Doves - Some Cities (2005)

Over the course of their first 2 albums Doves have established themselves as near enough unapproachable. It seemed as if Jimi Goodwin and company were capable of dreaming up brooding masterpieces at will. Their sweeping musical gestures were tempered by the occasional pop gem that came complete with that rare inbuilt quality that circumnavigated the law of diminishing returns. No matter how many times you listen to ‘There Goes The Fear’ you still get the same rush as the initial listen. You only need to look at Doves b-sides to get an impression of the genius at work so against this background Some Cities was never going be anything less than enjoyable. The central theme is the changing landscapes of today's cities and the consequent erosion of society. This less than interesting inspiration has led to ‘Some Cities’ falling short of the revelation provided by its predecessors. Most of the things that make Doves so special are present, it’s just that the lack of experimentation detracts from the overall experience.

The title track opens 'Some Cities' with some shameless Velvet Underground chord mimicry. It’s not bad but Doves have dug such a unique labyrinth of noise for so long it comes as a bit of surprise. That said things are restored pretty quickly on the terrific single ‘Black & White Town’. The piano riff is perfectly skewed to enhance Jimi Goodwin’s vocals; the thumping momentum is offset by a chorus so lush it makes like chocolate for the soul. Sadly for every few revelations there is an equally dour alter ego. ‘The Storm’ is a wanton waste, sluggish, temperamental and too eager to make use of an out of tune mouth organ. You’ll be lucky to come out the other side. ‘Someday Soon’ is equally sombre but at least the vocal dynamics provide some diversions. Lucky then ‘Sky Stars Falling’ vacuums the nastiness away with its chaotic energy and incessant ability to drag the bands instruments through an industrial cheese grater ending up with a pretty carnage of sound. ‘One Of These Days’ is less inspired but at least it lends an anthemic soundtrack to the bleak words.

‘Walk In Fire’ is disappointing. It follows the path devised by its more talented cousin ‘There Goes The Fear’ so closely you almost feel like your listening to an alternate take. In a world without ‘…Fear’, ‘Walk In Fire’ would likely excel but no amount of sonic rallying can stop it from being slightly forgettable. But, for every misgiving on ‘Some Cities’ there are plenty reminders of inspirational Doves. ‘Almost Forgot Myself’ starts out anonymously enough, Andy Williams beats the skins to breaking point but salvation comes in the shape of his brother’s wondrous riffs that neatly summersault over Goodwin’s gentle outpourings. ‘Snowden’ is the albums high point, eerily alluring to begin with, then flourishing into a fully rounded pop jewel. The guitars chime brightly as Goodwin’s vocals benefit from double occupancy, the unevenness in the middle makes the cohesive finale all the more beguiling. If only there were more special moments like this. The haunting ‘Ambition’ comes close. It was recorded in a church in northern britain and as you’d expect it is otherworldly and touching, just close your eyes to escape the dirty noise of the city.

Doves have yet to create the perfect album, their previous efforts were exemplary, indicating that a classic would surely arrive before too long. Unfortunately with ‘Some Cities’ they have stalled, not exactly playing Doves by numbers but lacking that spark of imagination that marked them out from the crowd. While you can safely return to ‘Lost Souls’ or ‘The Last Broadcast’ and bask in the creations on show it seems unlikely that ‘Some Cities’ will afford the same rewards. That said Doves third album will likely please many of their fans, it has a sprinkling of brilliant tunes and most of the time it is music in cinematic widescreen. Perhaps a move beyond their northern homestead could nourish the bands fertile imagination and finally seal what is likely to be a glorious celebration of creativity.

Rating: 6.5/10

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