Reviews (page 2 of 8)
This scratched the right part of my brain today I'd never heard of Doves - was expecting it to be more rock. But it sounded like early Coldplay, with hints of Snow Patrol Loved it!!! What a find 5 ⭐️
Another surprising winner.
I love this album - these guys always felt underrated compared to their peers like Elbow and Coldplay - but this is right up there with them for me.
Very nice!
- Hab den Namen der Band immer mal wieder gehört aber mich noch nicht wirklich aktiv mit den auseinandergesetzt. - Ich dachte teilweise während ich das Album gehört habe: Sind das etwas "coole U2"? Weniger Pathos und Klischee mehr Authentizität und Ehrlichkeit. - Die Platte war richtig aufbauend und und steckte voller Energie. Habe ich vielleicht im richtigen Moment gehört; Sie hat mich jedenfalls voll abgeholt. - Manche Passagen, Effekte und Ideen sind vielleicht etwas in die Jahre gekommen; das hat aber meinem Gefallen keinen Abbruch getan. - Irgendwann beim Hören kam der drittletzte Song "Last Broadcast" und da dachte ich dann "HÄÄÄ?! DEN KENN ICH DOCH?!" Ich weiß leider nicht mehr woher. Hab den schon hundert mal gehört aber kann den in keiner Playlist finden. 4,5/5
Been a huge fan of Doves since I was a teen. One of the first gigs I ever went to was Doves in Colston Hall, Bristol. Every track is brilliant on this in my book.
Boundless joy. One of my favourite albums of all time.
Soaring, sprawling anthems interspersed with gentle, dreamy acoustic led numbers. Reflective and melancholy but optimistic, this is Doves creative and commercial peak and a great way to bring up the 1001. Particularly shout out to 'Satellites'. I love that song. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: There Goes The Fear Date listened: 15/04/24
I wasn’t familiar with this band or album, but I thought this album was fantastic. “Words” hooked me right from the start, and there until the last track, this album was full of beautiful melodies. There were so many great sounds to take in on every song: great guitar playing, light and airy percussion, beautiful synthesizers, and hypnotic string arrangements. This album reminded me of The Bends, with a dashes of Beach House, My Bloody Valentine, and The Charlatans sprinkled throughout. One of my favorite things about Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ocean Rain is that the album feels both massive and intimate at the same time, and this album’s vocals really achieved that affect too, through some clever echo effects. Even though this album reminded me of work by other musicians, I thought the overall sound was incredibly unique, and it never felt like it was just trying to copy and paste someone else’s sound. This was beautiful from start to finish, and I’m excited to review the other Doves album on this list.
Good album. Enjoyed listening!
Participating in 1001 has made me realize that every album on this list is has been Beautiful Minded onto this list. It's just human nature. Our brains are just one giant vacuum sucking up references and then using those references to validate an album. If you like 'A' and 'B' and 'C' is similar to 'A', then you'll also like 'C.' So the assumption is, if you hate Coldplay and Doves sound like Coldplay, then you'll hate Doves isn't always correct. First of all most of us who like Coldplay won't readily admit they like Coldplay. But if you say you like the Doves, does that mean you like Coldplay? I just don't see Coldplay on this album. Nothing about this album screams "I'm Chris Martin, I have bad teeth and I'm going to seduce your girlfriend..." I read lot's of complaining about Coldplay rip offs ("and that's why this band sucks"), but to me, The Doves stand far outside of the mainstream, at least here in the states. But I can see how a band like The Doves might strike ire of true British music fans. This album was released and went straight to number 1 on the British charts. The band became a cash cow, selling a full-length compilation DVD, included a documentary, had music that played at the start of all Manchester City F.C. games, more music on sports networks. Then there's the little tidbit that before becoming a band on 1001, the three members were a dance-club music trio called Sub Sub. That's enough ammo for me to hate the band too. Those Coldplay references weren't about how the band sounded but how the band 'sold out,' what the band did with their music by making it available everywhere and to everyone; which sounds a lot like Coldplay. But the truth is that I got lost in the drony full-winded long notes of the singers nasal-y, yet muffled voice and the errant out of place guitar notes sprinkled atop the many layers of basic riffs. I enjoyed the music and the realities of what most Brits experience was not mine, but if those were my realities, I'd score this band a lot lower.
very cool
I liked this album. They sound a little like Coldplay. A few duds mixed in but I’m excited to keep listening to the good ones!
If Coldplay were better
Reminded me of Telescreen
Never heard of them before. Awesome stuff.
I vibed to this one so hard
Apparently I was raised on this album. Who knew.
A really fun album! Somehow I missed everything about it for the last 20 years - how come I have never heard of it, is it not as catchy as Blur and Oasis? Well, probably it's not, not even close. Also, I'm not a fan of Man City, so how could I know about their great song "Words"? This album is genuinely great piece of interesting indie rock, with no extravagant motifs, but very entertaining from the top to the bottom. I was not bored during any of their songs, very solid record overall. I would like to come back to this album later, so to catch my attention I will give it a 5 stars, but to think of it, I would give it the highest note anyway. Doves will now regularly fly in my playlist.
This was a very good album. I'm really fond of this early-to-mid noughties post-britpop kind of thing, so I knew I'd enjoy this. I'd heard one or two of these tracks before, though I couldn't say I was familiar with Doves as a band. This was a generally chill record, pretty upbeat, though it slows, darkens, takes weird turns, and never really gets boring. It felt quite psychedelic and spaced out at times, and I'm all for that kind of thing. Definite Radiohead vibes, but maybe a little more generic in the lyrics. Still a very good album though! Favourite: The Goes The Fear
One of my favourite bands. I know no one who knows them though. I discovered Doves when I was on Oasis forums in the early/mid 2000s. What can I say I was a popular person in university. I had downloaded Some Cities off a torrent and it sat on my iPod for a few months until I remember I was in bed one night listening to music and a song from them came on and I was immediately hooked. I had heard The Last Broadcast and the rest of Doves a ton in the 2000s (I actually saw them live in 2009 when I went to Scotland at T in the Park. Excellent show). This is their best album, although I still have a soft spot for the melancholy vibes of Some Cities. I haven’t heard this one in probably 10 years though. I forgot how much Doves are a vibes and groove band. Very much like The Verve. The songs all do go on for too long, the vocals are really not great. Now that I have good speakers to listen on and not iPod earbuds I can hear the production on this really is not good. But I have enough nostalgia to carry me through.
Will definitely replay this again
I am speechless. Unsure what to say here. Literally could not miss. I have never heard of this band or any of their songs until now, but it was worth the wait. Some call it brit-pop, others call it indie rock, I call it perfection. The first listen through made me think 4 instantly, but for days afterwards I was singing the songs in my head. I had been saying that I regret not giving Oasis a 5, but this album felt exponentially better. Albums like these are the reason I joined this group. I just feel pure bliss.
I have a lot of pre-existing love for Doves (Although slightly prefer their previous album to this one) and, I'm not gonna lie, seeing all the reviews comparing them to Coldplay stings. In my head they're filed in a totally different box to Coldplay, but I guess I can hear what people are talking about. 😒 Goes to show how much having stuff forced on me by the TV and radio really coloured my perceptions. If Coldplay had got less airplay and Doves had been plastered over the airwaves, maybe my sympathies would be reversed? On the other hand, listening through again, maybe Doves are just objectively better than Coldplay and I was right the whole time - yeah, let's go with that! 😈 Fave track - "Words", "Satellites", "Caught By The River" are all solid. The bonus disc has a cover of something from the Wicker Man soundtrack too! 😍
Ett jävla bra album
Underrated band that weirdly didn’t have the staying power of Elbow. As good? Yeah probably.
One of the very very best
Really liked this album, never heard of this band before either. Such an eclectic mix of songs, chill album, will definitely listen again! Saved tracks: There Goes The Fear, M62 Song, N.Y., Friday's Dust
Surpriseingly Nice album!
Forgot how much I love the doves! Great album!
Didn’t know this band at all, and I’m impressed! Rich orchestration, interesting arrangements, nice variety. All in all, a really great album. Adding this to my list of favourites from project!
Got a good Coldplay sound to it. I really like this. VERY underrated album how have I never heard of this album, any of the songs, or even the band?!
