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The Dears: No Cities Left
by Andrew Farley
It's been a busy year for Canadian band The Dears. Since 1995 they've ploughed a relatively lonely furrow in their homeland, releasing a couple of albums and EPs along the way. It wasn't until this year's SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, however, that anyone really began to take notice. Suddenly, anyone who was anyone wanted to sign The Dears and Bella Union emerged victorious. Crucially, however, unlike their new label-mates Explosions In The Sky, The Dears look set to take this side of the Atlantic by storm with this intense and epic album.
'No Cities Left' first emerged in Canada last year. The band have been compared to Morrissey and Blur, a comparison that lead vocalist & songwriter Murray A Lightburn agrees with – it's undeniable. He does sound like Morrissey. That’s just his natural style, he assures us, as he sang like that before he'd even heard of The Smiths. However, this likeness may ultimately prove to be a barrier for anyone with a remote dislike for Mozza's distinctive downbeat lyrical approach and vocal emphasis. It would be a shame, though, as they'd be missing out on some of the best alternative popular (is that possible?!) music of the past few years.
A lengthy release (clocking in at over an hour), 'No Cities Left' has no trouble grabbing the listener with a classic 1-2-3 sucker-punch. Recent 7" single 'We Can Have It' opens before moving onto the wonderfully titled 'Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe?' – a song that could have been a single from Deus' 'Ideal Crash' album, but 'Lost In The Plot' is where it really gets to you. A powerful guitar intro and a bridge of 'I promise not cry anymore' take you to the anthemic chorus that's sung with true conviction: 'Oh it’s the same old plot to these things', taking you back to somewhere in the mid-90s in the process. It nearly doesn't matter what the rest of the album sounds like, but there's still nine songs remaining to surprise and occasionally delight you.
'Don't Lose The Faith/Cos She's A Tourist' is a fantastic and epic string-led dark encounter, rousing to a crescendo of noise, before leading into the equally noisy intro of 'Pinned Together, Falling Apart'. 'Warm And Sunny Days' is a lovely pop song that harks of latter Boo Radleys, but the album doesn't quite win on all fronts. It too often veers off at a tangent, with songs either being unnecessarily lengthy ('Postcard From Purgator') or overly jazzy with suspect lyrics: ('The Second Part': 'I then arrived/Ten minutes early with no smokes/And I was broke/without a smoke’). These weaknesses fail to detract from the fact that something truly special has finally found its way before us. We have a new pop god to worship in the from of Murray A Lightburn and he should be bowed down to for making one of the most interesting records to come before this reviewer in years.
From the archive
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The Dears - No Cities Left
What is this album anyway? Is it a proper album or a "Your new favourite band" type thing? Or just a late UK release?
It was SXSW where they got a new start?
It was really weird. I got told The Dears were playing live over here, and i hadnt heard a thing about them for about 3 years. I thought it must be another band of the same name... hmm... maybe it's just cos i've had my head in the sand all year. -
Re: The Dears - No Cities Left
I love the Dears. They supported the Open on their recent tour.
Clearfall also supported them in Glasgow and Edinburgh this Sunday (19th) and Monday (20th) just gone. -
Re: The Dears - No Cities Left
The Open? That seems like a bit of a mismatch...
Yeah, I was at the Edinburgh gig. I was planning on going through to glasgow the next night, but I ended up working late.
The Dears have always really reminded me of The Starlets - who, incidentally, Clearfall have also supported(or vice versa). But The Dears are much better than the starlets, and i can understand what the singer from the dears says between songs. -
Re: The Dears - No Cities Left
damn editing. Clearfall werent supported by the starlets. That was meant to read:
The Dears have always really reminded me of The Starlets (who, incidentally, Clearfall have also supported) - or vice versa.
Actually that's bad too. I meant the dears remind of the starlets, or the starlets the dears - seeing i cant remember which i heard first. -
Re: The Dears - No Cities Left
sorry. i'm drunk. night. -
Re: The Dears - No Cities Left
Make sure you get to Glasgow Barfly on 9th October for the Clearfall gig. My mates the Arctic Monkeys (the best band in the world right now, maybe) are making the journey up from Sheffield as support. -
Re: The Dears - No Cities Left
Yeah, it's probably the same Dears. It's their latest album given shiny new packaging for the UK. -
The Dears - No Cities Left
the dears are great.i really like the vocals.cant wait to hear this.
x -
The Dears - No Cities Left
Saw this lot in Norwich arts center supporting and they stormed it, they stole the gig from the front act (i can't even remember their name). The music really runs through you, worth seeing live, the Smiths comparisons are a little bit unfair there is a more deep sound going on here -
The Dears - No Cities Left
Awww, I proudly sported this album last year when I bought it in Canada...wish they were still unknown over here! Nevermind...fantastic album, fantastic band. Have their first album "End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story", which is also worth checking out.
And it's worth more than 3 and a half stars, FFS! -
The Dears - No Cities Left
i must admit, i did wonder if i was listening to the smiths at a couple of points, he really sounds like morissey until he raises his voice! but i spose he cant help it. i prefer this to moz's album anyway, tis nice. -
The Dears - No Cities Left
"Crucially, however, unlike their new label-mates Explosions In The Sky, The Dears look set to take this side of the Atlantic by storm with this intense and epic album. "???
I though EItS were doing pretty darned well over here? -
Re: The Dears - No Cities Left
In terms of record sales, no. -
The Dears - No Cities Left
cant wait for this one...iits out i know but when your stupid enought o order from amazon .co.uk it dont get here quick enough.
i will hopefully get ella guru album tomorrow (prays!!)
two great albums in a few short days (i hope)
good times...good times. -
The Dears - No Cities Left
Just got this album. 'Mazing, especially 22: The Death Of All Romance. wOOt.
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