Review:

on 2011-06-09 CharlesMartel Said:

Trying to describe this is like trying to describe the shape of the sea. Now while that sounds a little pretentious, one has to be aware that the Doves' debut album defies any and all attempts to pin it down. The Doves emerged onto the music scene at the time the last embers of Britpops classic phase were beginning to fade. At the same time, the influence of post rock was beginning to be felt. Although landed with the independent tag, they owe little to what might be called genuine indie music.

However, their arrival on the scene co-incided with that of a band with whom they have frequently been compared and frequently bettered, though their fates have been very different. Colplay followed in a long-established British tradition stretching back through Radiohead, Genesis and beyond, of universities producing articulate, eloquent, polished bands fronted by skinny pale-faced men who nonetheless exuded a certain style and charm. The Doves, hailing from Manchester, had one foot on the sounds of the city, a city which had produced notable outfits such as Joy Division, the Chameleons, the Smiths and even Oasis, and yet really didn't follow in their footsteps.

Much of the sound of the Doves harks back to the dream pop of bands like the Cocteau Twins, with the notable difference that the vocals are intelligible. This is despite their arising out of the ashes of a dance outfit known as Sub Sub. Theirs is music which is both soaring and melancholy. Adjectives such as ethereal spring to mind, but to use that would strengthen any association with pretension which the opening of this review may have created.

Any band which opens their debut album with a four-minute instrumental has got some guts. "Firesuite" in many ways sets the scene for what is to come, painting a dreamy picture based around a slow, lingering melody. Once the lyrics emerge in later songs on the album, the stage has been set by "Firesuite". The moody atmosphere is repeated in tracks such as "Break Me Gently", "Sea Song", "A House" and "Catch the Sun", the most well known song from the album. Listening to this for the first time, the close links with post-rock become easily apparent. "Rise" is a soaring number which takes the listener on a slow, yet beautiful journey.

However, the best track on the album is the one which stands out from the rest in terms of style. "The Cedar Room" starts with some distorted sounds of what appears to be a train and some indistinguishable vocal overlay. Once it gets into its stride, the first thing that strikes you is the rhythm, which is much more pronounced here than on any of their other tracks. The melody is also stronger, and it is that which really carries the song and makes it what it is: a huge refrain dripping with futility and the pain of loss. A truly beautiful song and one which deserves to be heard much more widely than it has been.

Indeed, the whole album has to be heard because of its elusive nature. Initially it may disappoint and sound samey, but ultimately the positive impression will shine through. This is not a classic album. It is not the best you will ever hear, but there is a distinct time and a place for this and when the mood takes you, nothing fits the mood better. And in "The Cedar Room", the Doves have produced one of my top 500 tracks of all time.
Rating: 7/10

Review:

on 2007-01-27 joechuck_norris Said:

"Lost Souls" is aptly titled. The album has a movement to it, and if that flow is taken apart, the songs are still great. Basically meaning, you can listen to the album all the way through, or you can just have a few favorite tracks and love the album because of it. It ain't one of those fancy albums designed to be artsy, but it does come off as premeditated, which is a really good thing. Lost Souls is a well calculated and deep album, but not too over thought (like this review(is over thought)).
Rating: 8/10