Search - Dears :: Orchestral Pop Noir Romantique

While the world falls apart

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 05/09/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Call it a prelude to "No Cities Left." In the few years before the release of their 2004 full-length, the Dears put out a pair of EPs to keep fans satisfied for awhile. One of those is "Orchestral Pop Noir Romantique," a brooding slice of dark rock'n'roll.



It starts off with the fiery riffs and murky drums of "Heathrow or Deathrow," a fast-moving song that leads in to the eerier, more restrained "Autonomy." Lead vocalist Murray Lightburn sounds like he's about to expire with sheer unhappiness there as he wails, "You've got my soul/I've got your heart" over and over.



A grim sweep of piano and synth opens "Return," a vaguely jazzy number that meanders quietly to more wailing vocals and a funky little rhythm at the end. Then it's "Acoustic Guitar Phase," which is exactly what it sounds like -- an acoustics-only lament that (fortunately) gives way to simplistic percussion and some soft flute.



The Dears are one of those bands that deserve more recognition than they have, despite loads of critical praise. And "Orchestral Pop Noir Romantique" shows them off in fine form, with their brooding sound and rich instrumentation (minus the acoustic solo).



In defiance of current music trends, there is literally no catchiness anywhere in this EP. Instead, every song drips with depression, even when they are being funky. The Dears get to show off the full range of what they can do, usually driven garage rock'n'roll tinged with jazz, with a bit of funk, with folk, and lacing it with cello, moog, Rhodes, flute, and other things.



The resulting sound is wonderfully murky, dark and layered with plenty of synth to soften up the angular fenders. The one weakness is the acoustic guitar solo that takes up two-thirds of the final song; it sounds uncertain and rather simple, and Lightburn sounds equally uncertain. They should stick to the complex sounds that they are so exceptional at.



Excepting that solo, the only way "Orchestral Pop Noir Romantique" could be a better EP is if it were a full-length album. As it is, it's a wonderfully dark, bizarre rock experience."