The Dears - Gang of Losers

I was intrigued by the artwork, I love the Arts & Crafts label, I listened to Gang of Losers, my introduction to The Dears. The music on the album is not bad, it just does not feel like it has much to offer the listener; there isn’t much that really stands out. This level of mediocrity in the music causes the album to drag on much longer than it feels like it should, despite the total length being under 50 minutes. The one track which I feel stands above the rest is You and I Are a Gang of Losers; where everything The Dears strive for on this album comes together. This is a catchy tune with arresting boy/girl vocal harmonies and repetitive, yet unpretentious, lyrics which, like much of the album, deal with isolation. It is here that The Dears really find what they are looking for. Unfortunately, this moment is brief.

A large problem with this album is that the band has a defined aura of self-importance, there is the sense that the band feels like they are really doing something great and worthy of your time. This overconfident attitude can be heard, among other places, in Murray Lightburn’s often strained vocals and it turns off the listener pretty quickly. The Dears have grandiose ambitions however, they do fall short.

Grade: C
Live: January 16, 2007 - Paradise Rock Club
You and I Are a Gang of Losers mp3