EDMONTON — The Dears aren’t the easiest band to be in. The Montreal rockers, led by the husband-and-wife duo of Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak, have gone through at least 12 members in as many years, and narrowly avoided total collapse on two occasions.

The first near break-up was the result of studio tensions during the making of 2003’s No Cities Left, a delicate yet defiant collection of orchestral-pop tunes.

The second came after years of rigorous touring and eventually led to their last album, 2008’s Missiles, which featured “a stripped-down sound, more vulnerable and esoteric than anything we’ve heard from (Lightburn),” as described by the Montreal Gazette.

For their latest, Degeneration Street, The Dears actually ended up regenerating with the addition of three former members — guitarist Patrick Krief, guitarist/keyboardist Robert Benvie and bassist Roberto Arquilla.

Misery, unity — no matter what the circumstances, The Dears can’t seem to make a mediocre album. Degeneration Street is yet another jewel in their crown — a triumphant return to their earlier days of sonic grandeur. Omega Dog tickles the spine with its sweep of synths, occasional guitar kerrangs and Lightburn’s soulful falsetto. Blood is a baroque-rock ditty, glistening with harpsichords and thunderous guitars, while Yesteryear swings with a mod-friendly beat, woodwinds, xylophones and a ghostly chorus of oohs.

There’s no shortage of lyrical grandeur, either. It’s one of Lightburn’s trademarks and he’s in spectacular form on the band’s fifth album, tackling love, art, religion and redemption.

“Longing for love / Hunting down souls / We’re running out of songs to sing,” he warbles on Galactic Tides, an aching, Radiohead-ish string ’n’ synth ballad perfect for the next Twilight soundtrack.

“We believe almost anything we are told,” he mourns on Lamentation, a neo-gospel piano ditty soaked in waves of synths, angular guitars and a choir of voices.

“Father, up in heaven / On pins and needles / We’re waiting on a second coming / A second chance,” he prays on 5 Chords, which chimes with hints of The Cure’s happier, clappier guitar riffs. The Dears didn’t need a second chance to win our hearts. Degeneration Street simply reinforces our love for them.

Sandra Sperounes,

Journal Music Writer

ssperounes@edmontonjournal.com

twitter.com/Sperounes

For more music news, read Sandra’s blog on edmontonjournal.com/pluggedin.

CD Review

Degeneration Street (4 stars out of 5)

The Dears

(Pheromone)