Kingdom Of Rust - Doves

DOVES - KINGDOM OF RUST Short history of Doves (not The Doves) is that they used to be a 90s dance band of acid house ilk and had relative success that hit a high point with the catchy single 'Aint No Love' (Aint no use). Perhaps somewhere on the come down they regrouped and reinvented themselves as an indie band and released 'Lost Souls' to great critical acclaim back in 1999. 'Last Broadcast' was more created with more commercial influences and consequently moved their cult status to more mainstream, especially with the first two singles 'There goes the fear' and 'Pounding' becoming instant indie anthems. Third album 'Some Cities' returned Doves ...  Read the complete review

There's a lot to digest in this Doves album, to the ear it seems multi-layered and it's technically a lot more complicated than most of your average indie out there. I have to say when Doves first came on the scene, I wasn't overly keen on them and it's been a while since I've given them a listen - they are not a band who have made it particularly big outside of the UK and therefore I don't get many chances to listen to them unless I sought them out. Kingdom of Rust is pretty impressive though, combining clever lyrics, pleasant vocals and all types of music from classical melodies through to rocky riffs. The title-track is a definite winner, as is the first ...  Read the complete review

I thought that the follow up to Some Cities, the 2005 release by Doves, and to a lesser extent, Lost Souls from 2000, would be difficult for Doves. To be honest, it has taken a good few listens to really get into this album. There are more similarities to Lost Souls than Some Cities, which is a very tiny bit disappointing, as I felt that Doves had moved forward with the release of Some Cities. But in fairness to Kingdom of Rust, it is without doubt it's own creature and is not tied by its umbilical cord to the previous releases. Kingdom of Rust is built for motion and acceleration, leading its songs to unexpected and often exhilarating highs: ...  Read the complete review