DEAN AND BRITTA
Back Numbers
Universal
· Britta Phillips has come a long way since starring in Satisfaction with Julia Roberts and Justine Bateman.
Given that Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips started playing together in Wareham’s indie rock outfit Luna, their recent output as a duo doesn’t offer many surprises. Since Luna dissolved, Wareham and Phillips have built a reputation on delicate, almost timid, pop that falls in line with the work of Serge Gainsbourg. That tradition continues on Back Numbers. Wareham’s voice has never been that strong, and Phillips doesn’t have a lot of range, but their voices are tailor-made for each other. Whether they are backed by muted slide guitar, glitchy beats or simmering keyboard melodies, the pair has achieved a comfortable call and response that straddles the line between easygoing and easy listening. Given the album’s rather simple lyrics, that is both an asset and a liability, but fans of Wareham and Phillips won’t mind a bit.
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