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After winning acclaim as the best unsigned band in Canada on the strength of apocalyptic live performances and their End Of A Hollywood Bedtime Story disc, Montreal pop crew the Dears are back with their sprawling No Cities Left disc, due out April 15. The band previews the disc’s swooning orchestral pop with a CMW gig tonight (Thursday, February 27) at the Phoenix before returning to support Matthew Good at the Kool Haus April 10 and 11. Vocalist and songwriter Murray Lightburn spoke from Montreal.

This record sounds like the end of something. Is it? It is the beginning of the end of darkness. Everything — petrol wars, reality television, fashion bands, the love of money — is just flailing around desperately trying to hold on to what’s left of the dark empire. Some glorious day soon it will all burn to the ground and I will gleefully dance on the flames until I am ash.

You called the sound of your last record orchestral pop noir romantique. Any snappy titles this time around? Existentialist Pop Progressif Art Rock Apocalyptique.

There are plenty of choirs on the record. Been attending church? One tends to equate choirs with bloody church and religion. Here, they represent only light, love and peace. End all religion now! It hurts, it kills, it takes the joy, it brings no light, it brings no love.

You’ve finally recorded a version of your live epic, Pinned Together Falling Apart. Any special preparations to get you into that violent frame of mind in the studio? Much like my brethren in the oppressed ghettos of America, Colt .45 malt liquor. And Chemineaud brandy, of course.

Tell us something about Matthew Good we don’t know. Clearly, he has excellent taste in choosing his support acts.