DEAN WAREHAM I Have Nothing To Say To The Mayor Of LA DOUBLE FEATURE
“I’m not supposed to sing the song/I must be doing something wrong”
CONSISTENCY can be a curse. Now into his fourth decade in action, Dean Wareham has a catalogue that contains unimpeachable masterpieces – Galaxie 500’s On Fire and the one-two mid-1990s punch of Luna’s Bewitched and Penthouse among them. But truth be told, he has yet to make a bad record. Luna’s less-ballyhooed later albums are understated but sparkling gems, and Dean’s duo records with his longtime partner Britta Phillips update the Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra template to marvellous effect. He’s nothing if not reliable. But that steadiness means that, at this stage, even longtime fans might be guilty of taking Wareham for granted.
We shouldn’t do. This 10-song collection, Wareham’s first solo LP in seven years, belongs in the upper echelon of his oeuvre, whether with Galaxie 500, Luna or otherwise. He’s in his comfort zone here – dreamy guitar pop matched with lyrics that find the balance between a cockeyed sense of humour and straightforward emotion. But the LP has more than enough new wrinkles to keep things interesting, enough surprises to always keep you on your toes. Wareham may not be interested in a dialogue with the Mayor of Los Angeles, but he still wants to connect with his listeners.