Merci messieurs
A fantastic album. I am a big fan of their music
Hooked from the first song. I almost skipped this one due to lack of time, but I'm glad I made time for it. There Goes the Fear is super catchy. Satellites is lovely. Friday's Dust feels haunting.
Very dramatic episode of a 2000s TV show vibe going on. Really enjoyed it.
Yeah this really impressed me different in areas but worthy of a re-listen. Kinds felt a bit like Coldplay meets gorillaz but was also its own animal
This is one of the best British albums of all time. There isn’t a bad track on it.
I listened to their first album before this one and it blew me away, 10/10 post rock I think the first song I noticed that I found really phenomenal was Sea Song, the three songs before that were amazing but it was that fourth song that really made me love the album, and everything after that was incredible too but then I listened to the second album, and I think I liked it even more, it had so many cool songs, that is easily worth a 10/10 for me but then I noticed they did something really special, THEY DID A COVER OF A FUCKING KING CRIMSON SONG Moonchild is one of my favorite songs in general, the fact they made a bluesy, post-rock cover of one of my favorite prog rock songs is so fucking cool idk I’ve always had a soft spot for any media that uses King Crimson, especially in movies like Mandy, Children of Men, and Buffalo ‘66 (although there are MANY other reasons I love that last one) anyways this a really incredible album for me, if you like post-rock this is definitely worth a listen
Classic album. excellent guitar led rock. Pounding on of my top 10 songs. Cover art 3/5
me surpreendeu bastante até agora! tem até um brasileirinho em there goes The fear auhsua AMEI
Bueno!
I really loved this. I don't think I fully absorbed it, but I'm going to give it a 5 because there's nothing i DIDN'T like about it, and I think I'll continue to like it more and more as I re-listen.
This rips
I was really impressed by this album, I love the instrumentation, the I love the mixing, I LOVE THE MUSIC. The voice is great, and it's just all around always great sounding to my ears. I loved this album, lots
Wonderful piece of work
Grata Sorpresa
Great indie-brit album. 'Words' is an all-time great song. Similar to Interpol, Elbow, British Seapower.
Have never heard this before. Easily one of the best albums ive heard in 10 years
Words: very good There goes the fear: excellent M62 Song: good N.Y.: very good Satellites: amazing Friday’s Dust: very good Pounding: amazing Last broadcast: very good The sulphur man: excellent Caught by the River: excellent 9.5/10
I didn't know who this band was, but I'm glad to have found them. This album is remarkable.
Best album from a fantastic band
"Pounding" was a great track, and "Last Broadcast" reminded me of a Gorillaz track. Moody British indie tunes, what's not to love?
Brilliant.
9,3 Discazo
Early 00's mellow Grunge
jinudge ko sila by album cover but they turned out goooooood! WHY DO I KNOW THERE GOES THE FEAR! ohhhh 500 days!
A truly great live band, but on record, you need to give these songs time to sink in. As others have said, possibly not as good as their debut, Lost Souls, but it has some excellent singles and the intensity never drops. Brilliant!
Doves get a low 4, i’ve always really liked Doves and have never loved them, and this album is exactly that
A real mix of sound, really enjoyed this
People dunno what they’re talking about calling this boring. Doves were my first concert! I dunno if this is their best, but I admire the atmosphere that’s created with the interlude tracks, with a lot of bangers along the way.
I love this, ever since I stumbled across them playing 'There Goes the Fear'at Glastonbury on telly. They incorporate influences from dance music, Northern soul and other genres into indie rock really well. The whole album has never grabbed me as much as the famous tracks do though, sadly.
8/10 Best songs: Words, There Goes the Fear, M62 Song, Pounding A hundred and some songs ago I got the album Lost Souls, the debut album by Doves, and rated it 5 stars. Needless to say, I was curious to find out how this album would compare. As it turns out, I really enjoy the beginning of the album and one or two songs elsewhere; the rest of the album, particularly towards the middle, gets a bit same-y, ultimately sounding indistinguishable from other indie rock albums from the early 2000s. I think this band is (was?) at its best when it's trying for more atmospheric or non-standard beats and rhythms, rather than the typical rock sound. That's not to say that I dislike the album, because I don't, but it certainly isn't as strong as their first album.
I was there for this one. This will bring back memories of house parties, school exams and being on the cusp of adulthood. 1) [Intro] - Ethereal/sinister. Leads into words nicely. 2) **** [Words] - Radio classic early indie/00s rock. Easy to listen to, soothing melodies. The vocals seem low in the mix. 3) ***** [There goes the fear] - I'm heading out of my exams, into that long, long summer break. I am free. This is another radio friendly track. I like how it fades out at times in reflective chill then the drums pound back in. Little thought: These songs are layered. I didn't notice it back in the day but there's a lot going on, samples, little cameo's by instruments, fusion of styles. 4) *** [M62 Song] - The M62 is a barren, often foggy and windswept drive over the hills. It's wild and devoid of civilisation. This captures it perfectly. Apparently an adaption of a king crimson track (I am 100% sure they will be in this project). They synth at the end is haunting... 5) ** [Where we're calling from] I'm assuming we are leaving the M62 and heading into Manchester or Hull. Ambient track - leads nicely into... 6) **** [N.Y.] Oh we are going to New York? Funny M62 this - must have just kept going after Manc! Synth organ is always a winner for me. I really enjoy the drumming here. Feels almost prog adjacent. With the King Crimson influences on track 4 it makes sense. 7) **** [Satellites] The "ping" sound is awesome. I do feel like I am in space orbiting the earth. The choir add more etherealness. Little thought: Carrying on from earlier - they started as dance trio [Sub Sub] - now the song structures, layering, repetition makes sense. 8) ** [Friday's Dust] Multi-Instrumental menagerie. Not my favourite. 9) ***** [Pounding] An uplifting pop-rock anthem. Aptly named. 10) *** [The last broadcast] Space/dream pop. Should be the last track on naming alone. -1* ;) 11)*** [Sulphur Man] Dramatic introduction but then kinda floats flatly into the main track. Downbeat yet soothing. 12) ***** [Caught by the river] Accoutic powered, folky. Soars. A great album closer. Rounding up to a strong 4/5. I'll definitely add this into my rotation and look for a physical copy.
Had no idea what i was in for but i was pleasantly surprised! Its very early 00’s and sounds like some good Coldplay. Standouts are Words, N.Y., Pounding and Last Broadcast.
I had this album from back in the day. I really like it. Slow, and something of a downer, but sometimes that's what you're looking for.
Easy listen, every track is good but nothing stands out as exceptional. Would keep in my collection though.
I swear “There Goes The Fear Again” has a Radiohead melody. Overall very post-rocky, reminds me a lot of Radiohead. Good album 4/5
I had heard more of this album than I thought I had, as I believe it was primary advert soundtrack fodder in the early 00s, and I can hear how influential in this was, at least in UK indie rock (pre-landfill) of the time The vocals can be a bit dreary at times, but I am a big fan of the production and post-rock tropes it utilises. It does things a lot better than the bands it clearly influenced. I can imagine that if I had listened to this as young teenager it would have been one of my long standing favourites.
Not sure I have Words after this Last Broadcast.
I really enjoyed this overall. I imagine if I had heard it when it came out, it'd probably be a 5-star album for me. But overall, I still think it's worth a 4.
First half of the album is strong and then gets a bit repetitive. 3.5 stars
Excellent second song
A little bit of Dave Grohl, a little bit of Coldplay, a smidge of Oasis and a dollop of Tears for Fears. I dig it. The Doves to Keane / Snow Patrol pipeline was criminally under advertised.
A good solid album from beginning to end. 4 stars or B.
Honestly pretty good. Like bear naked ladies but alternative. I love this album cover and it matches the vibe pretty well. This is definitely something special not a lot of people will appreciate. Music was okay tho.
Pretty good
Like if Ride wrote songs that could be used in Masterchef. "I'm sorry Mark, but your souffle just didn't work today. I'm afraid you're leaving us." I like it.
A lot of the music and tones are bright, many of the lyrics feel sad or melancholic. There's a lot of celestial/cosmic sounds through the production that I associate with early 2000's albums which I really like. New to me. I thought it was very good.
A pretty solid outing from these guys. Liked this a lot better than Lost Souls. Surprisingly upbeat and consistent.
