Christina Rosenvinge's second solo album was released after
Dean Wareham announced the breakup of
Luna, and a dedicated fan of this style of stylishly enervated
Velvet Underground-influenced dream pop could almost think that the Spanish-Danish singer/songwriter had decided to pick up exactly where that band had left off. The eight songs on
Foreign Land are beautifully hushed, with
Rosenvinge's softly accented vocals (think
Laetitia Sadier, not
Nico) set against downtown New York art rock/pop all-stars including Smells Like label head
Steve Shelley,
Lee Ranaldo and guitarist
Smokey Hormel, who adds a whiskey-soaked guest vocal to the moody "Submission." Other highlights include the spooky "Dream Room," which features overdubbed counterpoint vocals over an almost tribal, hypnotic tom-tom rhythm from
Shelley, and the uncharacteristically poppy "King Size," which recalls
Barbara Manning's skewed alt rock. A stronger album overall than her solo debut
Frozen Pool,
Foreign Land is stylish but not shallow and wispy without succumbing to twee-ness. ~ Stewart Mason