Doves

The likenesses between British indie rockers Doves and megastars Coldplay are obvious and expected as the two groups share similar backgrounds, influences and styles. But while the latter have spent the last several years chasing glamour by the tail, the former have opted to sit thoughtfully back and observe the world; a quality which has added a richness and legitimacy to their music.

Doves’ fourth album, Kingdom Of Rust, is an adventurous exploration of all the areas that lie directly outside of their Radiohead-inspired, ethereal and digitally-aided brand of indie rock. From the beautifully atmospheric sci-fi vibe of “Jetstream” to the country/western colored title track, Doves swell in and out of a multitude of different soundscapes, while retaining their inherent sound and integrity all the way through this eleven-track pleaser of the senses. Arranged by The Chemical Brothers’ Tim Rowlands, “10:03” is among the album’s most innovatively mesmerizing tunes, while Doves’ look backwards to the likes of New Order and Queen for the upbeat and interesting “Compulsion.”

Lacking a single dull or poorly-written moment, Kingdom Of Rust is as honest and tuneful as any album out there today, and one that places Doves miles ahead of their counterparts. Records like this should simply not be ignored.

—Ryan Ogle
05.04.09

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