For anyone who doesn't know, Doves are an alternate pop/rock band, that push the boundaries of what is concieved as 'pop/rock'. They create a sound that is the perfect balance between catchy pop/rock tunes, and mellow more experimental music. The sound they capture is an almost one of a kind sound, you will find yourself wanting to dance to their music one second, and the next you will yourself lost in a saga of melodic brilliance.
'Lost Souls' was Doves first full length release, and for a debue album it isn't much short of amazing.
The album starts off with a very mellow tune called 'Firesuit'. This song sounds best when you close your eyes and sway to the music. It's a brilliant opener for the album, setting the mood for what is to come. The song has a floaty feel to it, it makes me feel like i'm floating off to some better place. I love the keys in this song, along with the bass line, and the guitaring..... and the vocals (although there are only two words muttered throughout the song "Hello" and "Yeah"), hec this is just an allround great song, one of my favourites on the album.
The album then goes head first into the catchier tracks like 'Here It Comes', 'Break Me Gently', and 'Sea Song'. Here It Comes is based around a nice bouncy piano riff, accopanied by some well placed lyrics ("this is the day, this is the time, to stare at the skies and wonder").
Break Me Gently is more guitar based than the first two tracks, and immediately sets the mood for the rest of the song with the first few plucking guitar riffs. The vocal work on this track really shows the complexity of the doves, they are deffinately an experimental band.
Sea Song is one of my favourite songs on the album. It is one of those song that will just get stuck in your head for days. The driving guitar chords and the mystical vocals are just irrisistable. The harmoica solo's in this song are great.
'Rise' is the next song on the album, and in my opinion is in a class of it's own; deffinately my favourite song on the album. It starts off with a simple but brilliant guitar riff, with some delay effects on it, which is impossible to not fall in love with. The lyrics in the verses are just amazing....
"Belly up in a sea of love, drown is good in a sea of funk. Drown is good in a cedar room, I'll keep you there, so long."
Then comes the incredible harmonica solo, which again just shows the talent that these three artist have, and the ability to take those talents and make inspiring and compelling music.
Next comes the title track "Lost Souls' which in my opinion is rather weak for a title track. Sure it has moments of greatness, but i often find myself skiping this track before it gets to those moments, i.e. when the vocals and most of the music disappear for a few bars, then everything comes back into together and more upbeat.
The same thing happens with the next track 'Melody Calls', it starts of with an awesome tune and some cool sounding vocals, but i get drawn into the temptation of skipping it once it comes to the happy bouncy chorus. It just doesnt hold up to the other great songs on the album.
'Catch The Sun' is the next song on the album and it starts with a heavier sounding guitar riff than the other songs, and a more upbeat catchy verse/chorus combo, but again i find myself getting bored about halfway through the song in my impatientness to get to the better songs on the album.
Then the album comes back to sanity and throws out two of the best tracks Doves have ever produced 'The Man Who Told Everything' and 'The Cedar Room'. TMWTE is a slower, melodic, acoustic number, with a great feel of sorrow throughout the song. The vocals are of particular interest, especially in the choruses. The orchestral backing music towards the end of the song really enhances the feeling of sorrow and the smoothness of this song.
'The Cedar Room' is the longest song on the album, running for over 7 and a half minutes, but even with the length I never get tempted to skip this song. I'm not sure what the noise is at the start of the song, sounds like a voice with some kind of tripped out effect put onto it, whatever it is it sounds amazing, then the guitars come in, then the song explodes into a glory of happiness, along with the clapping percussion and everything. Great guitaring keeps ths sleepy, mellow feel thoughout the whole song, it almost reminds me of some of Gilmour's brilliance at times.
The vocals are again nothing short of perfect, with enthralling lyrics to accompany the great voice...
"I try to sleep alone but I couldn't do it, you could be sitting next to me and i wouldn't know it. If i told you, you were wrong I don't remember sayin'...
The dreamy feel to verses are almost compelling, I won't be able to turn the song off when it's in the verse it just too 'nice' sounding.
I have to say that after 'The Cedar Room' it's hard to listen to anythinbg and not complain about it, but 'Reprise' and 'A House' are good finishing touches to this great album. Reprise is a good interlude after T.C.R, and the guitar work is nice.
I think A House is a weird ending to the album, it doesn't have any resemblence to the rest of the album musically, its almost a solo acoustic/vocal track just with a few sounds in the back to fill up the sound. It's a very thoughful finish to the album, almost a reflective journey on the album.
On the whole this is a lovable album, with some very, very, beautiful tracks on it, but it doesnt hold out as a whole album, some tracks let it down, and it is hard to listen to from start to finish because of that. But with saying that the majority of the album is brilliant, and deserves more credit than it recieves.
Firesuit, Sea Song, Rise, and The Cedar Room are stand out tracks for me.
