17:49 (10 months ago) Permalink

their best stuff has certainly aged well, compared to a lot of 90s bands.

― tylerw, Monday, 23 July 2012 17:51 (10 months ago) Permalink

Luna with Stanley and Justin was a great band. Less so without them. Was listening to "Bewitched" yesterday and it remains a beaut.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 23 July 2012 17:56 (10 months ago) Permalink

They were excellent live in the 90's though the last time I saw D&B, they were pretty amazing too.

― sive gallus et mulier (Michael White), Monday, 23 July 2012 18:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

harwood and demeski really were a great rhythm section, they took wareham's songs to a new level.

― tylerw, Monday, 23 July 2012 18:03 (10 months ago) Permalink

but i agree, the later britta-period stuff is solid too, and they were always awesome live.

― tylerw, Monday, 23 July 2012 18:04 (10 months ago) Permalink

i saw them at an outdoor festival in the middle of the day promoting Days right after Britta joined. i was not there to groove and did not appreciate their interest in old-timey microphones and sunglasses.

― da croupier, Monday, 23 July 2012 18:04 (10 months ago) Permalink

ha, luna in the middle of the day outdoors seems wrong in many respects.

― tylerw, Monday, 23 July 2012 18:06 (10 months ago) Permalink

though this is kind of fun

― tylerw, Monday, 23 July 2012 18:06 (10 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

keep clicking on the other Luna thread [which i do not understand] thinking it's about the band. luna was a great band.

― tylerw, Friday, 19 October 2012 16:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

Yes, yes they were.

Did yous see someone mention that confusion earlier?

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Friday, 19 October 2012 16:23 (7 months ago) Permalink

yeah, here's the setlist

Flowers
When will you come home
I'll keep it with mine

then Sean joined the trio to play
Bewitched
23 Minutes
Tiger Lilly
Moon Palace
Blue thunder
Tugboat
Bonnie & Clyde
Indian Summer

Encore:
Listen the snow - without Sean
4th of July - with Sean

― tylerw, Monday, July 23, 2012 12:27 PM (2 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Oh how I would have loved to see this!!!

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Friday, 19 October 2012 16:25 (7 months ago) Permalink

When Dean and Sean clicked onstage, it was awesome.

― The windiest militant trash (Michael White), Friday, 19 October 2012 16:26 (7 months ago) Permalink

Luna with Stanley and Justin was a great band. Less so without them. Was listening to "Bewitched" yesterday and it remains a beaut.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, July 23, 2012 1:56 PM (2 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah. I liked Lee Wall a lot too though but that could be because I saw them ~6 times when he was with them.

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Friday, 19 October 2012 16:27 (7 months ago) Permalink

I love Sean.

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Friday, 19 October 2012 16:27 (7 months ago) Permalink

AW I MISS THEM

― (✿◠‿◠) (ENBB), Friday, 19 October 2012 16:27 (7 months ago) Permalink

yeahhhh. wouldn't be shocked if they got together and toured again sometime.
i just watched this for the first time

stick around for sweet jane w/ mcenroe at the end. weird. john mcenroe had a TV show!

― tylerw, Friday, 19 October 2012 16:30 (7 months ago) Permalink

Ha, definitely thought of the band first for a long time when I saw the other thread. Just listened to "Chinatown" - is the vocalizing at the end supposed to be reminiscent of "Satellite of Love"?

― Cosmic Fopp (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 19 October 2012 17:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

luluna

― Cosmic Fopp (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 19 October 2012 17:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

― tylerw, Friday, 19 October 2012 17:22 (7 months ago) Permalink

it's no junior dad, but it's pretty good.

― tylerw, Friday, 19 October 2012 17:22 (7 months ago) Permalink

tho dean and lou harmonizing at the end is maybe not the best idea.

― tylerw, Friday, 19 October 2012 17:27 (7 months ago) Permalink

Is it as bad as Pete and Lou or Elvis C. and Lou or ... oh wait.

― Cosmic Fopp (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 19 October 2012 17:38 (7 months ago) Permalink

lou is a tough dude to harmonize with. though i understand there are lulu outtakes where lou and hetfield do some everly brothers numbers.

― tylerw, Friday, 19 October 2012 17:40 (7 months ago) Permalink

No way

― Cosmic Fopp (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 19 October 2012 18:47 (7 months ago) Permalink

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