The Dears - <i>Gang of Losers</i>

Luring the listener with a self-depreciating title has always been risky business, but, here, it was an important move. After the grand epic No Cities Left, fans may have thought the Dears to be a little too serious in their scope and sound and maybe that’s why this album feels imbued with such vitality. Poetry was once one of the most accessible forms of communication due to its ability to be short, sharp and shocking, and this is essentially Gang of Losers. The drums and guitars meld together in a rush, and the climaxes abound with vocal harmonies and inventive instrumentation. The sheer catchiness of "Hate Then Love,” the beautiful sing-along of "(You and I) Are a Gang of Losers” and the wild intensity and catharsis of "Find Our Way to Freedom” are all examples of swift and sudden beauty. They are people in Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, urging and sneakily prodding your opinions with their polished and melodic oratory. The key is not to preach, but to mesmerise. And Gang of Losers enthrals with its perfect, but not too perfect compositions of indie rock, pop and a dash of melodrama. The Dears know who they are and they are starting to organise. Beware those who underestimate their sway.