No Cities Left

Rolling Stone, April 2, 2004
Best band at SxSW? Montreal's The Dears.

Product Description
US debut from these Montreal pop heroes whose previous releases and incinderary, yet fragile live shows have them poised to be the next band for the Smiths obsessed; for music fans who find comfort in defiant gloomy melodies. The CD, a min-concept album whose central theme is hope in the face of the horror of the world, contains eleven songs including the NME single of the week "We Can Have it." Quciktime video for "Lost in the Plot" also included.

No Cities Left

No Cities Left,The Dears,Spin Art,Chamber Pop,Indie Rock,Pop,Post-Rock/Experimental,Rock,Rock/Pop

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No Cities Left

Average customer rating: With The Dears you are in for a very special musical treat Good, but it does sound a lot like Blur... Pretentious drivel, or how to play "spot-the-rip-off" for an hour As good as everyone says Morrisey.... I don't think so

No Cities Left The Dears Manufacturer: Spin Art ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: Gang of Losers Set Yourself on Fire The Good, the Bad & the Queen You Could Have It So Much Better Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks) ASIN: B0006213RQ Release Date: 2004-10-12

Tracks:

1. We Can Have It
2. Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe
3. Lost In The Plot
4. The Second Part
5. Expect The Worst/'Cos She's A Tourist
6. Pinned Together, Falling Apart
7. Never Destroy Us
8. Warm And Sunny Days
9. 22: The Death Of All The Romance
10. Postcard From Purgatory
11. No Cities Left

Album Description

US debut from these Montreal pop heroes whose previous releases and incinderary, yet fragile live shows have them poised to be the next band for the Smiths obsessed; for music fans who find comfort in defiant gloomy melodies. The CD, a min-concept album whose central theme is hope in the face of the horror of the world, contains eleven songs including the NME single of the week "We Can Have it." Quciktime video for "Lost in the Plot" also included.

Customer Reviews:

With The Dears you are in for a very special musical treat.......2006-05-22

I remember thinking when I first heard "No Cities Left" by The Dears, how much the singer of the band sounded like Morrissey, why not admit it. But then I found moments in the album that reminded me of a thousand other things: David Bowie, Joy Division and even King Crimson... all of it, wrapped in a mantle that carries an unmistakeable flavor of French cabaret music with a raw feel, in the best style of the late Serge Gainsbourg.

Largely the result of the financial support of the Canada Music Fund, The Dears is the Montreal-based musical brainchild of multi-talented Murray Lightburn. Formed in 1995, "No Cities Left" constituted the band's second full length album. The album has an overall dark feel that carries a certain level of anguish in Lightburn's storytelling, typically aided by atmospheres driven by his guitar, along with changes in tempo in most songs and the overpowering presence of mellotron-like sounding strings that accompany the band's work through most of the album.

The Dears meld in so many influences that you can get almost tired of identifying them... plus it really doesn't do much to do so, since they have already carved their own special niche that will probably serve as a deep influence for generations of musicians to come. For now, enjoy "No Cities Left" and the band's scheduled August 2006 release, a song of which you can enjoy through their MySpace page. It is impossible to argue: with The Dears you are in for a very special musical treat.

Good, but it does sound a lot like Blur..........2006-02-26

I forgot that a friend had given me this album so I added it to my mp3 player and put it in the playlist. It's been playing with a mix of other bands on shuffle. I like the songs well enough, but I kept thinking perhaps I'd accidentally added a Blur album I never listened to. I had to look up this band to see if it was a super group with Damon Albarn sort of like an English equivalent of Reindeer Section. Imagine my surprise when I found out it isn't a super group and Damon Albarn isn't involved. Those other reviewers who said that the singer never sounds like Albarn have obviously only ever heard two Blur songs - 'Song 2' and 'Girls and Boys'. If these are the only songs you've ever heard by Blur, then no, The Dears do not sound like Blur, but if you've ever listened to an entire Blur album, you'll clearly hear Blur's influence on this band - especially on the song 'Warm and Sunny Days'. There are also definitely influences from The Smiths/Morrissey, but to me the resemblance to Blur was striking.

Pretentious drivel, or how to play "spot-the-rip-off" for an hour.......2005-09-03

I made the mistake of buying this CD based on a couple of friends' recommendations. They thought I would like this because I am a big fan of the Smiths and Morrissey. "It sounds just like him!" they said. Let me say that just because a singer can do a good imitation of Morrissey doesn't mean that his music is any good. If anyone knows how to do pretentious, it's the Mozzer, but at least he marries his pretentiousness to great guitar riffs.

Oh, sure the album starts out interestingly enough, but by the time we get a couple of so-called songs past "Lost in the Plot" the Morrissey-meets-Belle and Sebastian crap just gets too deep. Why is Murray Lightburn and his partners in crime so depressed? Why should I care? Round about "22: The Death of All Romance" it almost gets interesting enough to keep listening. Almost.

I tried seven times to get through this mess before I finally forced myself to listen straight through, if only because I had spent my hard-earned cash on it. In the end, it sounds like the illegitimate child of Morrissey with Blur (doing an entire album of "Universal"-style ballads), Divine Comedy, Belle and Sebastian, Pulp, and Suede.

