Luna

New Zealand-born Michael Dean Wareham formed beloved underground dream pop outfit Luna in 1992 after the dissolution of his previous beloved underground dream pop outfit, Galaxie 500, and while Luna never attained the legendary cult status of his critically lauded minimalist trio with Damon & Naomi, the group certainly bought itself a prime plot in the indie rock hall of fame. Backed in their earliest incarnation by ex-Feelies drummer Stanley Demeski and Chills bassist and fellow Kiwi Justin Harwood, Luna relied on a mix of Wareham's deadpan delivery of alternately romantic and sarcastic lyrics and the band's lucid, "Candy Says"-era Velvet Underground-inspired foundation to rope in a formidable fan base that followed them through the peaks and valleys of seven full albums. Rhino's Best of Luna is bereft of the B-sides, alternate takes, and previously unreleased tracks that normally populate this kind of collection, but Wareham's insightful anecdotal notes will please longtime fans, while the songs themselves will lure in even the most suspicious of passersby. [Best of Luna is also available in an 18-track edition featuring a 17-track bonus disc that contains all of the group's covers, from Beat Happening's "Indian Summer" to Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine."] ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide