Murray A. Lightburn - Hear Me Out (2019)

With his doleful, introspective songs, Murray A. Lightburn helped define a new generation of Canadian indie rock as a founding member of The Dears. In Hear Me Out, Lightburn takes a sabbatical from his day job to pursue a collection of songs rooted in the heart of early-'60s RCA Records. This transition may signify a new and unfamiliar chapter for Lightburn, but his sharp sense of pop songcraft hasn’t diminished in the slightest. He gracefully unveils his inner crooner with class—from the buoyant “Centre of My Universe” to the romantic title track, swelling strings adorn his understated vocal delivery. On the Phil Spector throwback “To the Top”—the closest in here to The Dears’ cherished 2004 studio album No Cities Left—a full orchestral arrangement surrounds a bendy riff. “I Give Up” is pure Southern soul, a heartfelt ballad with a gospel flavor that serves as a pointed declaration of love. Sam Cooke would’ve been proud.