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The Dears

Nor The Dahlias

Grenadine Records | 2001 | Album

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Though you may know The Dears now as a pretty solid rock band with three albums to their credit and a lead singer with a HUGE Morrissey complex named Murray Lightburn, the truth of the matter is that this band has been around since 1995 and since then have gone through various incarnations. Nor the Dahlias: The Dears 1995-1998 is a 10 song retrospective? Yes and No. Yes because these are very early recordings that trace the development of who this band is today. No because they haven’t been around long enough to warrant one. Forced by the record label by contractual blah blah blah’s to put this out more than Lightburn’s desire to put this in your hands right now, the album is full of badly recorded songs that are mixed with some really interesting and fun tracks that are reminiscent of some of the British rock bands during that time. Remember a band called Blur? “Dear Mr. Pop Star” and “Corduroy Boy” could easily fit on Parklife as Lightburn yelps and howls like Damon Albarn with that disco rock thing so big back then. Though not the best mix of songs, on “She’s Well Aware” a recording from 1997/1998, The Dears seem to begin coming into their own sound, leaving behind a trail of influences and band members who have been fired or quit. Being in a band is tough, just read the liner notes as putting together songs and failing friendships is just one of the many obstacles Lightburn, who is the creative vision in The Dears has dealt with. Though there are moments, the recordings here are not amazing and not strong enough to invest in monetarily or emotionally. But they have come a long way and this is the evidence to prove it.

DaVe Lipp