Customer Reviews

End of Hollywood Bedtimes Story

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If there is a reason The Dears are so relatively unknown after putting out several amazing albums and dozens of awe-inspiring live performances, it is because they have a genre all their own. Each song unfolds like a dark, 40s noir film, with lead singer murray lightburn its profoundly -cynical- yet -impassioned star. Although their recent release 'no cities left' is better produced and more consistent in its realization, the tracks here are much more dynamic, memorable, and haunting. Try to forget "heartless romantic," the title track, or "There is no such thing as love" after the first hearing...a difficult feat indeed. (...)

This album is destined to become one of my all-time favourites. I've had it for over a month now, and can honestly say I still listen to it every single day.

The music has a kind of "dark pop" flavour to it, but what really makes these guys stand out is the lead singer, Murray Lightburn. His emotional lyrics and vocals transform these songs from very good to classics.

Heartless Romantic, End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, and There is No Such Thing as Love are the obvious standouts, but don't worry, there is absolutely no filler. Even the two instrumental tracks are fantastic.

Right after OK Computer came out, I told my clueless friend how 5 years from now they'd be the biggest thing in music. Well my friends, I have the same feeling about The Dears. I already consider them the best band in Canada, and I predict with their second album, the music world will be in the palm of their hands.

A new EP is due out anytime now, and work has already begun on their follow-up album. But see where it all starts, End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story... you won't be disappointed.

This Montreal band created over their few years of existence a beautiful sound of dark alternative pop, or as some say, romantic pop. Taking a lot from the blues and old american pop with a pinch of Portishead and Stereolab, they masterfully composed and arranged these few songs. All of which breathes sophistication and innovation too since the approach the band has taken is indeed a modern one, adding strange sounds, keyboards, electric guitars and strings to their gloomy melodies. A must-have.

The Dears remain Canada's best unsigned band. This Montreal band led by Murray Lightburn has created a trademark sound: keybaords and soaring vocals rooted in the church (Murray's dad is a preacher) but expressing secular angst (heartbreaks, heartaches & break-ups). This symphony of sound reaches into your guts and shakes you just like a Sunday sermon. To see them in concert is catharsis -- their music rids you of pain and doubt. What more can you ask for from a band?

This is the first Dears album I picked up and remains my favourite. Highlights include C''est tait Pour La Passion,This Is A Broadcast, Heartless Romantic and the centerpiece, End Of A Hollywood Bedtime Story. All are driving songs about doomed love affairs with a glimmer of redemption.

If there's any justice in the world, the Dears should be selling millions of albums.

I remember when this CD came out several years ago. A band that could combine the raw D.I.Y. aesthetic of punk, the sophistication of Serge Gainsbourg, the familiarity of the Smiths, the electronic noodlings of Stereolab, was certainly refreshing in an age of alt-rock mediocrity. Listen to them if you like all the bands/artists I've mentioned above. My favourite songs are "This is a Broadcast" and "Heartless Romantic". The Dears are even better live!

I loved No Cities Left. I played it in my cd player ALL the time. I saw them when they opened for Keane up in Boston. I fell in love immediately. I bought this cd about 4 months after I bought No Cities, and although it's a great cd, it's like trying to enjoy rollerskates when you have rollerblades right around the corner. If you don't have no cities and like 'this style' of music, you will make pee pee in your pants over this one. Great music.