Review: Kingdom Of Rust - Doves

“Perennially underappreciated Manchester band return from the wilderness better than ever for their fourth album, critical acclaim and public adulation to follow, Mercury Prize a certainty”... One gets the impression that the headlines were already written for ‘Kingdom Of Rust’ long before its promo copies had been sent out. Such is the nature of life that for every band that finds success on its own terms, another four immediately get pigeon holed into the same rites of passage that their predecessors have trodden. Frankly though, Doves better than their current status as ‘the next Elbow’. Whilst the immediate similarities between the two are self evident, ‘Kingdom’ bears very little points of resemblance to ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’. In fact the only commonality the pair share is their theme of gradual evolution, building on the sound established in their previous LP and subtly shifting their parameters to accommodate this new ground.

Instead of bursting into life on the pounding drums of ‘Some Cities’ or the somber tones of ‘Firesuite’, ‘Kingdom’ opens with the pulsating of static of ‘Jetstream’ all the while bearing the familiar hallmarks of Doves’ nuanced prowess. Indeed the quality that Doves hold best, one that is put to superb use throughout the record, is their patience. The ability to allow each track over the course of its four or so minutes to set down its roots, slowly grow in stature and eventually blossom in a moment of beauty. Such an ace in the hole can sometimes require the patience of a saint (or horticulturalist) when listening to ‘Kingdom Of Rust’ but any investment placed in the LP is consistently paid off in dividends of grand proportions.

The album neatly frames itself around its centrepiece ‘10.03’. As can only be apt with a masterstroke from the brush of this Wimslow three piece, the song begins on the starkly unremarkable surroundings of cascading guitar strings and Jezz Williams’ baritone pinings for a lover he’s travelling away from on “the fast train”. Gradually though, these shrill chords build until they can soar no further and ’10.03’ majestically metamorphoses into a spaghetti western style breakdown and the rapture contained within becomes stratospheric. Other variations on this formula are played to equal effect throughout the album. Most notably, ‘The Greatest Denier’ and ‘Compulsion’ each resonate a lush sonisphere equivalent to the finest moments spread across Doves’ eleven year career.

As ‘Kingdom Of Rust’ comes to a close on ‘Lifelines’ though, a single thought can’t help but strike you, “This is all very well but exactly how far are Doves out of their comfort zone?” ‘Kingdom’ might well be the band’s best album to date. However, if one is seeking to avoid an excess of hyperbole, the quantities involved in this calculation are marginal. Doves have consistently produced a discography of high quality by knowing their strengths and playing overwhelmingly to them. As such ‘Kingdom’ represents the latest in a line of very good records rather than a miraculous resurrection from a four year hiatus.

8/10