As the silent partner in
Beat Happening, Bret Lunsford's contributions to the group's brilliance were too often overlooked; with D+ it's finally his turn in the spotlight, and the result is a record more than worthy of his past glories. Though firmly in the minimalist tradition of his former band, Lunsford's new music is considerably looser and more laid-back -- his vocals, though artless, are charmingly deadpan, ideally suited to the playful subject matter of highlights like "Green Party" (which promotes arming wildlife to combat the NRA) and the country-ish "Don't Worry About Me" (about the pros and cons of being an indie rocker while simultaneously building a family and a business). The CD version of
Dandelion Seeds also includes four bonus tracks (two from bassist
Karl Blau and two from
the Microphones, the alias of drummer Phil Elvum), while the limited vinyl features covers hand-silkscreened by the members of D+ themselves; either way, it's well worth picking up. ~ Jason Ankeny