The Dears' Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak
Photo: MTV News

"Sometimes, touring destroys people," Natalia Yanchak said. "They'll have a life revelation all of a sudden: Being in a band isn't for everybody."

The Dears keyboardist should know: She and founder Murray Lightburn are the only remaining members of the band's pre-2000 lineup.

But being a relentless touring machine is the life for the Dears, who have been on the road more or less nonstop since March of last year. Having taken their swirling orchestral pop all over the globe — including North America, Europe, Australia and a recent appearance at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas — the Montreal sextet is coming back to North America for yet another go in support of the farsightedly titled 2004 LP, No Cities Left. Starting May 24 in Los Angeles, the group will tour across the United States on a 15-date trek that will wrap in Baltimore on June 16.

Touring has taken its toll on the prior lineups of the band, which was formed by Lightman 10 years ago. "Maybe some people left because they didn't like the 'direction' things were going in," Lightburn said, slightly scornfully. "But that usually translates as: 'Why I aren't a rock star yet? Where's the money? Where's the hookers and blow?' "

Still, the band had its own rock-star moment last year when it opened for Morrissey, a crucial and acknowledged influence on Lightman. "It was great playing with Morrissey — and at the same time terrifying," he laughed. "We actually had a bit of a 'moment' before the gig actually started. We just kind of froze." (They may have a similar moment when they open for '80s icons New Order in London on June 24.)

The band is gearing up to record the follow-up to No Cities Left, which was the Dears' first U.S. release and helped transform the group from a Canadian success to an international one (see "CMJ Music Marathon Recap: 10 Bands Who Live Up To The Hype"). All of the songs for the new LP have been written and the group is scheduled to hit the studio in September.

Murray said the Dears plan to experiment with textures and keep their music epic, but they also want to connect with as many people as possible — and if his ambitions border on pretentious, so be it.

"The immediate goal is to bring millions of people together — people with smiles, holding hands, making out. I think [in terms of songwriting] I'm coming to grips with the drama and history of my life and what I would like to see for the future of mankind. If that's not grand enough, I don't know what is. It sounds really lofty but I don't give a rat's ass."

The Dears' tour dates, according to their publicist:

• 5/24 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
• 5/25 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
• 5/27 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
• 5/28 - George, WA @ The Gorge
• 5/30 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
• 5/31 - Denver, CO @ Climax Lounge
• 6/2 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
• 6/3 - Minneapolis, MN @ Ascot Room @ Quest Club
• 6/4 - Chicago, IL @ Metro /Smart Bar
• 6/5 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
• 6/6 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
• 6/11 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
• 6/12 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
• 6/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ North Star
• 6/15 - Baltimore, MD @ Fletcher's
• 6/24 - London, England @ Hyde Park

• The Dears

Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme at SXSW
Photo: Getty Images

AUSTIN, Texas — "F--- the '80s; we're Queens of the Stone Age," Josh Homme asserted immediately before the colossal opening riff of "No One Knows" caused an audience stampede to the stage.

The sneered sentiment was as much a stiff middle finger to buzz bands indebted to two-decade-old synth-pop as it was a testament to his confidence in the almighty power chord. So what if he offended a bunch of the supposed highlights of the annual South by Southwest Music And Media Conference, not the least of whom were dance-punks the Bravery, who opened the show? This was Homme's party, and anyone who didn't like it could take off and miss what was one of the high points of this year's raucous four-day musical blitzkrieg.

(Check out photo highlights from SXSW here.)

For those lucky enough to secure a spot on the guest list, the best part of the South by Southwest conference didn't take place on Austin's legendary 6th Street, but rather a few miles away in an enormous airplane hangar. In fact, the Queens of the Stone Age's after-hours party at the defunct Austin airport wasn't even an official SXSW event. A day before the conference commenced on Wednesday, the Queens performed in town and decided to stick around two more days to show the thousands of music fans and industry personnel attending SXSW the proper way to blow the roof off a party.

In return for enduring uncharacteristically frigid temperatures, the crowd was treated to a wonderfully brutal (and painfully loud) set that featured an appearance by longtime Queens associate Mark Lanegan. (Complimentary beverages served from carts pushed by attractive "stewardesses," rounding out the airplane theme, were a nice touch, too.)