If your idea of a "great" album is one of arty pretentiousness a la anything Radiohead has done since "OK Computer", by all means order your copy from Amazon. As for me, I will stick with the aforementioned bands as well as Franz Ferdinand and the Arcade Fire for my arty, pretentious music fix. At least they make music that is compelling and even occasionally danceable and not just annoying.

As good as everyone says.......2005-09-01

The reason so many reviewers resort to comparing the music on this cd to the work of so many others is because influences are everywhere, and it's hard to discuss just what makes this performance so impressive without mentioning them--the Smiths, sure, but also Pink Floyd, the Swans, the Cure, Joy Division--in short, if you've found your way to this cd, every band you probably either love or have loved at some point. The amazing, astonishing thing is that The Dears resolve all those influences into something new and imminently listenable and evocative. Repeatedly.

After you've heard this cd a few times, the connections between all the above will seem so obvious you'll wonder why you hadn't seen them already. You'll find yourself, after so many years of music reaching deeply into your heart, finally understanding at least partially why it has and who you are.

At least I did.

If you're like me, you'll realize quickly that the music on this cd will stay with you your entire life. It will become, like Disintegration or The Burning World, personally historic. And if nothing on this cd is quite as wrenching as God Damn the Sun or Atmosphere, Postcard from Purgatory does at least come awfully close.

Morrisey.... I don't think so.......2005-08-10

First let me say the album is extremely refreshing to listen to. It has a nice mixture of textured sounds; best listened to relaxing, driving or in the middle of your thoughts. I honestly think the Morrisey influence isn't really warrented (although they toured together). I find it more strikingly similiar to a mixture of David Bowie and Air. Anyway, I really enjoyed the album. Go in with an open mind and some time to let it grow on you.

Average customer rating: Bonus Tracks Make It An Even Greater Marvel

No Cities Left The Dears Manufacturer: Speak & Spell ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Gang of Losers ASIN: B0007MYKLG Release Date: 2005-01-31

Tracks:

1. We Can Have It
2. Who Are You, Defenders of the Universe
3. Lost in the Plot
4. Second Part
5. Don't Lose the Faith
6. Expect the Worst/'Cos She's a Tourist
7. Pinned Together, Falling Apart
8. Never Destroy Us
9. Warm and Sunny Days
10. 22: The Death of All the Romance
11. Postcard from Purgatory
12. No Cities Left

Tracks:

1. Heaven Have Mercy on Us [*]
2. Summer of Protest [*]
3. No Hope Before Destruction [*]
4. Protest (Parrallel) [*]

Album Description

Australian Exclusive contains the bonus 'Protest' EP! THE DEARS hail from musical hot-spot - Montreal, Canada. 'No Cities Left' is the greatest and grandest work from a band for whom "epic" seems too cheap a description, the ultimate culmination of the band's unhinged onstage catharsis and studio sophistication. Bonus tracks, 'Heaven Have Mercy on Us', 'Summer of Protest', 'No Hope Before Desctruction' and 'Protest (Parallel) - Remix. Speak N Spell. 2005.

Album Details

Phenomenal 2004 Opus from the Montreal Stylists Garnered Rave Reviews from Critics and Blazed New Territories of Fandom for the Murray Lightburn and Co. It's the Greatest and Grandest Work from a Band for Whom "EPIC" Seems Too Cheap a Description, the Ultimate Culmination of the Band's Unhinged Onstage Catharsis and Studio Sophistication. This Edition Includes a Bonus "Protest EP" with Four Essential Tracks.

Customer Reviews:

Bonus Tracks Make It An Even Greater Marvel.......2006-02-08

Apparently matching Damon Albarn in both the vocal and shirtiness department, key Dears member Murray A Lightburn is a talented little grump. While the Canadian gent can dispute the UK influence of No Cities Left until he's blue in the face, the fact remains that many of these tunes are as British as a plate of smoked kippers for breakfast. Cleverly, The Dears trump Blur at their old Britpop game by adding delectable female vocals of Natalia Yanchak, thus adding an extra dimension that Blur somewhat lacked (although trainspotters will recall the French version of Parklife's To The End featured the lovely vocals of Francois Hardy). Natalia's singing on We Can Have It, 22: The Death Of Romance and the closing title track is a delight when coupled with Lightburn's beguiling croon, with their voices moving together through the unexpected musical avenues of No Cities Left. While there's wisps of The Stranglers on Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe and The Specials on Postcard From Purgatory, the less premeditated moments of musical appropriation make for the more inspiring Dears tunes. Current radio single Lost In The Plot neatly supplants The Smiths' There Is A Light That Never Goes Out line `Take me out tonight' with `Take me for a drive', while Lightburn's sombre Morrissey incantation returns on The Second Part, when This Charming Man's line `I would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear' is rebirthed as `It rained all day, I don't have a raincoat of my own'. Pinned Together, Falling Apart eclipses even these early highlights, with an A Day In The Life style crescendo and the sort of theatrical drama expected from The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon and Pulp's Jarvis Cocker. The inclusion of the Protest EP bonus disc with the re-released No Cities Left further enhances the second album from the Montreal group, with apocalyptic choir of Heaven Have Mercy On Us, the robotic Bowie style of Summer Of Protest and the Four Tet experimentation of Protest (Parallel Remix) showing that the band's repertoire is far from limited to elegant revisions of Britpop. He may spurn the comparisons, but the fact that Murray Lightburn has cleverly injected his band's own subtle charms into the Morrissey and Blur equation makes for a supreme Dears prologue.