Ambient, alt rock album. Feels like this pre-empts bands like M83. Enjoyed this quite a bit, 4* Highlights: where we're calling from, satellites
Good band good album!
I know this isn’t exact the best place to say this, but for lack of a better space, it’ll do just fine. I’m on the home turf of the blokes who made the book this entire site is based on this week, and I’ve had the time of my life so far. I think one of the funniest coincidences that keeps happening is listening to music on pub speakers, car radios, hotel lobbies or just anywhere else that has music playing, and then hearing something I’ve only heard of because of this site. Without fail it has made me laugh several times now. Anyway, I was taking a lovely walk in the park to accompany my first few goes around of this album today. To say that might have unintentionally bumped up my rating of this album by a good bit would be an understatement. I think on an average day this album would be a 3. However, today was really special. Listening to this very calm music while walking in a beautiful garden in a foreign country had me quite emotional. I’ll actually remember this entire album fondly, but not just for accompanying me on my walk. Slower albums like this are general misses for me, but this one hit a bit different. I loved the lead singer and backup singers voices so much, I actually ended up with several favorites here. There’s some filler along the way, in fact, I think most people would end up calling this album filler in general, but a few songs really didn’t do much for me. That keeps it safely from a 5, especially on a 53 minute long album, but I even feel like 4 is maaaaaaaybe a little bit too generous. Looking at my favorite songs though, and taking into account how this album made me feel on my killer walk, I think it’s more than justified. Sticking with a 4. Now, the mini elephant in the room is that I’ve never heard of this band before. This is the first of 2 Doves albums on the list, and I practically guarantee the second album gets a 3 if it more or less sounds just like this. I would enjoy that though, as this album is great in and of itself. My favorites are “Words”, “M62 Song”, and “Pounding”. Giving the edge here to “M62 Song”. It’s short, sweet, and beautiful. Going to be stuck in my head for a while. Sometimes an album that’s not your usual vibe really just hits you in the right way. Today was one of those days. Great stuff with this one.
Good.
2026.04.29
Que buena banda! Me gustó bastante, es un rock indie diferente, rítmico, muy bueno!
I liked this, more indie vibe
Great memories
Sounds like Coldplay.. I like it.
Really does have Coldplay vibes for me. There’s a lot of hate for this style of music, it seems from a bunch of the top reviews. It’s possible that on another day this would have been a boring pass for me. But I really enjoyed it! 7/10 Quite Likeable
Very very solid Definitely surprised me Reminds me of Coldplay but less British Favorites: pounding, m62 song, there goes the fear
Surprised myself here, I really enjoyed this. Some great song crafting, memorable tunes, really liked the vocals. Will listen to more of them. 4/5.
Enjoyed this one, sound like a more interesting version of Coldplay.
So uh... why did they decide to make a worse version of Moonchild instead of a cover?
Really great album. Had such a melancholic yet optimistic vibe, hard to sus out.
I really loved this album. Huge fan of 2000's music that ironically was on when I was a baby and didn't understand the vibe until now. Fav: there goes the fear and NY
loved it
Awesome. I liked nearly every song here. This is like Coldplay for people who don't cheat.
Only knew a couple of songs so this was surprisingly great
Throughout the album, I kept thinking it reminded me of other 90s and 2000s bands. Like Guster and Snow Patrol. Then I got to the last song, and went "I know that!" Overall I liked it, but it seems like there's a lot of other bands that could just as easily have taken this spot on the list.
First time listening to this band, and I was pleasantly surprised. 4 *'s because why not
It doesn't quite pack the emotional nostalgia punch of the first Doves album, because nothing can quite do that like Catch the Sun, but it's close. It's a supremely 'time and place' album. That time is 2002-3, and that place is the Charles XII, Heslington, York. I spent around 23 hours a day either working or drinking there, and my friend Kim and I put Pounding on the jukebox every day I think. Those were halcyon days, and the opening seconds of that song does something special to me. The rest of the album is pretty good on its own merits - especially M62 and There Goes The Fear. It's not totally spectacular, but it's a lovely way to pass an hour.
not too bad, a bit middle of the road for me
Indie rock with a spacey vibe. It was an enjoyable listen, but not something I want on repeat all the time. It's melancholy but uplifting at the same time. Words is a fantastic song.
Ha sido una gran experiencia. He decidido escucharlo en una tarde soleada y preciosa y creo que es un álbum muy bueno para el momento.
Never heard of them but yeah, thatll do it
Oh Words..I know that one. Always good to start with one you know. And like. A lot of these tracks sound like I know them, they are that good. But I don't. Really entertaining and diverse album. And that's on only one listen. I'm going to bide my time on this one. It's heading high...
Tiene algunas canciones buenas pero me sonó mucho a coldplay viejo
I think this is a Good album. Could I be biased by the preceding several days of absolute drudgery? Who could say. Anyway ways, I liked it. Doves are the sort of band I pretended to be into as a tween/teen to look cool but I had secretly never listened to any of their stuff. Does this mean I am cool now? 🤞
Good listen. I had it on in the background then went: hang on, I actually want to listen to this.
Words, there goes the fear, last broadcast Felt very greys anatomy/one tree hill/ OC vibes. Loved
I’d heard the “Hype” around Doves, but never listened to anything bar a couple of songs on BBC6, what a nice surprise really liked the album, sounded like early “Ride” - have downloaded to play again.
Overall: 7/10 Relaxing and ethereal. It almost sounds ahead of it's time in a way. I can see how so many artists of the 2010s would vibe with this and be influenced by it. Fav Song: Words
I suppose I do have a bit of a soft spot for some 2000s alternative rock. Some other albums from this time period left me underwhelmed, but this one was quite good actually. Nice.
Has me coming back for a second listen straight away... Pushing a 4 currently
# In-Depth Review: *The Last Broadcast* by Doves (2002) Released in April 2002, *The Last Broadcast* stands as the pivotal second album from Manchester's Doves—a record that transformed them from cult post-dance experimentalists into chart-conquering anthem merchants while retaining their atmospheric soul. It represents a crucial bridge between the paranoid claustrophobia of their debut *Lost Souls* and the stadium-ready ambitions that would define British indie rock in the early 2000s. --- ## Lyrical Themes: From Paranoia to Perseverance Where *Lost Souls* dwelled in urban decay and nocturnal anxiety, *The Last Broadcast* pivots toward **resilience, forward motion, and cautious optimism**—though never fully abandoning the shadows. **"There Goes The Fear"** serves as the album's philosophical centerpiece. The lyrics *"Think of me when you're coming down / Don't look back when leaving town"* encapsulate the record's core ethos: acknowledging past mistakes without succumbing to regret, choosing movement over stagnation . It's an exorcism of fear rather than a surrender to it. **"Pounding"**—perhaps the album's most beloved track—functions as a secular gospel of perseverance. Lines like *"I can't stand by and see you destroyed"* and the imperative *"Seize the time / 'Cause it's now or never, baby"* transform personal struggle into collective rallying cry . The lyrics suggest co-conspirators planning escape from life's misfortunes, one pulling the other back from the brink. The album maintains its Manchester heritage through **gritty, Northern narratives**. **"Caught by the River"**—written by Andy Williams about a friend spiraling into alcoholism in London—delivers devastating emotional clarity: *"Would you give it all away?"* serves as both intervention and elegy . Meanwhile, **"The Sulphur Man"** hints at pharmaceutical dependency (*"Pills stopped you"*) , though the band admits they still don't know who the titular character actually represents . **"M62 Song"**—recorded under a motorway flyover—captures a specifically British brand of romantic desolation, finding beauty in infrastructure and transit, while **"N.Y."