The Days of Our Nights

by

Luna

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I have been a Luna convert for just over a year now. I have not so much listened to this wondrous music so much as it now subconsciously underscores my best moments, my best days. If you are over 35 (as i am) and are frightened silly by buying NewMusic...well, my god, have you got a pleasant surprise coming. I am in the minority of Luna fans in that I thought 1997's Pup Tent was terrific, granted, not up to the majesty (yes i did use that word, yes i did mean that)of Penthouse and Bewitched.A coming of age as a band, a playful, relaxed work. And The Days of Our Nights is pure Luna-pop-hypnotic-serotonin-enriched-sonic-hummable-bliss. Buy it. Listen to it. Reserve Judgement until the 5th or 6th listen, and then when You love it,too, buy all their releases and you'll understand why this forty-year-old is once again(thank God) excited and giddy about a rockandroll band. And ain't that the whole Point?

Pop Kulcher Review: Luna's fifth full-length album had a difficult birth. Almost immediately after the album hit the UK, Luna found itself dropped by its US label (Elektra). Finally, after several months in limbo, the album finally found a distributor (Jericho) and found its way into the States. Worth the wait? Sadly, no. Most of Luna's mid-tempo, moody psychedelic jangle takes awhile to sink in, so this one may grow on me (as prior albums have). But after a few early listens, I'm a bit let down. As on most of their prior work (with the exception of the more upbeat, poppy 1992 debut Lunapark), Luna's jam-heavy melodies have a tendency towards repetition. What kept prior albums from getting dull was the appearance of an occasional killer hook, blazing guitar interjection, or unforgettably melodic chorus. Even 1997's Pup Tent, despite some lackluster songs, found the band breaking up the potential monotony with some quirky vocal lines or interesting sonic experimentation. Here, though, the monotony does kick in. Oddly enough, the album leads off with some of its weaker tracks; only in the middle of the album does the band hit its stride, with a few tracks ("Seven Steps to Satan," "Superfreaky Memories," "Math Wiz") standing out from the lazy groove that permeates the album. Perhaps most telling is the fact that the band takes Guns 'n' Roses' "Sweet Child Of Mine" and turns it into yet another chunk of relaxing background music indistinguishable from the rest of the album. Don't get me wrong; Luna continues to be the top purveyor of mellow guitar psychedelia kicking around the scene, and this will go down just fine with a pair of headphones and the relaxant of your choice. But if you're looking for tunes that might kick around your head long after the album's over, stick with their earlier work.