Doves Kingdom of Rust

Corporate Line: The critically acclaimed and beloved British trio Doves return with their first album in four years, “Kingdom of Rust.” Comprised of brothers Jez and Andy Williams, and Jimi Goodwin, the trio has been recording the album for the past 18 months, having ensconced themselves to a farm house-come-studio in backwaters of Cheshire, England. They teamed up with long time Doves collaborator Dan Austin to co-produce all but 2 tracks of Kingdom Of Rust. For the remaining 2 tracks; “10.03″ and “Winter Hill,” the group worked with ace producer John Leckie (Stone Roses,Radiohead).

The single “Kingdom of Rust”, lands in the broodier atmospherics of Lost Souls, strapped with a Johnny Cash bassline; “Jetstream” is a stomping Doves classic in waiting, fitted with a propulsive krautrock motorik, it inherits the bands dance DNA from their former Sub Sub extraction, with other searing standouts (“Greatest Denier”, “Lifeline”) rounding out this career defining album.

Review:
“Jetstream” – An interesting track that is part rock and part Kraftwerk. The interesting thing is that it doesn’t sound unique.

“Kingdom of Rust” – To come right off “Jetstream” into this track, which is more country than anything else, is a bit bizarre. Frankly, I’d rather hear the Doves doing these types of tracks rather than the prior. It fits them a lot better and it’s far better.

“The Outsiders” – This is a typical rock song. Seems the Doves decided to release a track that might be a bit more radio friendly.

“Winter Hill” – Another track that sounds written for the radio and at trying their best at producing an anthem. It doesn’t miss the boat entirely. It’s lovely just not inspiring.

“10:03” – Gloomy and sad and yet it sounds something like a spiritual track that should make us feel okay. It’s a bit confusing. And yet its quite good.

“The Greatest Denier” – Skip it. There’s nothing interesting here other than the Rolling Stone-esque instrumentation.

“Birds Flew Backwards” – This is a pretty song that sounds like they’ve been listening to a lot of the Beach Boys experimental albums. The only problem is that it sounds lyrically empty.

“Spellbound” – Forgettable.

“Compulsion” – The fact that it reminds me of disco and Duran Duran doesn’t bode well.

“House of Mirrors” – Again, this sounds like Duran Duran from the ‘80s. I can’t get into it at all.

“Lifelines” – This is strictly leftovers.

Finally:
The Doves get the best out of their first five songs and then offer up some average songs after that. It’s hard to proclaim this a must buy album when you can download the first few songs and get the best there is to offer.

The other issue with the album is too eclectic. They go from techno to country to spiritual to disco. I’d love to see them stick to one style and give it their best. If this would have been more like the title track, “Kingdom of Rust,” from beginning to end it would have been a home run.

Doves announce a Spring US tour to support the release of their new album called Kingdom of Rust (released April 7 on Astralwerks/Heavenly). Kingdom of Rust is an album that is arguably Doves’ most sonically adventurous, intimate, cerebral, rhythmic and most eclectic record to date.

Doves have been recording their follow up for the past 18 months, having ensconced themselves to a farm house-come-studio in Cheshire. In doing so they teamed up with long time Doves collaborator Dan Austin to co produce all but two tracks on Kingdom Of Rust. For the remaining two tracks Doves enlisted producer John Leckie (Stone Roses, Radiohead) to record ‘Winter Hill’ and ’10.03′. Kingdom Of Rust was mixed by Michael Brauer, Dan Austin and the band.

Upon first listening, Kingdom Of Rust sounds unequivocally Doves, maybe it’s because it’s been conceived with their trademark intensity. That said, Kingdom Of Rust takes Doves into more uncharted and experimental territory than ever before.

Take the first track on the album ‘Jetstream’, a track Doves gave away last month via www.doves.net, fitted with a kraut motorik, it’s a kraftwerk kissed electro pearl. In contrast, eponymous title track ‘Kingdom Of Rust’, is a broad stroke of Lancastrian spaghetti Western drama. Elsewhere, ‘Compulsion’ sees Doves achieving a homage to the kind of wonky-leftfield disco that experiments that might have been played out at The Loft or the Paradise Factory in their 80′s hey day, While, ‘The Outsider’ sounds like what may have happened had time allowed Chuck Berry to Jam with Joy Division. Include the Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers) arranged “10.03″, and anthems in waiting ‘Winter Hill’ and ‘Greatest Denier’ to that list and you have the most expansive and rhythmic Doves record to date.

There will be a ticket pre-sale beginning Wednesday, March 11th. Go to astralwerks.com for more info. The password is: Jetstream

TOUR DATES
5/14 San Diego, CA House of Blues
5/15 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
5/16 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
5/18 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
5/19 Eugene, OR McDonald Theatre
5/21 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
5/22 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
5/23 George, WA Sasquatch! Festival
5/26 Denver, CO Gothic Theatre
5/28 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
5/29 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
5/30 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
6/01 Toronto, ON Kool Haus
6/02 Montreal, QC Le National
6/04 New York, NY Terminal 5
6/05 Philadelphia, PA The Trocadero
6/06 Washington, DC 9.30 Club
6/07 Boston, MA House of Blues

The free download “Jetstream” is a stomping Doves classic in waiting. Fitted with a propulsive krautrock motorik, it inherits the bands dance DNA from their former Sub Sub extraction. It is with a searing intensity and the kind of brooding melancholic refrain that has become the Doves trademark that “Jetstream” blazes the trail for a new a new direction while simultaneously bearing all the hallmarks of an all time Doves classic.

For more information on the Doves and free download, please visit www.doves.net.

Kingdom of Rust
Track Listing:

1. Jetstream
2. Kingdom of Rust
3. The Outsiders
4. Winter Hill
5. 10.03
6. The Greatest Denier
7. Birds Flew Backwards
8. Spellbound
9. Compulsion
10. House of Mirrors
11. Lifelines