** injects cosmopolitan longing into the band's typically Manchester-centric worldview. --- ## Musical Evolution: Expansive and Eclectic Musically, *The Last Broadcast* represents a **deliberate expansion** of the Doves' sonic palette. The band—Jimi Goodwin (bass/vocals), and brothers Jez (guitar) and Andy Williams (drums)—sought to create what they later described as "more of an upbeat album" compared to their debut's darkness . The record moves fluidly between **anthemic rock**, **dream pop**, **psychedelic experimentation**, and **orchestral arrangements**: - **"Words"** opens with a propulsive guitar riff that races through Beatles-esque melodic territory, establishing immediate accessibility - **"There Goes The Fear"** builds from gentle acoustic beginnings into a euphoric explosion, culminating in a Brazilian Carnival-inspired percussion outro that demonstrates the band's dance music heritage (they began as Sub Sub) - **"Friday's Dust"** incorporates clarinet and string arrangements by Sean O'Hagan (The High Llamas), creating a melancholic lullaby that rivals *Lost Souls*' emotional weight - **"Satellites"** blends gospel choir vocals with Sigur Rós-esque atmospheric grandeur The album's rhythmic foundation deserves special mention. **"Pounding"** lives up to its title with what the band describes as a "relentless unchanging beat—a sort of primal metronome" that transforms the song from a standard rock track into something hypnotic and urgent . This reflects New Order's influence, acknowledged by the band during recording sessions at The Dairy in Brixton . --- ## Production: Crafted and Layered The production approach on *The Last Broadcast* balances **studio polish** with **experimental textures**. Recorded across multiple UK studios—including Revolution in Manchester, Parr Street in Liverpool, The Dairy in London, and Real World in Bath—the album benefited from both home comfort and professional expansion . **Steve Osborne** (who worked with New Order and Happy Mondays) co-produced "Caught by the River" and produced "Satellites," bringing clarity to the band's sometimes dense arrangements. The band self-produced the majority, with **Max Heyes** handling recording and mixing duties . Notable production details include: - The use of **Roger McGuinn's Rickenbacker guitar** (borrowed from Peter Gabriel's collection at Real World) on "Caught by the River," providing the chiming, Byrds-esque quality - The **ambient intro** designed to create "that out of your head, isolated feeling. Like a Hacienda night when you've done too much" - **Field recording techniques**: "M62 Song" was literally recorded under the M60 flyover in Northenden, capturing authentic motorway atmosphere The album was notably **fast by Doves standards**—written, recorded, and mixed within eight months—giving it a sense of urgency and cohesion sometimes missing from their more laborious later work . --- ## Cultural Impact and Influence *The Last Broadcast* arrived at a crucial moment in British music. Released during the hangover of Britpop and the rise of post-Britpop (Coldplay, Starsailor, Elbow), it helped define the **"Mancunian melancholy"** that would influence countless guitar bands throughout the 2000s. The album peaked at **#1 on the UK Albums Chart**, and "There Goes The Fear" reached #3—a remarkable achievement for a six-minute single with a three-minute percussion outro. The band famously "cheated" the charts by releasing the single for one day only before deleting it, creating artificial scarcity that drove sales . Its influence resonates through: - **Elbow**: Guy Garvey's dramatic vocal delivery and orchestral arrangements owe debts to Doves' expansive sound - **Coldplay**: Though often unfavorably compared to Doves (one reviewer noted this was "the album Coldplay would have dreamed of making") , the influence ran both ways in the early 2000s stadium-indie ecosystem - **Snow Patrol** and **Keane**: The template of piano-and-guitar anthems with emotional crescendos - **Manchester's ongoing musical legacy**: The album sits alongside The Smiths, The Stone Roses, and Oasis as definitive Manchester records The album's **endurance** is proven by its continued presence in "greatest albums" lists and its use in sporting contexts—"Pounding" remains a staple in the buildup to Manchester City home games . --- ## Pros and Cons ### **Strengths** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Anthemic Songwriting** | "There Goes The Fear," "Pounding," and "Caught by the River" rank among the finest British rock songs of the 2000s—immediate yet revealing deeper layers with repeated listens | | **Emotional Range** | Successfully balances euphoria ("Words") with melancholy ("Friday's Dust") and desperate urgency ("Pounding") without feeling disjointed | | **Production Detail** | Rich, layered soundscapes reward headphone listening; subtle samples and effects reveal themselves over time | | **Cohesion** | Despite eclectic influences (dance, folk, orchestral, rock), the album maintains a consistent late-night, urban atmosphere | | **Vocal Performance** | Jimi Goodwin's "warm, slightly battered instrument" provides the emotional anchor, while the Williams brothers contribute effective harmonies and lead vocals on key tracks | | **Sequencing** | The tracklist flows logically, with ambient interludes ("Intro," "Where We're Calling From") providing necessary breathing room between anthems | ### **Weaknesses** | Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | **Mid-Album Sag** | Tracks like "M62 Song" (despite its novelty) and "Where We're Calling From" can feel like "drunken sketches, prettied up with fancy production"—transitional pieces that don't stand alone | | **Inconsistency** | While the highs are very high, songs like "Satellites" and "Friday's Dust" (for some listeners) meander without the hook-driven impact of the singles | | **Length** | At 55 minutes with several extended tracks, the album occasionally tests patience—"Pounding" and "There Goes The Fear" both exceed six minutes, which some critics found self-indulgent | | **Lyric Density** | While effective, the lyrics sometimes prioritize mood over specificity—"The Sulphur Man" remains deliberately opaque even to the band themselves | | **Comparisons to *Lost Souls*** | For fans of the debut's claustrophobic intensity, *The Last Broadcast* can feel slightly "safer" or more commercially oriented, though this is arguably necessary evolution | --- ## Verdict *The Last Broadcast* represents **Doves at their most balanced**—accessible enough to fill stadiums yet intricate enough to reward intimate listening. It successfully navigates the "difficult second album" syndrome by expanding their sound without abandoning their core identity. The album's central tension—between the urge to escape (*"Let's leave at sunrise / Let's live by the ocean"*) and the recognition that darkness follows you (*"I can't be here and watch you burn up"*)—gives it enduring resonance. It's neither as unrelentingly bleak as *Lost Souls* nor as polished as later works like *Kingdom of Rust*, occupying a sweet spot of **ambitious, emotional guitar music** that feels distinctly of its time yet resistant to dating. While not every experiment succeeds (the King Crimson adaptation "M62 Song" divides listeners), the album's peaks are stratospheric enough to justify its reputation as one of the definitive British indie records of the early 21st century. For anyone seeking the bridge between 90s Manchester melancholy and 2000s stadium indie, *The Last Broadcast* remains essential listening.
What a weird album. I don't really get it, but I like it.
Favorite Track: N.Y.
We recognised a lot more on here than we anticipated - apparently we've listened to Doves before. N.Y. is one such song, and is a good one too. Generally a good vibe here, and we want it listen again.
I really like it but then again, I like Britpop. Favorites: There Goes the Fear, N.Y., Friday's Dust, Pounding Would I listen to it again: Yes
Very Delgados-ish. Lacks a bit of the sweetness, tho.
Doves is one of those bands that should be right up my alley, but just doesn't click. I enjoy a lot of the sound, but probably won't come back to this that often.
This feels very British indie rock from 2002. Which is also very much not a bad thing. I was a big fan of a lot of this era, but never heard this band.
New to me and pretty good, if not especially original. I'm a sucker for this kind of guitar.
Easy to listen to, with a level of complexity (through added instruments/sounds and differing song types) that makes this 3.5 difficult to move up or down. I guess it’s worth another listen another day.
pretty good, second half is way better than the first half.
This is like an awesome version of Coldplay
Na
The second half came to the rescue in a big way. I should relisten to the first one because I think I was a bit harsh.
Achei babadeiro
It's a really good album, especially the opening third. Really has a timeless rock vibe that rewards repeat listening. I'm just shocked I have never heard of this album let alone this band before.
Really good album
Solid. The composition is somehow both well done but also a little boring. Liked it on the whole, though. 3.7
Sounds like a mix of lofi, radiohead, and stone sour
Favorite track(s): There Goes the fear, N.Y., Pounding, Caught by the River
00’s Indie Rock ⭐️N.Y.
They have a “A Perfect Circle” meets “The Fray” sound. Pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the album.
I love when you find a band from this list you’ve never heard of and really like them. This is great.
Really enjoyed this one.
