If my dreams had a soundtrack, I think it would sound a little bit like Kingdom of Rust. That’s not to say that it will set your eyelids drooping or shake you awake in a cold sweat, Doves just have a way to layer melodies in just the right way to complement a REM cycle. Epic and atmospheric, this Manchester rock band dabbles with synthesizers, folksy guitars and even the occasional funk bass line to put together their ambient, guitar-driven fourth album.
Kingdom of Rust oscillates between electronic rhythms and country flavor, but the seemingly sporadic pair somehow fit together. The opener, Jetstream (apparently intended as an alternate ending track to Blade Runner) provides a pulsing beat and ethereal vocals, only to be followed by the decided twang of the title track. The first single and an obvious gem of the album, Kingdom of Rust certainly takes a page out of the Fleet Foxes’ hymnal and echoes guitar riffs with glockenspiel licks. But despite the further Foxes feel on the beautifully sleepy Birds Flew Backwards, the Doves prove their own sound with a more rock-n-roll tone that drives radio-friendly tracks like The Outsiders and Winter Hill. Another highlight, 10:03, sweeps from basic piano and haunting vocals into a pounding Radiohead-esque instrumental. The only misstep is possibly the unexpected funk of Compulsion (a reference to Blondie’s Rapture with just a touch too much of pop).
So yes, it’s all over the place. Listening to this album feels a little bit like putting my iPod on shuffle. But, unlike the time Fergie Ferg slipped onto my dinner party playlist, there’s rarely that fumbling “how did that get on there?” moment.
