Bewitched

-1994

For his second album with Luna, Dean Wareham expands on the foundation laid by his work in Galaxie 500. While fans at the time likened the charm of the first Galaxie records to the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, Wareham's yelping, trebly vocals (endearing to some and irritating to others) always seemed to blow that comparison to heck, contrasting the hipster cool of Lou with the nervous introspection of Dean. But now, after Luna's prestigious opening slot for the VU reunion tour, Wareham, older and wiser, sounds more like Lou than ever, his former warbly insecurity replaced by a full command of a masterfully sublime, albeit low-key, sonic spectrum. Behind him, the band grooves with a low, subdued energy: the metaphor at hand would be something along the order of a smoldering ember, rather than the out-or-control spark that flamed through Galaxie's On Fire. Warm and reassuring in its familiar design and feel, Bewitched fits like an old familiar sweater, growing warmer, snugger, and more personable with each listen. Top cuts: "California (All The Way)," "Tiger Lily," "This Time Around," "Going Home" and "Sleeping Pill."

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