Luna

A real beauty, Penthouse neatly balances Dean Wareham's off-kilter pop songs, Luna's intricately woven, slowly building backings and surreal/serious/funny lyrics. With style this good substance shouldn't matter but Luna's songs have a richness that unravel over repeat listening ("Chinatown," "23 Minutes In Brussels," "Hedgehog"). Guitar hero Tom Verlaine (and major Galaxie 500 and Luna influence) guests on two tracks, while Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier duets on a respectful cover of "Bonnie & Clyde."