Suffolk

Here’s a selection of media reviews from doves Saturday appearance at Latitude.

Picture from uncut.co.uk

From the Uncut Latitude blog:

DOVES PLAY EUPHORIC SET AS SUN GOES DOWN AT LATITUDE

Doves, too, are part of this big music idea I’m kicking around. But, conspicuously, there’s a lot of difference between them and White Lies. Although they, too, deploy a similarly epic sweep in their songs, there’s something far more interesting bubbling away under the surface. As they race through “Jetstream”, “Winter Hill”, “Kingdom Of Rust” and “Two Of Us”, I’m struck at how broad and impressionistic their songs are. They don’t particularly subscribe to the notion of traditional songwriting. By which I mean, their songs are defined more by textures, than verse-chorus-verse-chorus-break-chorus. It’s perhaps understandable, considering the House music background of Jimi Goodwin and Andy and Jez Williams; a genre which privileges feeling and momentum over conventional pop constructs or dynamics.

As it goes, Doves deliver a wildly popular set, Jimi himself a particularly avuncular figure, dressed in a long sleeve grey shirt, who has a good line in between song banter. “It’s nice to see so many kids and babies here,” he deadpans. “It makes us feel like a hip and relevant band.”

They finish with a storming “There Goes The Fear”, by far their best song, just as the final shades of colour leach from the skt.

Doves Obelisk Arena slot also drew a huge crowd who were able to bask in the sun as the Manchester band ran through a set that relied heavily on new album ‘Kingdom Of Rust’.

Before playing 2002 single ‘Pounding’, a sunglasses-wearing Jimi Goodwin made reference to the crowd’s fancy dress attire.

“What’s going on with all the wigs man?!” he said, referring to the afro hairpieces that many people were wearing. “I’m just seeing wigs everywhere! You…you, oh no, sorry not you, that’s real!” he continued, adding: “Ok, this next one’s called ‘Pounding’, and we’d like you to pound!”

Goodwin rounded off the band’s well-received set by paying tribute to Latitude. “What a beautiful, beautiful festival – lovely vibes,” he beamed.

Indie survivors Doves are widely tipped to scoop this year’s Mercury Music Prize with their latest album Kingdom of Rust. Occupying the same Saturday sundown slot in the Obelisk Arena as Elbow did last year – who then went on to win the coveted award a couple of months later – maybe some of their luck will rub off on them.

Doves’ solid tunes are well suited to the sunset – the set opened with the epic Jetstream and they didn’t stray too far from the script, delivering lots of jangly guitars and uplifting melodies. Highlights of the show included Winter Hill, the melancholy Black and White Town and There Goes the Fear.

Doves were up next on the main stage. I love Doves. Their songs just sound so strong and solid, like a well-built house. You know exactly what you’re going to get. Dermot O’Leary, standing just a few feet away, seemed to be enjoying it too, when he wasn’t signing balloons for children or posing with drunk, but still very polite, festival-lites. The drum bit at the end of There Goes The Fear was amazing, as always.