This fourth album is four years on from Doves last and nine from previous best, 2000 debut
Lost Souls
. Here, the band, whose roots lie as a dance act in Manchester clubland, has found a higher gear and grander sound on a record which thinks nothing of switching from mechanical Krautrock to Johnny Cash-like country back to epic electronics in the space of its thrilling first three songs.
It's a great start to an album which keeps up a infectious forward momentum throughout, though that falters briefly on
Compulsion
, a disco-rock number referencing Blondie's
Rapture
.
But the rest is widescreen music that is dynamically, and elegantly psychedelic, whether it's the grinding guitar wig-out of
10.03
or the Beach Boys chorale floating above
Birds Flew Backwards
. Britrock album of the year anyone?
Russell Baillie