Romantica — Luna’s sixth album. This was a tumultuous period for the band, who found themselves without a label following the declared bankruptcy of their previous label, Jericho Records, who had signed the band after Elektra let them go. Justin Harwood had departed midway through the touring for The Days of Our Nights and was replaced by Britta Phillips, who had previously toured with Ben Lee, and was formerly the singing voice of Jem (Jem & the Holograms). In this period Wareham and Phillips became romantically involved and you can likely hear that in the songs.

The band found a new manager, David Whitehead, and signed to a new label (Jetset). Wareham wrote ten songs, Sean Eden contributed a couple also: “Black Champagne” and “Rememories.” They made the trek each day from lower Manhattan to Jolly Roger Studios in Hoboken, where the songs were recorded with Gene Holder (dB’s). They then traveled to Tarbox Road Studios in upstate NY where Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, Flaming Lips) mixed and did additional production work. Romantica was released by Jetset Records (in the USA) and Beggar’s Banquet (in Europe) in April, 2002.

Luna Rendezvous:

Rendezvous was released in October, 2004 on Jetset Records. Now reissued on InkSplosion color by Wax Mage Productions.  2026 Remaster by Scott Hull at Masterdisk.

After extensive touring for Romantica, Luna (Dean Wareham, Sean Eden, Lee Wall and Britta Phillips) commenced writing and rehearsing new songs in a rehearsal room on east 23rd Street in Manhattan. Rendezvous was recorded at Trout Recording in Brooklyn with Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Phish) producing. The album was recorded live in one big room, with minimal overdubs apart from vocals and guitar solos, and it captures the sound of the band playing live. For the first time ever, guitarist Sean Eden sang a couple of songs that he had written: “Broken Chair” and “Still at Home.” Other highlights include “Malibu Love Nest” and “Cindy Tastes of Barbecue.”

The album was released in October, 2004 on Jetset Records, and the band announced that they would be breaking up after one final tour. As things turned out, this break-up amounted to a 10-year hiatus, as Luna are now back playing shows. But Rendezvous is their final studio album of original material.

Luna’s allegedly last studio album is astonishing, their best since 1995’s Penthouse. The band has arrived at a pleasant, Television-on-xanax variant of indie-rock that’s so smart, sexy, and sophisticated, it threatens to melt right into the background. As befits a group thinking of (their own) empire, Luna revisits one of their best songs, “Astronaut.” Like the rest of the album, here it’s leaner, stronger, and slower, while “Malibu” and “Owl” display some of the finest, melodic and stripped-down guitar playing since the Feelies’ heyday. Much of what helps raise Luna from pretty sonic wallpaper are Wareham’s lyrics. Delivered in a stylish deadpan, Wareham’s words seem to owe much to New York School poets like John Ashbery, Joe Brainard, and, of course Lou Reed. –Mike McGonigal.

Luna is on tour beginning September 16 in Chicago:

https://lunamusic.com/news