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Jul 01, 2019 Web Exclusive By Dom Gourlay

A further three years would pass before Doves were to unleash their next collection of new songs. Once again highlighting the diversity within its creators musical palettes, third album Some Cities followed a similar pattern to its predecessors and in lead single “Black and White Town” paid tribute to the northern soul scene that dominated Manchester and its surrounding areas throughout the 1970s.

Changing producers from Steve Osborne—who’d worked on the band’s first two albums—to Ben Hillier gave the record a more stripped back sound, which fit with a lot of the arrangements and indeed lyrical themes throughout the record. “Snowden” still sounds like My Bloody Valentine recorded by Joe Meek, while the diminutive “Walk in Fire” and “Sky Starts Falling” both have an Elvis Costello feel about them, albeit in his most rabble rousing, dissonant phase.

Closing on the poignant “Ambition,” it set the scene for endless possibilities as to where Doves would veer next. Further illustrating the band’s penchant for creating observational and occasionally personal vignettes over a plethora of styles and arrangements; it’s a worthwhile addition to anyone’s collection and nice to have on vinyl thanks to this new reissue. (www.dovesofficial.com)

Author rating: 8.5/10