Falling in Love All Over Again

Doves - Some Cities Went out first thing yesterday morning and bought this CD (along with the new Mars Volta) as soon as I could. I am a huge fan of their previous work and couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. And, luckily for all Rhapsody users, the album was added to the service sometime yesterday afternoon around 2pm. Anyway, I popped into my car CD player (which rocks) and thus began the slow process of falling deeply in love with yet another great album. And that's what the Doves always seem to release. Not a collection of songs, but an album. Not really concept albums, mind you, but solid, consistant, whole albums... devoid of filler tracks as well as poor song placement/transitions . While Some Cities doesn't deviate too dramatically from the established Doves sound on their two previous releases, it is decidedly less lush than The Last Broadcast... more direct, less fragile. But it completely works. The emotion flows even more intensely on this one as they amp it up in a few spots, with "Black and White Town" being more raucous than its cousin "There Goes the Fear," and a driving bass "drum" on "One of the Days," to drive the song home. There are some beautiful symphonic moments, such as "The Storm," and their underlying employment of more soul than any other Britpop band oozes on the near Motown "Walk in Fire," which if you removed the Doves' orchestration/instrumentation and had Otis Redding or someone similar perform the song, it would sound completely natural. I love this band. I love their unique sound. And I love that they continue to release great albums... no let downs thus far! Enjoy!