29 April 2013

29th April - Doves' The Last Broadcast


Artist – Album: Doves – The Last Broadcast
Released:  29th April 2002
Sounds Like: One of the albums of my teen years

The first gig I ever went to with just me, my friends, and no adult supervision was Doves at the Apollo circa the release of this record. Supported by the phenomenal Delgados, and aided by grainy video vignettes, Jim Goodwin and co’s pulsating indie rock and mesmeric melodies blew our tiny little minds. I remember leaving the gig in a state of euphoria and promptly snapped up a 6 foot tall poster of the album cover from a vendor outside the venue, which would go on to adorn my bedroom wall until well after I left university and which would periodically fall down and blanket me as I slept.

As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t really feel like Doves get the recognition they deserve and they’re often wrongfully grouped with the gloomy piano rockers such as Coldplay, Keane and Starsailor. From the samba tinged ‘There Goes the Fear’ to the slow burning ballad ‘Satellites’, the album is brilliantly consistent and consistently brilliant and should stand as a reminder of their true greatness.

The jangly pop of ‘Words’, the atmospheric ‘N.Y.’, the supremely aptly named ‘Pounding’, the creepy ‘Friday’s Dust’, and the beautiful album closer ‘Caught by the River’ - these were all songs that my fourteen year old self absolutely adored. It’s cool to think that at twenty four they still sound great to me.

Albumaday... rating: 8/10

1.       Intro – 1:18
2.       Words – 5:42
3.       There Goes the Fear – 6:54
4.       M62 Song – 3:48
5.       Where We’re Calling From – 1:24
6.       N.Y. – 5:46
7.       Satellites – 6:50
8.       Friday’s Dust – 3:35
9.       Pounding – 4:45
10.   Last Broadcast – 3:22
11.   The Sulphur Man – 4:37
12.   Caught by the River – 5:55

Listen to ‘Caught by the River’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7JFqeoGeZ0



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