Removed Album #22 (List: https://pastebin.com/cSThNiK9) Removed album no. tutu! And the final Doves album, no less. I listened to Lost Souls about 80 albums ago and I think I may have gotten off on the wrong foot with this band. I don't remember much about it aside from thinking it was overly-long, though now that I'm listening to it again I'm kinda digging it. It's just perfectly respectable early-2000s indie rock. The guitars are especially good, though that isn't to say the vocals are slouching. Not to mention that I dig these guy's aesthetic. Both this album and Lost Souls have some pretty great album covers if you ask me. This is a bit of a pivot, if I'm not mistaken. I quite like this new sound over the old one. The songs with more of a reverberated, spaced-out sound are pretty great. I'll never tire of tunes with that feel. Granted, I can tell where they got it from. Much of this album's sound, theming and atmosphere can be very heavily linked to OK Computer, especially No Surprises. Granted, No Surprises is one of the best songs ever made, so who can really complain? The more standard songs are a bit of a step down, but they're generally alright. It's hard to go wrong with those optimistic guitars which have a bittersweet twinge to 'em. The final quarter of this album did kind of lose me because of how oversaturated that sound became, but the album reeled me back in with a solid finisher. Overall, I did appreciate my time with this one. Not 4-worthy, though I'm intrigued to come back to this one, which is more than can be said about the vast majority of these albums. So, why was this removed? They jammed both this and Lost Souls into the 2005 edition of the book, which is kinda nuts. I thought that this album was added to a later edition of the book. It also survived for quite some time, too. It's in every copy of the book I have, so it was either removed from the 2018 or 2021 edition (I sadly don't have a PDF of either). The book entry says that this album had two highly prolific singles and wears it's influences on its sleeve, but that's about it. Wikipedia reveals that this album performed very well on the charts and was well-received by critics, though that's also about it. I can see why this was snubbed. One album from an indie band is already kind of hitting the glass ceiling, especially for an act which is quite derivative. That being said, I liked this and I need to ration my dwindling supply of replacement albums, so we're keeping this one in. I cosign this inclusion. ================== Edit (April 14, 2026): I'm surprised I didn't give this album a 4 at the time - this music is definitely up my alley. I quite like this specific brand of early-2000s indie rock (i.e., sensitive and wintry with an atmospheric, reverberating sound). I can't say I was around for it, but I like to think this sound captures much of the sentiment from the turn of the millennium. Speaking more on the music itself, it's pretty good. The guitar hooks steal the show, but the sound of this album was solid on the whole. The instruments mesh together into a pleasing whole for the entirety of the album's runtime. The songwriting and vocals are less remarkable, but there are some good vocal hooks packed in here. I was a little overzealous when I said that this album took a page out of OK Computer's playbook (this is clearly more of a Coldplay affair), but you can hear the jingling electric guitars of No Surprises haunting this album all the same, most notably on "There Goes the Fear". My biggest criticism of this album is, unfortunately, still a problem. The last five tracks are a little vacuous and fatiguing. 54 minutes is definitely an overreach for what this music is, but to this album's credit it holds my attention for the entirely of that runtime - an exceedingly rare accomplishment. For all of these reasons, we're bumping this puppy up a star. Original rating: 3 stars Amended rating: 4 stars
Sounds like a mix between early Coldplay & Radiohead.
mmmh so euphorisch gsi, dassi vor em album grad no min lieblingsbanger vo ihne («Black And White Town») inezoge han – danke fifa 06!! d'euphorie hed denn im verlauf vom album langsam bizi nacheglah, aber stabili leistig vo dene tuube ufgrundeti 4 brösmeli, yummy yummy
Back in ‘82 on the Hull leg of Houmous & Chutneys World Tour, Len Houmous tried to break the world record for eating the most hard boiled eggs in a day. He got to 32 when his body started rejecting them. The Mayor of Hull anointed him The Sulphur Man and gave him the keys to the city. 3.5 2/12 Words
I love this album. And the song, there goes the fear. Omg. It’s just everything.
Really enjoyed this album; reminded me a bit of Keep It Together era Guster. I didn't realize until the end that I had a compilation with one of their songs in the early 2000s that I loved.
Did you dance in the afternoon rain to Catch The Sun in Glastonbury around 2003? I did. I thought that song was on this album. It's not. It does have other songs that I'd forgotten existed in the twenty or so years since I heard them. As such... NOSTALGIA. Days listening to music, pints, nights out on the tear before stumbling home and having a kip on the floor of some friend's floor. Then 2 litres of Lilt to cure the hangover the next morning. Then back to Uni for more Post Structuralist takedowns of beloved Victorian era novels. There's quite a bit of airy, atmospheric nonsense on this album, but outside of those it's all good. And there's a couple of bangers. Hey, I haven't given a four for a few days and because it's almost Christmas and I'm on the wine, I say it's time to be generous. You'll see in other reviews these guys being compared with Coldplay, and I get it. There were a few bands at the time ostensibly playing rock music, but without distortion. That's basically the comparison . Coldplay inexplicably got the spotlight and hit the big time, while the other groups faded one by one. These guys had more potential. Haven were the best of the bunch, but you're likely saying 'who?'. These guys did not have an insufferable twat as a front man. These guys didn't marry one of the worst humans imaginable. It's a good album, not a great one, but it just about scrapes a four for me. More likely a 7 out of 10.
REALLY liked this one. N.Y and Satellites were really beautiful.
I had never heard this one. Excellent indie style. I hear, and I like.
Franchement, j’ai trouvé ça vraiment cool ! Je trouvais que ça changeait un peu de tout ce qu’on a pu entendre jusqu’à présent Au début, j’ai eu peur et finalement, les sonorités sont vraiment chouettes !
Still a very cool listen! Doves' first album Lost Souls gripped me harder and quickly, too, but their second one is still extremely solid! I wonder if I'd like this more if it was the first album I heard from them. Regardless, good stuff.
Doves' second album didn't grip me as much as their first, from earlier in this challenge, did, but it was still some solid dream pop stuff. A myriad of touches such as the occasional shoegaze element or comparisons to the sound of Coldplay definitely helped it along to a solid 8/10.
Genuinely really good but nothing quite hooked me like Lost Souls did. They get a little more into the Coldplay sounding stuff but it still has fantastic atmosphere. Very warm and a lot to get from repeated listens.
I really liked this alt rock with some prog (I think I heard some Moody Blues in there) maybe some Bowie good album
Girlfriend in a coma by Douglas Coupland
Интересный, в духе инди, нужно будет переслушать.
This is music that aligns with my internal tempo as a person. It just feels right to me. Starting with There Goes the Fear, I found the songs here connected with me, even if none of them really felt like all-time classics during a first listen. I hope to return to this, though, and find the all-time classics that are likely here.
some great emotional things on here what I imagine radiohead would sound like if it were good
An album that has vibes of Sad Boy Hour... but pretty good! Wouldn't skip if a song from this one came up on a random mix
4 Sterne easy listening
I had never heard this before, but I am enjoying it - takes me back to the early '00s.
Cut from the same cloth as Badly Drawn Boy, Snow Patrol and that ilk, this album was pretty damn decent for 2002, it had great singles off it like "There Goes the Fear", "Pounding", and "Caught by the River" and even "Words" got some traction for use in advertising... Looking back I loved this, it wasn't just another sad Britpop album, as NME called it back then, it was "the most uplifting miserable album you'll hear all year." And that's the core of some mad therapeutic breakthrough since my own very sad, mopey early 20s... This album gave quasi-emo 20-something me permission to wallow, but in a grand, cinematic way. The lyrics of "Words" ("Words, they mean nothing / So you can't hurt me") were a defensive shield, a rationalisation for emotional unavailability. The soaring chorus of "N.Y." was pure escape fantasy, the sound of running away from my problems and calling it an adventure (which I did by leaving the UK for America in 2004). Every epic, drawn-out coda, like the one on "There Goes the Fear", was a substitute for a genuine release of emotion; I'd just turn the volume up and let the drumming drown out the existential dread... Listening back now in my late-40s, I don't hear misery; I hear that crazed hope I had while working overtime in a basement, struggling with friends to get our company off the ground. This album wasn't about the darkness, it was about desperately searching for the light switch. The optimism that the band was striving for shines through, not as naive cheer, but as a hard won perspective. When Jimi Goodwin sings on "The Sulphur Man", there’s a desperate plea for connection that I completely missed the first time, only hearing the 'soul in tatters' part. The real genius is the way the music, all those lush strings, the layered guitars, the electronic flourishes, acts like the supportive, non-judgmental container you create after years of therapy. It holds the darkness without letting it swallow you whole. The tracks that hit hardest today are the ones about forward motion. "Pounding" isn't just a frenetic banger, it's a defiant instruction to seize the moment, that ultimate antidote to the paralysis of my youth. And the closer, "Caught by the River", with its question, "Would you give it all away..." is no longer a lament of surrender, but a mature contemplation of what you truly value. It’s the sound of accepting that life is a flowing river, not a stagnant pond of regret. In the end, The Last Broadcast didn't just soundtrack my youthful despair; it unknowingly provided the architecture for the resilience that followed. It's a reminder that even when you feel like you're broadcasting your final message from the abyss, there is always, always, a second, more beautiful signal waiting to be found.
this is one of those ethereal sounding albums
Slightly Radiohead. Middle of the road. Ethereal. Reminded me of The Envy Corps. would listen again: 4 would go to a show: 3
I've got another great album. An improvement over the last Doves album I reviewed. The first 5 songs were the definition of excellence. "There Goes the Fear" is the best song I've found in weeks. The second half could've been a tad better. 4 stars for "The Last Broadcast".
