Dean & Britta - Back Numbers

So I’m stuck inside on a beautiful day because I’ve been struck with the Pink Eye, and apparently anyone within a 50 mile radius of myself is likely to disintegrate on the spot. In fact, simply reading any of my posts will make you susceptible. However, I’ll soldier forth with my blog. Thankfully, I finally got around to purchasing the latest release by former Luna members Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, “Back Numbers.” This is the perfect CD when you’re in a melancholic mood. Although it doesn’t stray all that far from the Dean’s previous work, it does give Britta more substantial vocal time which makes this much more of a standout release. The original songs on the album were again learned from the classes of the Velvet Underground, although with slightly better production. The song “Words You Used To Say,” for example, is rooted deep in Phil Spector wall-of-sound-land. At the risk of comparing them to everybody, I also think they sound a bit like Serge Gainsbourg, only in English. There’s a definite French pop-noir style to their sound, especially with the inclusion of the vibraphone on many of their tracks. The disc also includes a handful of covers, which is fine because they were obviously carefully chosen. The best of these is the Lee Hazlewood / Ann-Margret classic “You Turned My Head Around,” which really showcases Britta’s tremendous vocal talent. This is definitely a disc for a rainy day … or a sunny day when you’re stuck inside with a potentially deadly eye virus.

Downloads:
Words You Used To Say mp3

Watch the video for “Words You Used Say" on youtube.
Visit the Dean & Britta myspace page.
Purchase “Back Numbers” on Amazon.ca