The Dears have returned with details of their eighth studio album. The 10-track Lovers Rock arrives May 15 through Dangerbird Records.
Following 2017's Times Infinity Volume Two, Lovers Rock finds core duo Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak joined by drummer Jeff Luciani, guitarist Steve Raegele and bassist Rémi-Jean LeBlanc. The effort also features contributions from Sam Roberts, Jake Clemons of the E Street Band, and Alex Francoeur.
As Lightburn recalled in a press release, the uncertainty of our current moment felt similar to when the Dears recorded 2003 breakthrough No Cities Left.
"There's a direct line between the sort of doominess of No Cities Left and this album," Lightburn explained. "You could go straight from Lovers Rock to No Cities Left and it's like they're interlocked. But it's a different kind of doom. Around 2001, it felt like, 'We have no control. We don't know what's going to happen next.' Now it's a doom that's within our grasp. It's in the air. It's between us. But we do nothing about it."
Lightburn continued: "The question we're asking in the music is, 'how do we navigate so much bullshit in this world?' We're still playing this dumb rock music. But there's always gonna be a little twist of the knife, cutting into something deep to make you feel like you're alive. To say, 'I know what you're going through. And I'm hearing you, and I'm with you.' That's what the music is supposed to do."
First single "The Worst in Us" arrives today alongside a slate of tour dates, with three Canadian dates lined up for Toronto (early and late shows), Hamilton and Kingston. Hear the song and find the itinerary following the tracklist.
Lovers Rock is now available for pre-order.
Lovers Rock:
1. Heart Of An Animal
2. I Know What You're Thinking And It's Awful
3. Instant Nightmare!
4. Is This What You Really Want?
5. The Worst In Us
6. Stille Lost
7. No Place On Earth
8. Play Dead
9. Too Many Wrongs
10. We'll Go Into Hiding
Tour dates:
04/09 Athens, GR - Temple
04/11 Istanbul, TR - Babylon
04/15 Brussels, BE - Le Botanqiue
04/16 Bristol, UK - Exchange
04/17 Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute
04/18 Glasgow, UK - Drygate Brewing Co.
04/19 Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
04/21 London, UK - The Garage
04/22 Paris, FR - La Boule Noire
04/24 Rotterdam, NL - Rotown Rotterdam
04/25 Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
04/27 Berlin, DE - Privatclub
05/13 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
05/14 Los Angeles, CA - Moroccan Lounge
05/17 San Diego, CA - Soda Bar
05/30 Queretaro, MX - Pulso GNP Festival
06/04 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern (Early Show)
06/04 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern (Late Show)
06/05 Hamilton, ON - Mills Hardware
06/06 Kingston, ON - Mansion
07/09 Brooklyn, NY - Rough Trade
07/10 Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
07/11 Washington DC - DC9
Following 2017's Times Infinity Volume Two, Lovers Rock finds core duo Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak joined by drummer Jeff Luciani, guitarist Steve Raegele and bassist Rémi-Jean LeBlanc. The effort also features contributions from Sam Roberts, Jake Clemons of the E Street Band, and Alex Francoeur.
As Lightburn recalled in a press release, the uncertainty of our current moment felt similar to when the Dears recorded 2003 breakthrough No Cities Left.
"There's a direct line between the sort of doominess of No Cities Left and this album," Lightburn explained. "You could go straight from Lovers Rock to No Cities Left and it's like they're interlocked. But it's a different kind of doom. Around 2001, it felt like, 'We have no control. We don't know what's going to happen next.' Now it's a doom that's within our grasp. It's in the air. It's between us. But we do nothing about it."
Lightburn continued: "The question we're asking in the music is, 'how do we navigate so much bullshit in this world?' We're still playing this dumb rock music. But there's always gonna be a little twist of the knife, cutting into something deep to make you feel like you're alive. To say, 'I know what you're going through. And I'm hearing you, and I'm with you.' That's what the music is supposed to do."
First single "The Worst in Us" arrives today alongside a slate of tour dates, with three Canadian dates lined up for Toronto (early and late shows), Hamilton and Kingston. Hear the song and find the itinerary following the tracklist.
Lovers Rock is now available for pre-order.
Lovers Rock:
1. Heart Of An Animal
2. I Know What You're Thinking And It's Awful
3. Instant Nightmare!
4. Is This What You Really Want?
5. The Worst In Us
6. Stille Lost
7. No Place On Earth
8. Play Dead
9. Too Many Wrongs
10. We'll Go Into Hiding
Tour dates:
04/09 Athens, GR - Temple
04/11 Istanbul, TR - Babylon
04/15 Brussels, BE - Le Botanqiue
04/16 Bristol, UK - Exchange
04/17 Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute
04/18 Glasgow, UK - Drygate Brewing Co.
04/19 Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
04/21 London, UK - The Garage
04/22 Paris, FR - La Boule Noire
04/24 Rotterdam, NL - Rotown Rotterdam
04/25 Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
04/27 Berlin, DE - Privatclub
05/13 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
05/14 Los Angeles, CA - Moroccan Lounge
05/17 San Diego, CA - Soda Bar
05/30 Queretaro, MX - Pulso GNP Festival
06/04 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern (Early Show)
06/04 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern (Late Show)
06/05 Hamilton, ON - Mills Hardware
06/06 Kingston, ON - Mansion
07/09 Brooklyn, NY - Rough Trade
07/10 Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
07/11 Washington DC - DC9
