[rating=4.00]
Like Blur suffocating in the shadow of Radiohead, Doves lay claim to residing in the mud of Coldplay. And as a three piece, they might wallow in the shadow of Muse as the strongest trio from across the lake. Doves always sound larger than their parts with a knack for blending dark riffs with beautiful melodies as lead singer Jimi Goodwin can outsoul Chris Martin on any stage. And like their last two albums Lost Souls and The Last Broadcast, Kingdom of Rust shows little in the way of corrosion.
Doves have excelled at nurturing an urban Manchester feel to their music that graces their compositions with a mature depth atop soaring vocals. The opening track “Jetstream,” echoes of U2 with its pulsating opening rhythms while the title track delivers a poignant cinema flair, courtesy of Goodwin , but unfortunately doesn’t pave any new Doves ground. Dance beats on “Compulsion” give Kingdom a club feel next to the ballad “Spellbound,” which still remains morose in a web of catchy melodies. What the album does lack in memorable hooks, it rebounds on the strength of the vocals as in “House of Mirrors” where Goodwin and Jez Williams share lead roles. Doves, unlike their aviary moniker aren’t so peaceful as they are graceful and edgey, as Kingdom of Rust flies with more sonic flairs.
