Doves Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Four years after retreating to the English countryside to record 2005's Some Cities, Doves return to a more urban state of mind with Kingdom of Rust. "My god," Jimi Goodwin sings during the title track, "it takes an ocean of trust in the kingdom of rust." Guitars chime throughout the chorus, where Goodwin's baritone howls in search of a lost love amidst a town's landscape. Orchestral strings make an appearance toward the song's conclusion, bringing with them the same sweeping, Brit-pop uplift that peppered the band's debut album. Doves are still indebted to that scene -- the same one that spawned numerous guitar-fueled, new-millennial rock bands -- but their songs are now broader in scope, often reaching an elated, emotional peak before yielding the spotlight to that emotion's melancholic comedown. As its title suggests, Kingdom of Rust gives time to both sides of the band's personality, from the sweeping, cathedral-esque anthems ("The Outsiders," "Winter Hill") to dark, tarnished brooders ("Jetstream") that help level the spectrum. Songs like "10:03" and "Birds Flew Backwards" strike a balance between those two camps, with the latter track featuring a stately cello and some dazzling moments of atmospheric, reverb-heavy harmonies. This is still a bright record, however, one that finds catharsis in the gloomier songs and strength in the tracks that resemble Lost Souls' measured anthems. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
For those who adored the lush textures of Doves' second album, The Last Broadcast, the seriousness of Some Cities might be a bit jarring. The ambitious indie rock trio is much more direct and exact this time out, and it's a great shift in style. In contrast to this opus, optimism ruled on The Last Broadcast, which soared with a majestic celestial setting of bright choruses, vibrant electronic beats, and gushing guitar riffs. Some Cities percolates with more of a hopeful but grounded spirit, an English spirit. The band's native Manchester comes into view. Shades of ash and cinder surround Doves' guitar flow, but without melancholy. The album's title track captures that with vocalist/guitarist Jimi Goodwin's earnest plea, "Some cities crush/Some cities heal/Some cities laugh/While other cities steal/Can't I make you see?" Pianos and drums run parallel on "Black and White Town" and match the adrenaline and motion of "There Goes the Fear." Only two songs in, the band's soft dreamy focus turns into complex emotion, and it's beautifully done. Both the sweeping acoustic guitars of "Someday Soon" and the symphonic lament "The Storm" continue the cinematic slow burn of Some Cities, reflecting upon a cloudy countryside. Escaping the dreariness of Manchester is what fueled Doves to start a band in the first place. Some Cities isn't a Mancunian downer. It's very real and Doves' best yet. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When Doves issued Lost Souls in fall 2000, Britpop was immersed in its melodic gloom-and-doom era, ushered in by the success of Radiohead. The likes of Coldplay, Travis, Elbow, and Starsailor followed in their wake, as did Doves. What separated Doves from the rest was a glint of passion, evident on their 2000 debut, Lost Souls. Two years later, the atmospheric dreamscapes of Lost Souls were torn asunder for the musical daybreak of The Last Broadcast. As it turns out, the psychedelic vibrancy of "Catch the Sun," the brightest track on the album, pointed toward this brave second record. Gone are the hazy space rock trips and the cheerless attitudes; Doves are on the sunny side of the street for The Last Broadcast. The seven-minute sonic boom of "There Goes the Fear" finds Jimi Goodwin sharing vocals with Jez and Andy Williams for a glorious chorus. Each of them switches up vocal duties throughout, lending a joyous feel to the album itself. From the bold front of "Words" to the fiery momentum of "Pounding," The Last Broadcast shows a refreshing rawness that was absent before. The High Llamas' Sean O'Hagan delivers sweeping orchestral arrangements for the sublime "Friday's Dust," while the electronic dewdrops of "The Sulphur Man" push Doves' divine ambience further to the front.Doves were caught up in making grand compositions on Lost Souls, which worked fabulously, but it was too much. They've stripped down to the basics, letting the optimism of The Last Broadcast take center stage. It's a brilliant moment. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Hailing from the scene that brought the defining sounds of the Smiths, the Stone Roses, Oasis, James, and the Charlatans UK, Doves is another Brit-pop band playing around with depressing lyrical imagery and embryonic soundscapes that made the Mancunian circuit so popular throughout the '80s and '90s. Gloriously basking in the ethereal ones before them, their debut Lost Souls is a shoegazing twist of emotional bliss. Music hasn't sounded so heavenly since Radiohead and The Verve. The dozen-track look into streaming psychedelia taps into melodic waves of love lorn and sadness, especially on songs like "Rise" and "Lost Souls." The mood rouses and the positive clamor of "The Cedar Room" becomes the album's brassy anthem, very Oasis-like. Frontman/bassist Jimi Goodwin drools like a swooning Damon Albarn during "Here It Comes" and whooshing guitar licks from Jez Williams recall the sounds of Noel Gallagher. NME boldly claims it as the best debut album since Definitely Maybe. They're onto something good. If only Liam and Noel could calm down a bit and find that mesmerizing nature once again. [In October 2000, Lost Souls was issued in America on Astralwerks with three added bonus tracks not included on the original version]. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
