The Raveonettes: Sune Rose Wagner (vocals, various instruments, guitar); Sharin Foo (vocals, bass guitar); Stella Psaroudakis (spoken vocals); Manoj Ramdas (guitar); Anders Christensen (bass guitar); Jakob Hoyer (drums).

Additional personnel: Ronnie Spector (vocals); Martin Rev (keyboards); Moe Tucker (drums).

Recording information: 2005.

For the Raveonettes' second full-length album, Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo hide their Jesus & Mary Chain-inspired approach in the trunk and take off in a car fueled by vintage 1950s/early-'60s sounds. Here the Danish duo goes for a refined, mellower sound that is enhanced by the pop smarts of returning producer Richard Gottehrer (Blondie). And while earlier outings were recorded solely in the key of B-flat minor or major, PRETTY IN BLACK sports a widen sonic palette that proves to be enthusiastically free of such constraints.

"Love in a Trashcan" works a wonderfully catchy rockabilly riff into one of the group's finest tunes, while "Sleepwalking" features a dreamy-yet-urgent atmosphere, and a cover of "My Boyfriend's Back" is carried along by distorted, sampled beats. In addition to Wagner and Foo's backing band, PRETTY IN BLACK also includes contributions by Ronnie Spector (who provides additional vocals on "Ode to L.A."), former Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker, and Suicide keyboardist Martin Rev. The stellar assistance, combined with a palpable sense of liberation, adds up to a fun, dynamic album that stands as the band's best to date.

Rolling Stone (p.74) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[V]irtually fuzz-free, highlighting the exquisite detail in the Raveonettes' gift for pastiche....PRETTY IN BLACK is history on the march."

Uncut (p.98) - 4 stars out of 5 - "The Raveonettes' sugar-sweet harmonies are spike with noir guitars and the territory - dark skies, open roads and femme fatales - give the gothic edge to even the most tender sentiment."

Magnet (p.108) - "PRETTY IN BLACK ultimately attains genuine staying power. The only novelty here is how fresh it all sounds even after multiple spins."

Mojo (Publisher) (p.102) - 3 stars out of 5 - "'Sleepwalking' and 'Uncertain Time' are slices of dreamy rock....Overall, a delicious change of tack."