Tune In Saturdays: The Dears

The Dears, a theatrical Montreal-based sextet have been somewhat defined by brit-pop influences like Blur and Morrisey, which are both apt comparisons.

Their newest album, Gang of Losers, takes on some heavy issues like race relations (especially in a song knowingly titled "Whites Only Party"), poverty, and (gasp) indie-rock alienation.  Really, they're just a fun collection of toe-tapping, steering-wheel drumming songs, full of big explosions and Oooo Lah harmonies.

They've been making splashes for years, but are poised for greater things with this, their most accessible album to date.

Go to their MySpace page to listen to a few songs (start with "The Ballad of Humankindness"), or watch the video for "Whites Only Party" below.