The iconic Manchester trio of the noughties, Doves, are back with their new album The Universal Want, their first in 11 years.
The Mercury Prize nominees and 2002 chart-toppers had been dropping breadcrumbs in rare interviews when they announced their return in 2018 and, Jimi Goodwin, Andy and Jez Williams have remained reluctant custodians of their barely-kept secret of a new album throughout last year’s busy period of memorable festival and outdoor headline shows.
Coming together to confirm themselves, as an artistic unit for the first time since sessions ended on 2009’s Kingdom Of Rust, the cherished Manchester trio said the album has become an equally poignant and celebratory document of both time passed and time recouped.
“It’s definitely got the stamp of ‘the time’ all over it,” says Jez, as fans have waited patiently for over a decade for another record. “Everything on the album is an echo. It’s an echo of what we were going through at the time. Getting back together, the Royal Albert Hall and everything else.”
Kicking the LP off with their first single for The Universal Want, ‘Carousels’, Doves returned in an experimental mood. The track’s opening instrumentation and indecipherable speech is truly anthemic. Capturing the sounds of isolation, disquiet and melancholy before shifting course, the song is built around a sample of the late, great drummer Tony Allen in full stride. Carousels’ beats are dappled with cascading piano lines, growling bass and a disarming vocal performance from Goodwin.
“It’s a reminiscence of the times that we’d go to places like North Wales on holiday as kids,” says Andy Williams. “Places where you had your first experience of sound systems and music being played really loud.”
Doves then swiftly followed that up with two more singles; ‘Prisoners’ and ‘Cathedrals Of The Mind’. The first forces attention upon itself, not least with the poignancy of Goodwin’s repeated greeting to ‘old friends’, but as an unstoppable, driving tale of caution in a world of unending desire.
‘Prisoners’ fanned by wiry guitar breaks and cuts of ethereal noise contorting beneath layers of stacked vocals. A statuesque musical statement, which guides Doves’ second chapter to a peak now within touching distance, the lyrics contrasting to express unease with modern ills.
‘Cathedrals Of The Mind’ is certainly more atmospheric and ethereal as Doves dig deep to find their inner selves. Looping guitar lines, bass subdued to scratchy dub outlines and echo-laden percussion punctuate the track’s rolling landscape, with Goodwin’s affecting vocal performance effortlessly evoking both hurt and hope in each breath.
The track subtly continues The Universal Want’s gentle undercurrent of political and social commentary, revealing a band emboldened with new ideas, weaving together borrowed, twisted and reworked sounds.
At the helm of guitars, backing vocals and programming, Jez Williams comments: “The song stems from a single hook, which developed to evoke this expansive internal monologue, this never-ending chasm of thought.
“Subconsciously, through words thrown against it and made to fit, it came to be about someone always being on your mind. The listener can form their own ideas. For me, it was about the loss of Bowie.”
Latest single ‘Broken Eyes’ stalls with a guitar-driven, future live favourite that goes back to their first session as a revived creative force. It’s the epitome of Jimi Goodwin, Andy and Jez William’s new approach of leaving nothing off the table, playing from the soul and taking the road that feels right. ‘I Will Not Hide’ follows a similar approach by going more electric and the heavy use of soundtracks is prominent throughout The Universal Want.
At five-minutes 28 seconds ‘For Tomorrow’ is the longest record on the album sounds haunted in the lyrics asking for hope as it feels like Goodwin is contemplating the Covid time we are currently in.
‘Cycle Of Hurt’ is arguably the album’s only low point. The samples, spoken word and acid house intro sets itself apart from other tracks until the lush orchestration and guitar open for a magnificent solo. ‘The Universal Want’ emphasizes the ever-present quality of the song’s topic by echoing Doves when they were still Sub Sub.
The Universal Want is a listening experience of welcome depth. Whilst feeling relevant, but not preachy, Doves have stuck to their guns having carved out a niche in the 00s. Their songwriting is next to none and hearing familiar tones on top of new sounds is a refreshing approach for the trio. It’s just good to have them back in business.
Last month, Doves announced a run of 17 UK & Ireland tour dates, including a rapidly sold-out emotional homecoming at Manchester’s O2 Apollo, plus additional dates at both the O2 Academy Brixton and Glasgow Barrowland to keep up with demand.
With limited tickets remaining, The Universal Want UK & Ireland Tour dates are as follows:
March
21 – Cardiff, University Great Hall
22 – Bournemouth, O2 Academy
23 – Norwich, UEA
25 – Brighton, Brighton Dome
26 – London, O2 Academy Brixton
27 – London, O2 Academy Brixton
29 – Bristol, O2 Academy
30 – Birmingham, O2 Academy
April
1 – Manchester, O2 Apollo SOLD OUT
2 – Nottingham, Rock City
3 – Newcastle, O2 Academy
5 – Liverpool, Eventim Olympia
6 – Dublin, Olympia
7 – Belfast, Limelight
9 – Sheffield, O2 Academy
10 – Glasgow, Barrowland SOLD OUT
11 – Glasgow, Barrowland
The Universal Want is released on limited, coloured vinyl editions, CD and digital formats, as well as a special-edition box set. Visit www.dovesofficial.com for information on all available Doves releases as well as live dates.
