L' Avventura

They even give Madonna's I Deserve It a new level of dignity. [Jan 2004, p.118]

An exciting blend. [#59, p.103]

Aural absinthe. [Jul 2003, p.115]

Like all Luna family projects, L'Avventura has a sneaky way of getting its claws into you-- background music that gets stuck in your forebrain. But also like most Luna product, this little vacation from the less-talked about half of the band starts to bend under its own uniformity of mood somewhere in the second half, and probably would've been slightly better acclimated to EP length.

This gorgeous side project... describes a universe of wounded romantics and lost souls wandering in Wareham's sophisticated murk. [13 Jun 2003, p.97]

It could have been much more, but for what it is -- a blissful summer excursion -- L' Avventura is delicately delightful.

Phillips and Wareham manage to toe just the right line between diverse arrancements and album-wide cohesion - it's a little like listening to Luna in an alternate universe where they only play weddings and bar mitzvahs.

L'Avventura is a pleasant side-trip, a chance for Luna fans to see Dean let his hair down for 40 minutes.

Despite some great moments... L'Avventura never quite comes into its own -- there just aren't enough perfect Phillips/Wareham moments here to cash in on Romantica's promise.

Wareham’s sideline fantasy life becomes the Luna fan’s candy-infested playground.

On paper, the album sounds like more of a lark than it is: In terms of production, it rivals any Luna disc, and since it's a one-off, it's freer to roam outside the band's sound.

It all seems lushly romantic, like watching a movie where two beautiful people fall in love with each other, with a few inevitable but brief stumbles along the way.

A duet record for the new millennium.

Has a hazy, romantic feel. [10 Jul 2003, p.66]

It doesn't travel any really adventurous ground, but it's a solid little entry for hot weather.