NEW VIDEO Please request the video on Much Music! By Snail Mail: MuchOnDemand c/o MuchMusic, 299 Queen St. West Toronto, Ontario M5V 2Z5 By Email: Fill out the form here! By Fax: 416 591-MUCH (6824) By Phone: 1-800-265-MUCH (6824) - only answer during on-air solicits.
| A | B | O | U | T |
Members:
Rob Higgins, Niva Chow, Damon Richardson, Hayden Menzies
Other alumni include John Pogue, Sandy McIntosh, Paula Tiberius, Mike Maxymuik, Alex O'reilly and Shannon Foerter. A wonderful gang, indeed, that would be quick to kick you right in the shin or give you the shirt off their back.
Sounds Like:
One tigress, an MVP, a renaissance man and a 5-tool all-star. Damaged beyond repair and set free to roam. It's chaos, tempered by love and delivered with a great fury.
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Calgary Herald:
"While the rockers, for the most part, reminded the crowd who becomes rockers -- guys who can't skate -- they did have their moments.
Perhaps the best was midway through the first period, when Rob Higgins, bassist for the band Dearly Beloved, scored twice on a single shift. The second, in which he was set up on a deft pass by Tom Cochrane, could even be described as a beauty."
Elbows: "Dearly Beloved is a four-piece group out of Toronto who seem to have this rock thing down pretty well. They've got a sort of Subways kind of sound, which is just fine in my book. That said, it's got an chorus that is catchy as hell, they have some decent guitar licks, and they generally play some pretty decent rock music. Their first EP, Repo , just came out last week to some glowing reviews, some of which laud their lead singer/songwriter, Rob Higgins, and justifiably so."
On The Beat:
"DEARLY BELOVED: One of this city’s best rock bands has just delivered a killer second album, Repo Repo Repo, on Kindling., the follow-up to 2006’s impressive debut, You Are The Jaguar. Dearly Beloved are led by bassist/singer ROB HIGGINS (ex CHANGE OF HEART, ROCKET SCIENCE), and feature another scene veteran, DAMON RICHARDSON (ex DANKO JONES), and former STICKY RICE singer NIVA CHOW. The contrasting male/female vocals are a fresh touch and the punk-inflected riff-happy tunes add to the fun. Look for local dates soon."
Darryl Sterdan of Sun Media: "Maybe you remember bassist Rob Higgins from Change of Heart. Or Rocket Science. Or Doctor. No? Well, maybe the umpteenth time's the charm. This sophomore set from his Toronto trio lays down a solid base of chunky, punky indie-rock and stylish alt-pop -- then sugar-coats it with the dusty-sweet harmonies of Higgins and Niva Chow. Catchy, stylish -- and very memorable."
Review in YouthInk: "Bold, eclectic and artistically clever, Toronto-based rock unit Dearly Beloved is undoubtedly something different..."
Review in the Fulcrum: DEARLY BELOVED SOUNDS like a more-mainstream version of The White Stripes. Prominent offbeat drum and guitar accompanied by the vocals of Niva Choy, Rob Higgins, and Damon Richardson provide just the right amount of contrast and harmony. The band reinvents itself on every song of Repo Repo Repo, creating unique riffs for each track instead of repeating the same progressions. The upbeat tempo and insane drum beats of “Candy Coated” start the album off with a bang, setting the bar high and it’s never lowered.
Review in Indie Can: DEARLY BELOVED were live at IndieCan on Episode 25 (listen here), still promoting You Are The Jaguar and damn, that was a good time in the studio. We got to the heart of where some of those great songs came from but we also had some fun with Nina's new handle, "Rock Tigress" too. We laughed, we cried, we hurled.
RepoRepoRepo the sophomore offering has the "In your face" attitude we have come to love and expect from Dearly Beloved. The opening song "Candy Coated" has the tag line, "Say my fucking name, Say my name, Say my name." It has rock anthem appeal but has a not-so-subtle message for FM Radio programmers who can't play the damn song, unless they have their finger on the "Beep" button, constantly on guard. It's a rude and precautious way to kick off this phase of their relationship with the music industry but guess what, they didn't write the songs for the music industry so too fucking bad Mr. Man. The songs are for music fans. Management meetings won't decide on this records fate, nor will focus groups or analytical software; Music fans will be the only vote that matters.
As I told Rob Higgins after the set and I am telling you now, this is a show that belongs in an arena. As a musical act there is nothing missing - the musicianship is sound, the songs are top notch and a hint of theatrics in the presentation make this a rock show. Sorry, no colourful adjectives because if you remember what a rock show is, no more need be said.www.dearlybeloved.ca Digitally Available Now; Retail Release March 18, 2008
"Repo ... an intoxicating follow-up that should have throngs of screaming rock fans at their door ... genuine acts of musicianship that shock the aural senses into submission."
- Jason Gladu, POPJOURNALISM
"This sophomore set lays down a solid base of chunky, punky indie-rock and stylish alt-pop -- then sugar-coats it with the dusty-sweet harmonies of Higgins and Niva Chow. Catchy, stylish -- and very memorable." - Daryl Stredan, THE TORONTO SUN
"REPO REPO REPO is fucking wicked. Rob Higgins has really stepped up his songwriting skills and the results can be heard, track 1 to 10." - Joe Zabukovec, THE NEWSPAPER, U of T
"As a musical act there is nothing missing - the musicianship is sound, the songs are top notch and a hint of theatrics in the presentation make this a rock show. Sorry, no colourful adjectives because if you remember what a rock show is, no more need be said." - Joe C., INDIECAN
"One minute they might be a snarling, drunken rock machine, the next a dreamy, quirky alt unit. Either way, the music stays fresh, which is why Toronto’s Dearly Beloved is onto something."- Evan Davies, NOW Magazine
“The grit of old school punk, the guitars of the new rock revival and a touch of the Velvet Underground. A worthy addition to the indie scenester’s collection.”- Paul Budel, CHART
“Like a pack of junkies playing for their smack…hard-hitting, hook-heavy rock’n roll…A short and sweet set aided vocally by rock tigress Niva Chow.”-Lorraine Carpenter, EXCLAIM!
“A vital indie rock record.” - John Kendle, UPTOWN Magazine
“An artful and dynamic melodic rock unit combining elements of Higgins' past projects into a fresh, distinct new sound.”- Chuck Molgat, PRAIRIE DOG Magazine
“People better start paying serious attention to Dearly Beloved. They just might be the most original rock band going in Toronto.” -Erin Taylor, SCENE AND HEARD Magazine
Mail order cd's are available from Maple Music (maplemusic.com).
while i love you guys and think it's crap you can't venture in to the lower 48, are you meaning to send out messages that ask if i'm on "crackbook"? i'm a little confused. come south. at least a wee bit. please.
I bought Repo Repo Repo from iTunes back when it came out. Listened to each song once and then sadly forgot about it, only hearing a song when my computer would shuffle to it.
The other day I burned it to a cd to listen to driving to work and back and I am kicking myself for not doing so sooner.
I've completed editing images from The Rivoli on Feb 15. If you're interested, drop me a line with an e-mail addy where I can forward a zipped file folder of the photos.
Thnx. The Ride is my favorite DB song. Know it's a long shot, but do you think you'll be playing near North Carolina anytime soon? It'd be cool to hear you guys live.