Luna Rendezvous

New Zealand born, Harvard educated and New York resident Dean Wareham and his band Luna track through Japan promoting their final album Rendevous. “Where the last half of Luna’s career flirted with edgier tempos and sun-splashed pop, “Rendezvous” returns to the languid, hypnotic feel of their early work. This music is reflective yet buoyant, like post-party floating in the pool, stargazing after everyone has gone to sleep. The album retains the energy of their live shows by avoiding overdubs and gadgetry, instead putting the band in one room together and keeping the best take. That may be why “Rendezvous” translates so well onstage. As they sink into the first chords of opener, “Malibu Love Nest” – the yawn of Eden’s guitar fills curling over a fluid bass line – I realize that they aren’t solemn, they’re just under the spell of their own music. And judging by the capacity crowd, the spell is contagious.”