This is nice. The almost minimalist compositions show a lot of welcome restraint. Not extremely memorable, but I could see myself listening again.
yep, gut gemachter indierock!
It was good! I liked the vibe!
So close to a 5 but I did get occasionally bored. Songs like Words and Pounding though are incredible.
I liked this - fun rock
Dope
Never heard of this band before but really enjoyed them. To my ear had a Coldplay mixed with RHCP vibes.
8/10 Favourite: Caught by the River Least Favourite: The Sulphur Man
4.5 stars. Standout is "Words" which has a great hook and "Pounding" with it's fitting kick drum. Interlude-y tracks with horns, strings, choral backing make for a cohesive album. Has an ethereal, distant sound without feeling overly synthetic. Well-balanced.
Coldplay type of generic but also Coldplay type of cozy.
Pleasant
The opening 3 tracks and the closer are really strong. Never given heard of them but really enjoyed this. Lacked that shouty approach to things that I often associated with 90s-00s Britpop. This was more subtle, more sophisticated. It leaned a little toward Coldplay, which I know isn’t a good thing for a lot of folks, but the leaning was without the sappy sweetness that Coldplay sometimes has. This was really strong stuff, enjoyed it.
Gut hörbarer Rock. Leicht sphärische Klänge. 4/5
Pretty chill album, the first half had some really chill moments
A surprisingly good brit indie record. Is it over produced? Yes. Is it overdramatic? Also yes. Is it overrated? Certainly not, deserving of an entry on this list.
would listen to it while eating some sour candies( i love sour candies). the album cover is the best from all the albums i’ve got so far. 4.5
Super spacey, very late 90s vibe. Really enjoyed it, full of great melodies and guitars. Drums in the opening were really good.
Nice music without showing off. It has some light melancholic vibe, but doesn't bring you down P.S. the sulphur man intro is very alike to Aerosmith crazy song :D
Early 2000s indie might be some of my favorite music
Kind of trippy electronic rock. I liked it. I would listen again.
4- Stars (10/15)
So many repeatable songs and great to chill to
I feel like this is the kind of album I shouldn’t like, but I still found it to be a very complete and cohesive listening experience. Bit psychedelic here and there. Found it overall to be a soothing listen.
Much better than expected.
Solid album. Begins strong, takes a dip for a couple songs on the flip side, but comes to a nice close. For those complaining about the British albums, - do you realize over half the great bands played on your classic rock stations are British? Do you realize there are some really terrible American bands? Very strange complaint. Enjoy this!
This album sounds great, and it immediately draws you in. Moody, atmospheric, and yet compelling, the Doves sound and feel like a more risky and experimental version of Coldplay - less hook driven with a less distinct vocal. While they aren't quite as catchy, they are every bit as compelling.
How had I not heard of let alone heard of this one. Talk about underrated. Kinda gives me explosions in the sky meets verve. Right up my street
Monipuolinen albumi joka oli alusta loppuun miellyttävää kamaa!
I had never heard of this. Why? What are fantastic album
"The Last Broadcast" is the second album by British indie rock band Doves. Indie pop, post-Britpop, dream pop and neo-psychedelia are the Wiki-listed genres. They hit all those. The band wanted a more hopeful album than their debut, "Lost Souls," and they achieved that. The bandmembers included Jimi Goodwin (lead vocals, bass, guitars, backing vocals), Jez Williams (guitars, keyboards, backing and lead vocals) and Andy Williams (drums, percussion, harmonica, backing and lead vocal). Commercially, the album reached the top of the UK charts and #83 in the US. The album also received critical praise and was nominated for the 2002 UK Mercury Prize. A short instrumental leads to the first song with vocals, appropriately named "Words." It opens with drums, a droning guitar and Jez Williams on vocals. A melodic guitar comes to the front. This is very Britpop. A glockenspiel and some harmonization. Nice production and layered instrumentation. The first single "There Goes the Fear" is another melodic song with softer vocals from Jimi Goodwin. They get the slow-fast-soft dynamic going. A song about embracing yourself and letting go of the past. Nice start to album. "Satellites" embraces the electronic sound with electronic drums and synths. They've gone space rock. Gospel-like backing vocals. I'm guessing a song about finding peace in/from the light of satellites. "Pounding" starts out charging with the drums. Acoustic and jangly guitars. Impassioned vocals as he's having issues with his partner and what he'll or she'll do. The closer "Caught by the River" covers some musical ground: acoustic guitars, spiraling guitars, a searing guitar solo and loud vocal chorus. A message of encouragement in this anthemic song. This is a solid album that, like their debut album, took me a second time through to really get into. Their music seems to occupy a space in between Spacemen 3/Spiritualized, Radiohead and Cold Play; Britpop, dreamy pop and space rock were the main styles I heard. Very nice production with the layered instrumentation. They succeeded in creating a more optimistic album (than their debut album) for the most part. I think most rock fans will find something to like on this album. I did.
78/100. A solid dream pop/britpop album with a calming, subtle atmosphere. Its strength lies in its consistency, maintaining a steady tone throughout. While it doesn’t push beyond its comfort zone, it delivers a satisfying sound.
Love the textures on this album.
Great tempo and intensity. All round enjoyment of a wall of sound that relentlessly comes at you...in a good way
Seriously underrated band.
Sort of a mix between 90s alternative and 00s indie, really solid and made for a chill but enjoyable listen
Solid rock. Great layers. First time listen.
This really hit me form an emotional standpoint, love a lot of songs here
Good
I always feel like Doves are an autumn band and this album creates a mood that suits the season. I read some other reviews and saw some people say they are boring and there are no stand out songs, I feel like they are more about creating an atmosphere, maybe it helps that I live in the same part of the world but they really capture a sense of time and place with this album.
Good listen!
Fits really well with the Indie stuff I listen to and holds up well for an album thats my age.
J - 4/5 Best Track - "There Goes The Fear" F - DNL
Pasas por diferentes sensaciones al escucharlo, desde la oscuridad pasa a la luz y también a una tranquilidad/paz. Es un álbum muy completo.
Solider Britpop ohne Highlight. Konnte ich mir „mal“ anhören, gerne auch mal wieder. „Pounding“ war echt gut.
Indie rock. 2000s. Lovely, melodic stadium rock.
Love the doves. The best Elbow tribute band I've heard. Great album.
fan of this
Great record. Brooding and elegiac.
It's a little boring and I'd probably like it more if I was on drugs but overall enjoyable! This is great music to watch a laser show to!
What makes this such a great album is the atmospherics produced.
enjoyed!! david galea one of his fav albums
Second Doves album I've gotten, thought this was the better one, some decent songs I've heard before, enjoyed it, also my 200th album
Solid early 00s British pop-rock record. 'There Goes The Fear' is a classic.
It’s British 2000’s pop-rock, but it’s executed extremely well. Great variation, solid songwriting and time just flies by.
There are several songs I really enjoyed off this album, especially the first three tracks, ("Words", "There Goes the Fear", "M62 Song"), also "Pounding" and "Cought by the River". But they're also are a few tracks of the latter part of that really take me out of the project most notably "Friday's Dust" and "Last Broadcast. Overall enjoyable, but hit me like a cross between contemporaries Coldplay and Snow Patrol. 8.1/10 ★★★★
The Doves were overlooked in the era of garage rock and deserve the credit for such a lovely album.
A cool album, I liked it. Not sure I will return to it though.
