When
Doves issued Lost Souls in fall 2000,
britpop was immersed in its melodic gloom-and-doom era, ushered in by the success of
Radiohead. The likes of
Coldplay,
Travis,
Elbow, and
Starsailor followed in their wake, as did
Doves. What separated
Doves from the rest was a glint of passion, evident on their 2000 debut, Lost Souls. Two years later, the atmospheric dreamscapes of Lost Souls were torn asunder for the musical daybreak of The Last Broadcast. As it turns out, the
psychedelic vibrancy of "Catch the Sun," the brightest track on the album, pointed toward this brave second record. Gone are the hazy
space rock trips and the cheerless attitudes;
Doves are on the sunny side of the street for The Last Broadcast. The seven-minute sonic boom of "There Goes the Fear" finds
Jimi Goodwin sharing vocals with
Jez and
Andy Williams for a glorious chorus. Each of them switches up vocal duties throughout, lending a joyous feel to the album itself. From the bold front of "Words" to the fiery momentum of "Pounding," The Last Broadcast shows a refreshing rawness that was absent before.
The High Llamas'
Sean O'Hagan delivers sweeping orchestral arrangements for the sublime "Friday's Dust," while the electronic dewdrops of "The Sulphur Man" push
Doves' divine ambience further to the front.
Doves were caught up in making grand compositions on Lost Souls, which worked fabulously, but it was too much. They've stripped down to the basics, letting the optimism of The Last Broadcast take center stage. It's a brilliant moment. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
Jessica T. (