Degeneration Street is the ninth effort from The Dears. I haven't been a big follower but I've been aware of the Montreal group. Music is music but listening to them I feel a slight tinge of pretentiousness in their songs, interviews and even when I watch their videos. As if I'm supposed to feel unworthy of what's being done, or that I just don't get it. Which is probably why I haven't been a big fan of them. But as far as music is concerned no one's above, or below, my radar. I just haven't heard of it yet.
On my first listen I couldn't wait to rip this album to shreds. But upon further listening I've warmed up to it. The Dears have an interesting sound that incorporates melodic guitar pluckings (made that word up) with some poppy sounding drums, a piano that at most times gets drowned out, but it's there, and Murray Lightburn's wide range of vocals.
Initial thoughts:
- Yeah, okay
- Kinda cool
- (a little later) I like it
The album has a couple, umm, holes I'll call them. But there are a few stand-outs. Blood is probably the best song on the album. Galactic Tides is a slow one but has some raw emotion that forced me to feel it. 5 Chords is just a good song period. Tiny Man is packed with that emotion that makes it hard to ignore when it comes on. Even the first song, Omega Dog, is real funky even though it has that industrial sound that I detest.
Although there are some good tracks the album falls off at the end. With that being said the title track is a let down. Just a slow drawn out chorus meant, in my humble opinion, to be some kind of statement at the end of the album. Didn't do it for me.
I do keep putting it on even if it's just for the songs I like.
Dig it (I guess).
Choice: Blood, Galactic Tides, 5 Chords, Tiny Man, Yesteryear
Bogus: Lamentation, Easy Suffering, Unsung, 1854, Degeneration Street
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