Criminally underrated band, they deserved to be bigger. Some excellent tunes on here, my faves included Pounding, Caught by the River, and There Goes the Fear. Do it.
Ja jako volim ovu vrstu epskog britanskoga pop rocka. Jel cheesy. Je ali meni je baš nekad super
I had never heard of this band before and like a couple of others that were entirely new to me, I was quite pleasantly surprised. The first half I give a 5/5... the songs were unique and interesting and had a good range of styles. The second half fell off a bit for me. In a weird way it seemed like they were taking their music too seriously. But overall, a banger.
The song word and its usage of xylophone stilľ gives me a chance I might be useful in a band.
This is a strong 7 Enjoyed the flow of it with some nice soft rock. Particularly enjoyed ‘there goes the fear’
01) Intro - / 02) Words - 7,5 03) There Goes the Fear - 9,0 04) M62 Song - 8,0 05) Where We're Calling From - / 06) N.Y. - 8,5 07) Satellites - 7,5 08) Friday's Dust - 7,0 09) Pounding - 8,5 10) Last Broadcast - 8,0 11) The Sulphur Man - 7,5 12) Caught by the River - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,95 (80/100) Current ranking: 161/474
Nice work
Прикольно симпатично
This was quite good. Enjoyed it a lot, plus a King Crimson sample!!
I probably prefer their debut LP Lost Souls, but this is good and I'm glad Doves are represented on this list.
I feel like this album got sorta lost to american audiences. it's kinda like early coldplay without the melodrama fused with early verve without as many drugs. the studio effects work to elevate strongly written songs, rather than cover up any melodic deficiencies.
A good album, I liked M62 Song, N.Y. and Last Broadcast the most.
When I looked at the tracklist, I thought the song title There Goes the Fear seemed familiar, and then I instantly recognized the song when it started. Friday's Dust was also pretty cool. I really liked this album, I'll definitely listen to it again
Type of music I imagine Rodrick to listen to
3.9 - Quite vanilla but 17 year old me would have been all into this
Surprised that I not only recognised There Goes the Fear and Pounding but also quite enjoyed them. But ultimately this feels like less sold out Coldplay. It might be a lot better if the lead singer had just a little more character to his voice. Its a decent album but I don't need it in my 1001. Fave Tracks: There Goes the Fear, Pounding, The Suplhur Man 3.5/5
new to me and I like it!
Not my favourite Doves album, but still some good tracks on here. Words, There Goes the Fear, Pounding and Caught by the River are the standouts for me
This album is a gem. M62 Song, N.Y, Satellites, Pounding; lots of great songs.
Contrary to others, I found it a pleasant surprise to find this on the list. Doves were a favorite band of mine in the 2000s, and although their debut is my favorite, this is a more commercial/accessible album. Personally I think it still stands up, and I'll defend it's place on the list to represent that era.
3.5 I like Doves but don't love them. I saw them a couple times back in the day, and they were pretty decent live. However they just don't grip me like I think they should. This album feels slightly bloated. There goes the fear is a good example, good song but does it really need to be 7 minutes? Absolutely not. Enjoyable listen but not something I'd have on on rotation
I liked this album a lot. It was like a more normal Everything Everything? Nothing quite brought it to a 5 star level, but it got close
I was expecting more britpop from the early 2000s zeitgeist, but this one was more nuanced than most of the stuff from that era. It was still certainly of its time, but it didn't defy explanation for its inclusion as so may other albums I've listened to. It's not a perfect work, but it is very good and deserves a thoughtful listen.
I’ve enjoyed listening to these guys! A treat
This was pretty good!
Maybe I listened to this a few times in the early aughts and it's nostalgic, or maybe it's good. Hard to tell. He's got a droning voice and some of the beats get repetitive but all in all, I'll keep revisiting this.
That was actually surprisingly good
4/5
Never heard of Doves, let alone the album but I wish I had! Loved it, brilliant!
I sure hope that is not the last broadcast, that was pretty deceeeent
Now, I love Doves as this was my era however, it’s not my favourite of theirs. That belongs to their debut which is exquisite. This is great though! Melodic, swirly dreamy indie rock!
very pleasant to hear, quite similar to Coldplay at times
Really enjoyed a lot of this one.
I've never heard of this band but dang, this was cool. 4/5
Very reminiscent of Coldplay in many ways, but much more creative in my opinion, like Coldplay on psychedelics. I thought this album was awesome, I was very impressed. They wrote songs that were more than accessible, but they took chances with their production and it paid off in my opinion. It may also be the reason I hadn’t heard of them until now.
first listen was lovely
The album could have been a little shorter in spots, but I liked their sound and vocals. The music had some variety and was solid.
apart from the opening track, this was an enjoyable listen. the 1st track doesn't feel like it belongs with the others. does have a Coldplay/Matt Kearny sound. and on a rainy, dreary day it was quite nice. 3.5 stars
Lovely
Inoffensive pop rock.
igazából tetszett, kicsit még jobban is mint a fall, de egyhangú lett a végére
mixing/mastering can be not to my taste at points but otherwise wonderfully comforting and even creative slice of maudlin. made me feel coldplay feelings more than once, and surprisingly brisk for its length and lack of surface level Excitement. good melty music i should prob return to, esp if im ever in a place that actually has snow again fhsdjfshdj. feel like that would top it off rly nicely
A psychedelic Coldplay - I like the sound, very much not the generic BritPop I worried about at first. Most of the songs are too long, though. The album would be a 5 if almost every song were trimmed down by at least a minute.
Apocalyptic Rock in October? I can't ask for a better situation. Imagining this as the final broadcast in Earth's history is plausible, and I wouldn't mind this being the last thing I listen to before I go off into my spiritual world. Favorite Song: "Words".
I had this album on CD when it came out, so there's a tinge of nostalgia listening to it again all these years later. I feel like it still holds up for the most part. Well crafted jangle brit-pop, comforting melodies, great arrangements, snappy production. The tracks sung by guitarist Jez are great songs, but his voice is nasally and whiny and leaves much to be desired, while Jimi's smooth almost crooner delivery serves the songs very well. There's 2 "instrumental" passages on this album that could have been left out as they don't add anything to the overall listening experience. In the same vain, a number of songs on the album have long drawn out intros making the album a little bloated overall. That said, it's still a solid record and I can confirm that I still enjoy it after all these years.
Never hear of this band. I enjoyed most of the songs
As far as early 00's indie rock goes, this is really solid. Probably ahead of its time. Good atmosphere, and nothing bad on here. Was a very nice album to have on in the background. It didn't blow me away either though.
Dig
I liked their sound.
Absolutely beautiful
Pretty good - Pete, I know you love this band. (I’ll give it an extra star for that reason!)
Fin indie rock
How had I never heard this band before? Really enjoyed.
I don't know how to explain this other than a weird mix of coldplay and the killers maybe? Who knows. Either way, I really liked it. The album cover sucks though.
Some fantastic tracks on here.
This is fine I liked the other album from Doves on the list.
