Lunapark

Dean Wareham’s first album with his new group, after the dissolution of Galaxie 500, doesn’t differ too much from the template he’d already established; Velvets-esque mood-pop with a touch of Flying Nun about it. What’s different here is clarity — there’s plenty of it — and directness. If Galaxie 500’s music felt mysterious, shrouded, opaque, Wareham’s songs on Lunapark have their veils lifted. This has its pros — the good songs are sublime, and benefit from their streamlinings — and its cons — Lunapark risks homogeneity. But Wareham’s writing is always a cut above, and by bringing in members of The Feelies and The Chills as band members, Wareham made some wise choices. A great guitar pop album.