It certainly wasn't for a lack of action downtown that QOTSA stole the show. The 19th incarnation of the conference brought in music-industry types from both coasts — as well as spring-breaking college students throughout the South — to the Texas capital to catch more than 1,300 artists on 60 stages around town. The breadth of this year's conference kept the streets cluttered with lines of people waiting to see shows, the best of which always seemed to happen simultaneously.

Luckily, the number of afternoon showcases increased from years past, so most artists played several times throughout the conference.

Overcrowding wasn't the reason hundreds of people nearly missed out on another SXSW 2005 pinnacle; blame that on visa problems. Touching down just two hours before her scheduled performance, Sri Lankan-by-way-of-London MC M.I.A. released loads of pent-up frustration on the Elysium stage, much to the delight of a packed house that was moved enough by her oscillating tribal grooves to forgo supposed indie-rock nonchalance and shake their skinny butts. Even more impressive was that M.I.A.'s impact was made at an event where hip-hop's representation amounted to a few backpacker showcases and a curious set at an English brew pub by the self-proclaimed "Big Boss of the South," Slim Thug.

Led by the Kaiser Chiefs and Doves, British rockers in no short supply angled to be this year's Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish quartet who seemed to be strapped to a rocket after performing at SXSW in 2004.

"We're not used to playing in the sunshine; we're from London," announced a squinting Gordon Moakes, bassist for the angular quartet Bloc Party, at the yearly Spin magazine BBQ. The band's layered irregular beats combined with those from like-minded countrymen the Futureheads to make for a hipster anglophile's dream pairing. Louis XIV's brand of sleazy glam (see "Louis XIV: Killers-Endorsed Quartet With King-Sized Egos"), which may not have translated well in broad daylight, was a well-suited appetizer for headliners the New York Dolls, who drew throngs of sing-along fans for favorites "Looking for a Kiss," "Puss N' Boots" and "Personality Crisis."

"We got a record and DVD out on Sanctuary [Records], but I don't see it in stores," complained singer David Johansen in reference to last year's Return of the New York Dolls. "So we're here ostensibly looking for a deal, too," he added, bridging the gap between influential institutions and the artists for whom SXSW is like " 'The Apprentice' for indie bands," to quote Stars singer Torquil Campbell.

For those young bands, SXSW offers the chance for make-or-break exposure, and Los Angeles' the Like, for one, passed their self-imposed test. The teenage trio endeared themselves to a seated industry crowd at a well-mannered KCRW showcase at the Crowne Plaza hotel. The group's rich, jangly pop is punctuated by singer/guitarist Z Berg's beautifully coarse voice, reminiscent of Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval with a cold.

Sometimes all it takes to generate some buzz is a great name, and whoever thought of the terrific moniker I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness should take a well-deserved bow. The Austin-based quintet was on the lips of just about every attendee who spotted its name on the roster, though most had never even heard a note. The stroke of marketing brilliance achieved its desired result, since a significantly greater number of people now know of the shimmering melodies that lie beyond their intriguing title.

Other artists with one foot already planted on terra firma used their sets to slam the other one down with resounding authority, and this year, no one stomped louder than the Canadians. The Dears, still supporting the nearly two-year-old No Cities Left, executed their swirling orchestral beauty flawlessly, while Tegan and Sara seem to get more musically daring with each performance. Death From Above 1979's loud, dizzying bass-and-drums assault justified their high hipster status. With their new album, Elevator, less than a month away (see "Hot Hot Heat's Ups And Downs Inspire Elevator), Hot Hot Heat spearheaded a night at La Zona Rosa that had fans standing in line for more than two hours just to sample the forthcoming material.

The Raveonettes, too, made lots of noise, though theirs was more of a sultry roar than authoritative stomp. The Danish group, whose principals Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo spent the free time between their two sets checking out other bands, opened their evening Emo's gig appropriately enough with "Somewhere in Texas," off their forthcoming second LP, Pretty in Black.

"We are in Texas, right?" Foo playfully asked, though her low-cut Western-style shirt was clearly picked for the occasion.

