The Dears
Gang of Losers
(Maple)
The Dears’ long-awaited follow-up to No Cities Left is an ambitious, challenging album that manages to remain cohesive despite it broad musical and lyrical scope. At times gritty and aggressive, at others lush and orchestral, Gang of Losers wildly waves the middle finger to the band’s indie-hipster status and still saves room for personal introspection and self-deprecation. It’s not a perfect disc— lyrics like “I want your soul brother/on a thirsty desert plain” lean dangerously close to fromage—but there are more than enough memorable moments (“You and I Are a Gang of Losers,” “Ticket to Immortality” stand up well) to make up for it.
—Chuck Teed
categories: Canadian artist
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