Never heard of them, but I've read a fair amount of reviews saying they sound like Coldplay, and I like them, but these guys better be better than them. No high expectations, but I see some long sad songs upcoming. If this is more close to Arcade Fire than I'll probably like it, otherwise I hope it doesn't have overused basic ass sounds. First song, been a long time since I've heard an intro song on albums I've listened to here. Idk what sound is that but it's increasing it's volume slowly. Nothing drastic yet. Left ear got some sounds, probably the best part is that. Second song, nice transition, and now there is this futuristic sounds kinda in a rock style. Big ass song as suspected. Singing started and there was another voice, but it went away, oh it came back. I'm not checking lyrics yet. He vocalled a lot. Sound became more clear and especially his voice. This IS kinda basic. Production got low-key better with that special sound in my left ear. It's too permanent wave tbh, not vibing with it. There was this distorted voice that was delivered in a rocky way, thought it was a switch up, but sadly no. The break is quite alieny, but not in the best way. Definitely sounds like Coldplay, but worse (for now). I feel like this is a grower, because it's not bad just too unfamiliar with it. I thought there would be transition, but nope. Third song, Sonically it's upbeat and lyrically it's melancholic, love that. Also this one is definitely much more catchy and listenable. It's even longer, God, seven minutes, hope it changes a little at least. The magical beat I liked went away and it's fully sad now. Random epic comeback of the full sound. This is starting to sound like the song before, not liking that. Oooh sorry NOW is the beat back. It's changing around a lot, but it's not dramatic, more like it has to happen. Arcade Fire would do better job playing this song I'm afraid. I didn't note anything for a while, but nothing changes but, there's just an improvement no the beat overall. This is by far the best song for now. The outro has some weird human sounds and a tribe-like beat, love thaaat, hope it transitions, it didn't, but so could have. 4th song, nature sounds, and some instrument vocalising in my right ear. This one's sad, but short. Guitar has a clear sound. Not the vibe for now, but the lyrical delivery I now hear is catchy. There's an additional voice on the right. Break is basically repeating the guitar. He has no vocals, but he's doing it a lot now. Outro has this nostalgic sound, best part in the song don't even lying, though it's tooooo silent. 5th song, an interlude I see, quite rare here as I said. Oooh it has that "a day in the life" by Beatles operatic progression, but not exactly. Kind of transitioned, but not sure, prolly my phone glitched. 6th song, this one has a country vibe. Upbeat, but I don't think it's happy in the lyrics too. Chorus is catchy finally. Loving it sonically more. It's getting slower, but not it has a more rock sound, and getting louder and faster too. I suppose I like the switch up. Car motor sound I heard I think. It's giving noise rock. It's quieter now, thought the song changed, but no. The piano-like instrument is sad and so is his voice. A decent song I guess, not really impressed tho. 7th song, start was quite good, the headphone play especially. After the singing started, it's kinda basic, the beat particularly. Production-wise it's getting better and better. Can't explain but there's this beat which aligns with how lyrics are sang and it's perfect, BUT IT'S TOO FUCKING LONG IDK, never had a prob with long songs, but this one isn't too interesting to make me listen to it for 7 goddamn minutes. It's still somehow good, I can't help liking it. Outro is melancholic in the best way possible. Clapping sounds at the end (not of a human I think) 8th song, ambient start to guitar. Vocally it sounds like someone, can't tell who, but the voice is quite clear. OOOH VIOLINS ARE A NICE TOUCH. It feels like a revenge song sonically. It's not only sad, it's dark too and I LOVE that. Still no, the song feels like an intro, I thought smth would happen, but it's been the same, I expected more, eh. Violin IS the best part here. Can't remember the name instrument is playing, takes me back to 16th century. I'm extremely bored. 9th song, metal vibes, nevermind it's indie now. Good indie tho. It became so better and better in each second production-wise. Chorus is for the second time good enough. The pounding beat is giving FATM. This is probably one of the best songs here. THE BREAK IS AMAAAAZING WHERE WERE THEY BEFORE?! The walk-beat is very well put here. Nevermind this is the best song here, most full, clear and catchy. 10th song, album name, must be a good one. There were women vocals and now it's just him, but production is weird in a good way. They sound too same, the songs, I don't like that. Low-key catchy, but I ain't vibing. Definitely a grower, and I can't do those rn. 11th song, one of the best starts they've done... umm his first vocal appearance totally set off the vibes that the start created wtf, beat is good tho. Ughh no, I thought this would be another darkish song the fuck. I'm at the part that makes me feel like I'll be anticipating that it'll come if I relisten to this again. None of the songs are absolutely bad, they all have that part when it gets real good, and then it gets ruined in an instant like YUCK. Outro would be better without his singing tbh. 12th song, I've been writing less and less, not that it's a competition or something, but I always feel bad about it. He has a son? Didn't wanna know thaat. This guy has vocalled sooo fucking much and it isn't even that good. This is what I imagine Arcade Fire sounds like to nonfans. This is like what Rush was, sonically it's amazing and I can't believe this guy produces this good type of instrumental mix, but vocally it's annoyingly bad, for Rush the vocalist's voice was veeeery bad, but here idk what is the problem, it's not that bad, just the delivery and the way it sounds is mediocre. For example rn there's this super great guitar play, but overall the song is meh. Ooo I'm very divided whether this song was THAT good or not, I'm basically thinking about the whole album too basically.. I'm not fully disappointed, but I definitely had an idea it would get better after each song I listened. It's not a 5 star AT ALL, maybe 4, but I'm pushing 3, so all and all 3.5 seems like a good choice, but that's because I really liked the sonical part and also most of the songs are growers. Thereforeee 4 stars it is. The voice isn't tragically ugly or anything, just it doesn't have the spark and I feel like it's not even how he sounds like, it has that indie touch to it, which somehow ruined the voice, rarely happens I think. Anyway as the time passes I think I'll see the goodness here, but no promises.
Hey! I just listened to this album yesterday! But back then it was called Urban Hymns by the Verve… :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: I jest. Just funny I got two seminal Brit pop albums in a row. This was great! Everything I loved about that Verve song “The Drugs Don’t Work” but done 12 times in a row, which was just fine with me. The jangly guitars really did it for me. So much sonic sweetness in the mix. Highlights were “Satellites”, “Friday’s Dust”, and the epic album closer “Caught in a River”. “Friday’s Dust” was so good I had to listen to it 4X in a row, and then when the album was done, go back and listen a 5th time. What a masterpiece of a song.
british guys can cook its crazy actually all of these songs are enjoyable the highs are very high and the lows are still great crazy underrated stuff here
The give off Coldplay vibes. 3.5 rounded up. Stand-out: Pounding, Caught By The River
Прикольный альбом, как-будто не из того времени, а старше
Listen again
It's great how they build the songs up with hypnotic, anthemic grooves featuring plenty of harmony vocals and dense musical arrangements. There's also a cool blend of jangly guitar arpeggios and spacey electronica. The tracks are lengthy, so I just let the sounds wash over me and drift away. The highlight is N.Y. with some nifty chord changes and instrumental break. However, the spacey tracks (and melodies) are a bit samey, and the vocals are a bit bland (winey?). And at 54 minutes, it's a bit too long. Despite these flaws, it's a decent album.
I like this album
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Decent Brit rock album that mixes alternative with some subtle electronics to create a more atmospheric and ambient backdrop. Highly produced and cinematic, it’s a very polished commercial album designed to appeal to the masses. Overall, it was an enjoyable listen and slightly better than average. I probably won’t go out of my way to listen to it again unless I want something easygoing and non-offensive to play with a group of people.
Right up my alley! Never heard of them before but I love the feel of turn of the century rock music. Probably because I was in my early teens at the time and the sound kind of evokes the vibe of those times. Plenty of comments saying it's a more quality Coldplay album and it's true, it does feel that way. Even my wife said something very similar after hearing just a short fragment of the title song. I like how you can find traces of different sounds from britpop (plenty of Radiohead's Bends feeling on this) or even shoegaze (the instrumental break on Satellite feels like When the Sun Hits by Slowdive). I loved it and have already listened to the whole thing many times. I'm looking forward to checking out more albums from their catalogue.
Consistent sound throughout album, but nothing particularly exciting
I liked this album. I was found myself listening to it a few times throughout the week.
Big throwbacks in listening to Pounding and There Goes the fear. These featured in my mixed CDs of old and I'm sure I heard them on xfm back in the day. Enjoyed the varied soundscapes and I liked how different the lead vocals sounded in the first 3-4 tracks
I dig this! Good easy indie pop rock. It’s giving Kurt vile/war on drugs/real estate.
this album's pretty good for the most part. compared to some of the other indie rock albums i've listened to this one is a bit more lugubrious and spacey in nature. it's the perfect blend of depression and euphoria. it's equally moody, it just balances out. the orchestral sections are also creative.
This falls neatly in line with much of the music I like: moody indie-rock with a post-punk edge. It appeals to me personally, but I can’t say it belongs on this list.
There was something very comforting about listening to this. I’ve never heard them before, but the energy of their music is not too high, and the overall feel is very early 2000s. I suppose there’s nothing remarkable about this album, but I thought it had a nice sound and listened a couple times.
Another "how did I miss this?" album. This is exactly the kind of thing my friends or I would have gone wild over around the time it was released, and somehow I went 23 years without even hearing about it.
Nothing special but absolutely up my alley. Easy listening, evokes reflection and emotion. New band and album for me to add to my listening!
Pretty good, it reminded my wife of Pink Floyd
Heerlijke pop-rock muziek! ****
This is on the edge of a three but I think I’d come back to it so calling a four.