SXSW '05 also had its share of indie staples, like Stephen Malkmus, Sleater-Kinney, Lou Barlow and Spoon, all of whom have new albums on the way but are well past having to prove themselves to anyone. And then there were those like Billy Idol, Harvey Danger and the Wallflowers, who needed to show that they've used their time away wisely.

While shows and parties were more plentiful than in previous years, there was a noticeable cutback on the festival's other component, panel discussions. It's hard to fill a room for an inquisitive look at "Ringtones as an Income Stream" or "Living with Hep C" when you're competing with outdoor bashes offering complimentary beer, BBQ and bands. A few were hot attractions, however, including Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant's keynote address, in which he deduced all pop music back to the blues, and Beach Boy Brian Wilson's at-times awkward discussion on last year's release of his infamous Smile album.

The decadence came to a head as it should, at Saturday's closing-night party hosted by Vice magazine. Like the Queens of the Stone Age throwdown two days prior, this exclusive soirée was held miles from downtown and raged well past Austin's bar curfew. The U.K. quintet the Go! Team headlined a set that crashed disco with discordant, energized grooves, which laid the groundwork for singer/pep-squad leader Ninja to lead the crowd in call-and-response exchanges that roared toward 4 a.m.

The lively finale was surprising given the hour, the sensory overload of the last four days, a cumulative lack of sleep and a less-than-healthy diet of alcohol, Tex-Mex and BBQ. But what's a little exhaustion compared to a party that won't be back for another whole year?

Besides, you can always sleep it off on the plane ride home.

• Highlights From SXSW 2005

• Queens of the Stone Age
• The Dears
• Spoon
• The Bravery
• Bloc Party

The Concretes live at CMJ
Photo: Candice Lawler

Every fall for the last 24 years, hordes of musicians, music-business types, college-radio programmers and fans have descended upon New York for the CMJ Music Marathon. The event includes discussion panels and seminars about the business, but what's most interesting are the concerts: This year, nearly 1,000 bands played at 56 venues over four manic days. Everyone's looking to discover the next Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers or Marilyn Manson (all then-unknown acts that garnered major attention from gigs at the Marathon), and most of the bands playing the convention are looking to become the next big thing.

It really is a marathon, with acts taking the stage at all hours of the day (and night). Loads of name acts — from Sonic Youth to TV on the Radio — performed at the convention, (click for photos), but we were most interested in catching the bands that are flying slightly below the radar. So, thanks to the New York subway system and more than a few cabs, we managed to find 10 acts that we believe are destined for big things. (Yes, quite a few of them are Canadian, but Montreal and Toronto are two of the most thriving scenes in North America at the moment.) Think of us as clerks in your local cool record store — except we're not going to sneer at you if you ignore what we say and buy the new Good Charlotte album instead.

Who: Adem
What: Homesongs
Why: Singer/songwriter Adem is also the bassist for the band Fridge, but that won't begin to prepare you for the stately beauty of his songs. His music isn't for every mood: The songs are sloooooow, with a folk flavor, aching choruses and understated musical accompaniment (acoustic guitars, autoharp, string bass, hand-held percussion). It's definitely not something you put on when you want to rock out — the album isn't called Homesongs for nothing — but if you like beautiful melodies that unravel slowly, you won't find anything better this year.

Who: Arcade Fire
What: Funeral
Why: If a single band was the buzz of the ball, it's this sprawling Montreal ensemble. Combining rock energy with violins, accordions, all manner of guitars and, in a live setting, anything they can beat with drumsticks, the band's sound is that of controlled chaos: The instruments meshing with Win Butler's shaky, almost David Byrne-like yelp into a beautiful, caterwauling sound that seems as if it could spin out of control at any moment. That air of imminent destruction is just one reason the Arcade Fire's music is so exciting.

Who: The Concretes
What: The Concretes
Why: Sweden's newest exports are unique for a number of reasons, the most obvious being that they sound absolutely nothing like the garage-rock crowd that came into vogue in 2002 thanks to the Hives. A curious but sublime conflation of '60s girl-groups, Mazzy Star and the sweet side of the Velvet Underground, the eight-member collective is dynamic, romantic and soft. Plus, they sing in cute Swedish accents and dress like they're going to the prom.

