DOVES
Constellations For The Lonely (EMI North)
After the release of Doves’ fifth album The Universal Want in 2020, frontman Jimi Goodwin was given time to recover from health issues, but he’s very much back in the fold on followup Constellations For The Lonely. His vocals on A Drop In The Ocean and Renegades are two impressive examples on show here, while Cold Dreaming, with Goodwin’s bandmates Jez and Andy Williams vocal harmonising, has the aura of a long-lost John Lennon classic.
Cult and noir cinema has always influenced Doves’ creativity, with echoes of Morricone’s spaghetti western soundscapes seeping through their interlacing guitar sound in the past. This time round, Renegades taps into the futurist dystopia of Blade Runner, whilst Orlando draws influence from the mesmerising bleakness of Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas.
Constellations…, with its songs of disconnection and reconnection in a volatile world, is an emotionally powerful listen that packs an authentic punch matched by its widescreen sonic beauty. Despite many obstacles thrown in their path, Doves seem to never fail to impress when they return and this album is no exception.
words DAVID NOBAKHT
