The formula that the bassist Britta Phillips and her guitarist husband (and former Luna bandmate) Dean Wareham hit upon for their three albums together as Dean & Britta – sumptuous pop arrangements and an even mix of astutely chosen covers and original material – acts as a template for her solo debut. Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide is given a Lana Del Rey makeover; the addition of warm synths makes the Cars’ Drive even ghostlier. The original songs don’t disappoint either: Million Dollar Bill benefits from its sense of urgency while the opener, Daydream, is woozily seductive. But while it’s all elegantly presented, and each song is pleasing enough, nothing ever quite hits the heights Phillips has previously scaled.
