Doves Some Cities CD

"Some Cities" retains Doves euphoric/melancholic sound, but with a warmer, more soulful feel than previously and echoes of classic Motown and Northern Soul.

Doves: Andy Williams, Jez Williams, Jimi Goodwin.
Audio Mixers: Ben Hillier; Rich Costey.
Recording information: 2Khz, London, England; Andy's House; Angel Studios; Fort Augustus Abbey; Moolah Rough, Rockport, Manchester, England; Panarific; Parr Street Studios, Liverpool; The Dairy, Brixton, England; The Old School House, Fort Augustus; Whitfield Street Studios, Soho.
For those who adored the lush textures of Doves' second album, The Last Broadcast, the seriousness of Some Cities might be a bit jarring. The ambitious indie rock trio is much more direct and exact this time out, and it's a great shift in style. In contrast to this opus, optimism ruled on The Last Broadcast, which soared with a majestic celestial setting of bright choruses, vibrant electronic beats, and gushing guitar riffs. Some Cities percolates with more of a hopeful but grounded spirit, an English spirit. The band's native Manchester comes into view. Shades of ash and cinder surround Doves' guitar flow, but without melancholy. The album's title track captures that with vocalist/guitarist Jimi Goodwin's earnest plea, "Some cities crush/Some cities heal/Some cities laugh/While other cities steal/Can't I make you see?" Pianos and drums run parallel on "Black and White Town" and match the adrenaline and motion of "There Goes the Fear." Only two songs in, the band's soft dreamy focus turns into complex emotion, and it's beautifully done. Both the sweeping acoustic guitars of "Someday Soon" and the symphonic lament "The Storm" continue the cinematic slow burn of Some Cities, reflecting upon a cloudy countryside. Escaping the dreariness of Manchester is what fueled Doves to start a band in the first place. Some Cities isn't a Mancunian downer. It's very real and Doves' best yet. ~ MacKenzie Wilson
With their third outing, SOME CITIES, Doves created their most cohesive album to date. While the British trio's debut, LOST SOULS, conjured up a wonderfully melancholy mood, and its follow-up, THE LAST BROADCAST, expanded the band's sonic palette, SOME CITIES sees Doves fine-tuning their sound with the strengths of both previous releases. Atmospheric rock remains the group's calling card, as best exemplified by the shimmering "Almost Forgot Myself," the string-laden "The Storm," and the woozy "Shadows of Salford." Although the album is filled with mid-tempo tunes, "Black and White Town" picks up the pace with a Motown-like backbeat, "Walk in Fire" builds to a thrilling crescendo (much like THE LAST BROADCAST's "There Goes the Fear"), and "Sky Starts Falling" presents the trio in a buoyant, rocked-out mode. Crafting three excellent albums in a row is a tall order for any band, but with SOME CITIES, Doves have done exactly that.

Rolling Stone (No. 969, p.114) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[B]rightens up the widescreen gloom of their 2000 debut, LOST SOULS, dishing out hopeful, multitracked choruses and liquid guitars..."
Spin (p.92) - "[E]ven tracks that start off small and lonesome build to OK COMPUTER arena levels." - Grade: B
Entertainment Weekly (No. 809, p.73) - "[C]ondenses the spacey sprawl of previous works for a tighter album, yet still maintains the Doves' distinct ethereality....[A] wondrously exhilarating, shimmering pop masterpiece." - Grade: A-
Uncut (p.94) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[R]ich and bold and quite beautiful....This wonderful, distinct album makes Doves automatically leaders of the pack."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.101) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[With] the beautiful, flute-laced, stop-start lament of 'Someday Soon', the epically inclined 'Walk In Fire' and the Air-like ambience of 'The Storm'."