Doves: Kingdom Of Rust

It has been four years since Doves last album 'Some Cities' and finally here we are: their return. Their 'Kingdom Of Rust'.

Jetstream strikes to life with an electronic heartbeat and Jez Williams' dreamy-yet-dark vocals as the blood. It drones, kicks, spikes, dips and impresses throughout; not only is it a good start to the album but it also raises intrigue as to what else they’re willing to bring to the table. 

There’s change a-foot here and it's tracks such as The Outsiders which solidifies and exemplifies that statement. What was once just distorted, slightly epic guitar, now has a darker, fuzzier tone which sits near the out-skirts of Queens Of The Stone Age-like distortion and rock riffage. It’s interesting yet a little disconcerting at first, but that’s not to say that it isn’t entertaining: it most certainly is.

Unfortunately there are some points which seem like slight filler on the initial listen and though overall the record is as strong as an Ox: its weak points are noticeable to a degree. Winter Hill grows weary on the third listen and although it doesn’t annoy or irritate, it’s just not up to par with the majority of the other music (saying that, the last two minutes are a lot more engaging than the first two).

Whether it’s the drastically slow-burning first half of 10:03 or its awesome final half, it positively screams of Doves perfection. It’s less of a highlight and more of a statement of how to make some of the most exciting music in your genre. Their ability to impress and catch the listener off-guard is ridiculously honed-in on and built upon on this record and it increases the enjoyment of the listening process to the highest degree.

Doves are often likened to Elbow and their ilk (and just recently it was announced that the two will be joining each other on stage later this year) and with this album, you can most definitely see the similarities. It's not necessarily the same sonic territory but the overall musicianship and delicate creation of the record can be seen everywhere (much like Elbows Seldom Seen Kid). 

Spellbound solidifies the claim in the previous paragraph and is an absolute joy to behold. Its gentle melody is slowly filled out with instrumental depth and an absorbing rhythm. It has a subtle but desperate façade which becomes deeper and darker as it progresses and by the final run, you can’t help but lose yourself within the musical wonder that encompasses your entire person. 

We could go on quoting fantastic tracks or brilliant sections from the album – the funk beat of Compulsion / the passionate ending to the final track Lifelines / the simple, short but effectively haunting Birds Flew Backwards – but we won’t. Instead we implore that you go and grab it now and find out for yourself just how great it truly is (or at least give it a few listens).

Kingdom Of Rust is a vast realm with gritty, aged buildings and a beautiful, chaotic sky, it’s rustic and striking and holds a host of wonderful views for all to see. There’s a few lulls or “land-fills” if you will (for the sake of this analogy) but overall, we’d recommend a visit as soon as you can, you might just want to stay a little longer than you planned.