The second offering from
Dean Wareham and
Britta Phillips (late of
Luna) repeats many of the elements of their first record, L'Avventura. You'll find the same slick and warm
Tony Visconti production, the mix of solid originals and obscure covers (they tackle
the Troggs' "Our Love Will Still Be There,"
Donovan's "Teen Angel,"
Claudine Longet's "White Horses," and the
Lee Hazlewood-penned "You Turned My Head Around"), and
Phillips being more involved vocally than she was in
Luna. Upon these strengths, the duo added the atmospheric guitar and keyboard talents of
Sonic Boom, and that's about it. They didn't need to do much, anyway. The direction the duo had taken (trading in the melodic purity and mostly stripped-back sound of
Luna for a more arranged and interesting sound) was long overdue, and the first album was a strong step toward something really good.
Back Numbers is that something really good. Every aspect of the
Dean & Britta experience has improved. The originals are stronger: the doo wop-influenced "Wait for Me," the melancholy "Crystal Blue R.I.P.," "Say Goodnight," a note-perfect Nancy & Lee-styled duet, and the lush ballad "The Sun Is Still Sunny" rank with the best things
Wareham has done and sound like they could have been early-'70s AM radio hits. The covers are loads of fun, especially "You Turned My Head Around." It's a treat to hear
Phillips cast aside her wonderfully sultry vocal style and really let loose on the chorus. The arrangements are inventive and lush, space-age chamber pop with no preciousness. Put simply, everything clicks on
Back Numbers. Fans of
Luna should be quick to embrace this new direction
Dean & Britta have taken (as should lovers of witty and well-arranged pop). It takes the best parts of
Luna, adds some emotional depth and some surface glitter, and ends up being the best thing either
Wareham or
Phillips has done for a long while. ~ Tim Sendra