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The fans have spoken, and Run Out Groove has announced its newest, audience-voted title: the 2-LP collection Lunafied, from the indie pop band Luna.  This set (expanded from a 2006 digital release) rounds up the band’s cover songs recorded during their time at Elektra Records, many of which were originally released on singles outside the U.S. and have never been released previously on vinyl.

Singer/guitarist Dean Wareham formed Luna in 1991 following the breakup of Galaxie 500.  Justin Harwood of The Chills and Stanley Demeski of The Feelies joined him to record Luna’s debut, the Elektra release Lunapark.  With the addition of Sean Eden (also on guitar), the now four-piece unit recorded the Slide EP which included covers of The Velvet Underground’s “Ride Into the Sun” and The Dream Syndicate’s “That’s What You Always Say.”  The VU connection continued when Luna got the prime slot of opening for the reunited group on their European tour; the Velvets’ Sterling Morrison even played on two tracks on Luna’s 1994 sophomore effort, Bewitched.  Album No. 3, Penthouse, welcomed Television guitarist Tom Verlaine and featured a cover of Serge Gainsbourg’s “Bonnie and Clyde” as a hidden track.  Wareham duetted with Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadler on the song, which was released in the U.K. as a single.  One more album followed on Elektra, and 1999’s The Days of Our Nights was released on Jericho Records via Elektra sister imprint Sire.

Before that album’s release, Justin Harwood left to be replaced by Britta Phillips. Three more albums followed before Luna broke up in February, 2005.  Wareham and Phillips continued as the duo Dean and Britta, but in 2014, Wareham announced that Lunda would reunite.  Two new releases arrived in 2017: covers LP A Sentimental Journey and instrumental EP A Place of Greater Safety.

Lunafied will feature “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Ride Into the Sun,” and “That’s What You Always Say,” plus covers of such songs as Suicide’s “Dream Baby Dream,” Beat Happening’s “Indian Summer,” Donovan’s “Season of the Witch,” Talking Heads’ “Thank You for Sending Me an Angel,” Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy,” Alice Cooper’s “Only Women Bleed,” and Fred Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin’.”  The release boasts a design by Frank Olinsky, and is housed in a Stoughton gatefold tip-on jacket.  Audio will be sourced from the original masters with lacquers cut at Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis.  The 180-gram platter will be pressed at Record Industry, and fans can vote via ROG’s social media as to the color of the vinyl.  Each 2-LP set will be numbered based on the limited amount of pre-orders.

Pre-orders are open now for Lunafied at the link below.  Voting is also open for ROG’s next title.  Will it be Juliana Hatfield’s Only Everything, Fred Neil’s Bleecker and MacDougal, or Billy Byrd’s Lonesome Country Songs?  Vote here!

Luna, Lunafied (Run Out Groove, 2018) (Pre-Order Here)

Side A

1. Bonnie and Clyde (Clyde Barrow Version)
2. Indian Summer
3. Ride Into the Sun
4. That’s What You Always Say

Side B

1. In the Flesh
2. Dream Baby Dream
3. Season of the Witch
4. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel
5. No Regrets

Side C

1. Outdoor Miner
2. Happy New Year
3. Everybody’s Talkin’
4. Fly Into the Mystery
5. La Poupee Qui Fait Non
6. Bonnie and Clyde (Bonnie Parker Version)

Side D

1. Jealous Guy
2. Neon Lights
3. Sweet Child o’ Mine
4. Only Women Bleed
5. Dance with Me