The Dears (Cafe Du Nord, 7 December 2004)

O Canada! What brings your bands to these shores, far from government-subsidized healthcare and unlocked doors (oh c’mon, you all watched Bowling for Columbine right?), to fill our ears with a wash of gorgeous sound? So I proclaim after a night spent at Café du Nord with The Dears.

On tour supporting their second release, No Cities Left, The Dears have been a staple in the Montreal indie music scene for ten years. Refugees from the rain huddled in the Café and nursed their beers as the band set up behind the closed velvet curtains. This was new. I’m used to seeing bands move about onstage, unabashedly changing equipment and soundchecking in plain view of the audience. The mystery of it all piqued my interest, and made me hope that the growing anticipation wasn’t in vain.

The crowd assembled tonight was sizable; apparently, the rain didn’t deter them. In obvious attendance were worshippers of the Temple of Morrissey: middle-aged men with greased hair and blue jeans. The Dears draw numerous comparisons to The Smiths and as the night progressed, it’s easy to hear why. When the curtains were finally drawn, it revealed six people who proceeded to open with a punch - the forceful “Postcard from Purgatory,” whose bass-heavy thrum reverberated for the next eight minutes. This song was a slow burner, drifting between guitars, keyboards and drums, and the deep voice of frontman Murray A. Lightburn intoning “Empty heads/empty mouths/empty hearts/empty souls.”

In print, Lightburn channels the Moz with such lyrics, but he goes one step further by delivering the songs with his maudlin affectations. The next song is no exception, the excellent single “Lost in the Plot,” which begins with the lines “Take me for a ride to the coastline/Pull me to the depths of the sea.” Can you blame me if “Every Day Is Like Sunday” springs to mind?

Albeit briefly. While bleak lyrics such as “I can’t love you/you can’t love me” and “You never said I’d see you again” are reminiscent of The Smiths, The Dears evoke a feeling all their own. The arrangements are lush and the musicianship adept, proving that while they’re relatively unknown here, they’ve been busy in the Great White North. Vocal duties were occasionally shared with keyboardist Natalia Yanchak and her voice added poignancy to such songs as “We Can Have It,” where she and Lightburn both sing the dismal refrain “It won’t ever be what we want.”

Somewhere in the middle of their set, Lightburn announced that they were going to perform a new song, or somewhat new, as he slyly added that they’ve been playing it at shows for the past two months. Blame my fuzzed ears, but I think it was called “Hate/Hate It Up.” I could do no such thing since it was another lovely piece that alternated between morose and hopeful.

Judging from the response of the crowd after their eight-song set, The Dears are likely to return soon. Fellow Montrealites The Arcade Fire (comprised largely of expats!) are slated to play Bottom of the Hill tonight and I couldn’t be happier. While disgruntled Americans migrate north to wait out the next four years, I’m willing to wait and have their musical offerings come to me.

Beer Rating: 2 Beers