Who: Controller.Controller
What: History
Why: Two guitarists that look like back-up members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a bassist who could fill in for any member of Hot Hot Heat and a longhaired drummer who's probably auditioned for Slayer. Oh, yeah: there's also lead singer Nirmala Basnayake, a pint-sized powerhouse who struts around the stage with such unabashed sexiness that she makes Karen O look like a shrinking violet. Their debut EP, History, is one of the most visceral, confident and thrilling bows in recent memory, as the Toronto natives rip through seven songs of their self-described "death disco" in just over 24 minutes.

Who: The Dears
What: No Cities Left
Why: If you crossed the graceful side of Blur with the Smiths and Tindersticks, you might come close to the sound of the Dears. A unisex six-piece, the Montreal group plays sumptuous, sophisticated and elegant orchestral rock with epic horns, keyboards and soaring strings. Britpop is not only back, but alive and well in Quebec.

Who: Death From Above 1979
What: You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine
Why: Girls kiss each other, beers fly and utter mayhem breaks out in the moshpit: That's a typical Death From Above 1979 concert experience. Who needs guitars? The Toronto dirtbag duo — who reportedly met in prison and live in a former funeral parlor — forgo the traditional six-string crunch in favor of an immense, intense barrage of of metallic bass, machine-gun drums and howling vocals.

Who: Hope of the States
What: The Lost Riots
Why: England's Hope of the States don't do anything by half: The seven-piece band includes three guitarists (two of whom double on keyboards) and a full-time violinist; they play big, sweeping, majestic songs with loads of echo and big themes; and they perform in front of fast-moving films that include lots of Cold War-era American military footage. The twist? They're all in their early 20s. How a bunch of young guys came up with such a huge concept — let alone their sound, which combines the bombastic elements of Radiohead with the sonics of Godspeed! You Black Emperor and vocals reminiscent of early '90s mumblers like Dinosaur Jr. and the Afghan Whigs — is just part of this band's unique allure.

Who: Pinback
What: Summer In Abaddon
Why: California's Pinback puts a new spin on indie-pop, adding complexity with sweet melodies and intricate song structure. On their most recent LP, Summer in Abaddon, the band's airy vocals are layered over delicate piano chords; percussion is occasionally treated as an afterthought, though it plays a starring role on the rock track "AFK." Thick basslines hold court over pop songs like "Fortress," while carefully crafted lyrics govern more atmospheric tracks like "The Yellow Ones." The band's music seems spare at first, but repeated listens reveal layers of dynamic instrumentals and smart lyrical structures.

Who: Q and Not U
What: Power
Why: With their third album, Power, the Washington, D.C., funk-punkers strike the right balance between the arty hardcore of fellow District alumni Fugazi and the sexed-up balladry of Purple Rain-era Prince. On the first single, "Wonderful People," singer/guitarist Chris Richards belts out comical pickup lines like the Purple One on helium while a four-on-the-floor disco beat and squiggly synthesizers boogie in the background. Throw in some jagged guitars, sing-song choruses and an extended flute solo or two, and you've got an experimental disco/punk album where Green Day meets the Village People — with a flute player.

Who: Straylight Run
What: Straylight Run
Why: This Long Island band (whose debut album will enter the Billboard albums chart at #100 next week) makes emo music for the optimistic masses. The group, which features former Taking Back Sunday members John Nolan and Shaun Cooper, combines the melancholy genre's moody and introspective lyrics with brighter hooks, energetic rhythms and the occasional power chord — although the group's soaring keyboards and vocal harmonies leave no shortage of melodrama. Fronted by Nolan and his sister Michelle, Straylight Run's debut album is optimistic, dramatic and upbeat, and unashamed of its emo soul, as evidence by song titles like "Existentialism on Prom Night," "Another Word for Desperate" and "Sympathy for the Martyr."

• Adem
• Arcade Fire
• The Concretes
• Controller.Controller
• The Dears

MTV.com Exclusive Photos: Coachella 2006

• Kanye West
• The Zutons
• Cat Power
• Franz Ferdinand
• Matisyahu

CMJ Music Marathon 2004 in NYC October 13-16

• The Faint
• TV On The Radio
• Har Mar Superstar
• The Concretes
• The Dears