Average customer rating: UK indie fans take note no mere Smiths tribute band no mere Smiths tribute band

No Cities Left The Dears Manufacturer: Maple ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music ASIN: B00008Y4DQ Release Date: 2007-01-08

Tracks:

1. We Can Have It
2. Who Are You, Defenders of the Universe
3. Lost in the Plot
4. Second Part
5. Expect the Worst/'Cos She's a Tourist
6. Pinned Together, Falling Apart
7. Never Destroy Us
8. Warm and Sunny Days
9. 22: The Death of All the Romance
10. Postcard from Purgatory
11. No Cities Left
12. Lost in the Plot [CD-ROM Track]

Customer Reviews:

UK indie fans take note.......2004-09-08

I'm in London and a regular listener to 'Outside The Box' on the Toronto-based MoonTaxi.com which is a feast of Canada pop all but unknown over here. This Dears album was yet another impulse Amazon.ca buy on the basis of a couple of tracks heavily rotated on OTB. Yes, I hear Smiths echoes in here, and Cousteau, and Divine Comedy and plenty else, but this intelligent collection reeks of quality control from end to end. I've been devoted to proper British pop from Cure to Keane and everything in between, and this compares to the best.

no mere Smiths tribute band.......2004-04-11

Thoroughly entertaining record that touches on influences ranging from the Smiths to French pop to almost spacy rock music. My favourite songs are the swirly-guitar first single "Lost in the Plot", the obviously Smiths-influenced "Don't Lose the Faith", and the Gainsbourg-ish "22: The Days of All the Romance"(my favourite song of the CD). The band is even better live!

no mere Smiths tribute band.......2003-10-02

Thoroughly entertaining record that touches on influences ranging from the Smiths to French pop to almost spacy rock music. My favourite songs are the swirly-guitar first single "Lost in the Plot", the obviously Smiths-influenced "Don't Lose the Faith", and the Gainsbourg-ish "22: The Days of All the Romance"(my favourite song of the CD). The band is even better live!

Average customer rating:

No Cities Left The Dears Manufacturer: Speak & Spell ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000ATQYPG Release Date: 2005-09-06

Tracks:

1. We Can Have It
2. Who Are You, Defenders of the Universe
3. Lost in the Plot
4. Second Part
5. Don't Lose the Faith
6. Expect the Worst/'Cos She's a Tourist
7. Pinned Together, Falling Apart
8. Never Destroy Us
9. Warm and Sunny Days
10. 22: The Death of All the Romance
11. Postcard from Purgatory
12. No Cities Left

Tracks:

1. Heaven Have Mercy on Us [*]
2. Summer of Protest [*]
3. No Hope Before Destruction [*]
4. Protest (Parrallel) [*]

Average customer rating:

No Cities Left + Protest E.P. The Dears Manufacturer: Bella Union ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music ASIN: B0009PYSZY

Average customer rating:

No Cities Left Dears Manufacturer: Pony Canyon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0007VLWLI Release Date: 2005-05-11

Tracks:

1. We Can Have It
2. Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe?
3. Lost In The Plot
4. Second Part
5. Don't Lose The Faith
6. Expect The Worst/'Cos She's A Tourist
7. Pinned Together, Falling Apart
8. Never Destroy Us
9. Warm & Sunny Days
10. 22: The Death Of All The Romance
11. Postcard From Purgatory
12. No Cities Left
13. [Japanese Title]
14. Lost In The Plot (Bonus Track)

Average customer rating:

No Cities Left The Dears ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00061I0LY Release Date: 2004-10-26

Tracks:

1. We Can Have It
2. Who Are You, Defenders of the Universe
3. Lost in the Plot
4. Second Part
5. Expect the Worst/'Cos She's a Tourist
6. Pinned Together, Falling Apart
7. Never Destroy Us
8. Warm and Sunny Days
9. 22: The Death of All the Romance
10. Postcard from Purgatory
11. No Cities Left
12. Lost in the Plot [CD-ROM Track]

Album Description

Pop, pomp & Smiths-fixated splendor from Montreal. 12 tracks including the first two singles, 'We Can Have It' & 'Lost In The Plot'. Bella Union. 2004.

Rap Music:

1. No Other Love
2. No Stranger to Shame [Explicit Lyrics]
3. Now in a Minute
4. One More from the Road [Live]
5. Palm Trees and Power Lines [Enhanced]
6. Pickin' on Melissa Etheridge: A Bluegrass Tribute
7. Picture
8. Quicksilver Messenger Service
9. Rewind/Realization
10. Right Back

Rap Music

rap music

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