Additional personnel: Sterling Morrison (guitar); Grasshopper (clarinet); Frank London (trumpet); John Baumgartner (Hammond organ).

Recorded at Right Track and RPM Studios, New York, New York.

Personnel: Luna (background vocals); Dean Wareham (vocals, guitar, background vocals); Justin Harwood (vocals, vibraphone, background vocals); Sean Eden (guitar, background vocals); Sterling Morrison (electric guitar); Grasshopper (clarinet); Frank London (trumpet); Stanley Demeski (vibraphone, drums, percussion, background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Victor Van Vugt.

Recording information: Right Track, RPM Studios; New York.

Photographer: Michael Lavine.

Luna's second album drops the superfluous superscript (added to the band name on their first album for contractual reasons) and adds a second guitarist, Sean Eden. New producer Victor Van Vugt, who had previously done good work with Redd Kross and Kirsty MacColl, among others, strips away the reverb-happy haze that Fred Maher had coated 1992's Lunapark with, bringing Dean Wareham's vocals to the fore while (rather unfortunately) de-emphasizing Justin Harwood's bass and Stanley Demeski's drums. This makes Bewitched sound less unique than Lunapark, but happily, Wareham's songwriting is significantly sharper on this outing, with more direct lyrics and more memorable melodies. The witty breakup song "California (All the Way)" opens the album on a high point, and that quality level is maintained throughout the album. The addition of Eden does a lot to open up Luna's arrangements, since Wareham is an extremely distinctive guitarist who tends to get locked in the same sounds and patterns. Having a foil to play off of enlivens Wareham's playing, and instrumental passages like the extended codas of "Friendly Advice" and "Sleeping Pill" are much more interesting than similar bits on Lunapark. ~ Stewart Mason

Whereas Luna's debut, LUNAPARK, took its cue from the swirling sound of Dean Wareham's first band, Galaxie 500, BEWITCHED boasts a much cleaner and distinctive approach, emphasizing straightforward production over effects-drenched soundscapes. With the instruments in sharp relief, Luna delivers a batch of well-crafted songs that--while still bearing the influence of Velvet Underground-style minimalism--sounds somewhat less left of center. This is not a bad thing, especially given the quality of Wareham's songwriting, which is both more earnest and melodic on this outing.

However, Luna is still largely about creating dreamy vistas and charmingly surreal musical passages, as on the title track, a floating love song, and the winsome "Into the Fold." The addition of guitarist Sean Eden expands Luna's instrumental vocabulary, and the lines he adds to Wareham's playing heighten the sonic texture and interplay of the entire group. The record's highlights include the VU-esque "Friendly Advice" (which features, appropriately enough, a guest appearance by former VU member Sterling Morrison), and the opener, "California (All the Way)," one of Wareham's most directly affecting story-songs. All told, BEWITCHED is one of Luna's best (and best-defined) efforts.