This year marks twenty-five years since the release of Doves’ fantastic debut Lost Souls. Over the following quarter-century, we might have wished for more music from the band, but that which has appeared has not disappointed. Doves – never a definite nor indefinite article, mark you – have set out their own unique stall, and never fell into the trap of being simply another indie band. Instead, they managed to produce albums that were epic and reached for the stars, yet seemed to connect on a very personal level, without ever descending into stodgy bombast. They’ve clocked up three no.1 albums, turning that critical adoration into well-deserved commercial success.
Having released their fifth album The Universal Want in 2020, recording sessions for this album began in the same year. Unfortunately a planned tour the following was cancelled after frontman and bassist Jimi Goodwin struggled with his mental health and substance abuse. Whilst he is making progress, he has sat out some of the tracks on this album and won’t be appearing on the band’s latest UK tour which started this week. Thus the Williams brothers brothers Andy (drums) and Jez (guitar) will take the lead.
That’s not to say this is a fractured album – far from it. It may not have the immediate pumping anthems from before (think ‘There Goes The Fear,’ ‘Pounding,’ or ‘Black And White Town’) but successive plays (please: listen to this as an album without cherry-picking) reveal a new era of the band. Definitely still Doves but exploring new territories. The album opens with ‘Renegade’ with what sounds like a rocket falling to earth. As the song kicks into gear, it kicks into a soundtrack feel – Bladerunner set in the band’s native Manchester? ‘Cold Dreaming’ is a different feeling, perhaps a little more euphoric. Another highlight is ‘Strange Weather’ a which starts off as a gentle, fairly acoustic number before progressing into what might be described as soaring melancholy.
Yet the two greatest tracks are saved to the end: the Brian Eno meets Tom Waits piano-driven ‘Orlando’ and the final folky to epic baroque ‘Southern Bell’ (definitely not ‘belle’) which take the listener to previously uncharted emotional territory. This album may have taken time to come into being but we are truly lucky to have this.
So yes, yet another triumph for the band. Hopefully Goodwin’s health will continue to improve and this awesome trio will give us more music. Jez Williams’ voice has a different timbre to that of Goodwin, but they work well alongside each other. It’s recognisably Doves but the start of a new era for the band. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to hear this album several times before release – make sure you take the time to listen to it; honestly, you’ll be glad you did.
