Kingdom of Rust
Doves
2009
All too often critics use the phrase “tour de force” to describe an artistic effort. In the case of this latest disc from the British trio Doves, a more applicable phrase could not be found. Kingdom of Rust is loud and in many parts hypnotic. It is always entertaining and fresh. The listener is carried away on a rush of distortion and feedback and a driving beet that never lets up until they say so. The members of Coldplay must certainly listen to a disc like this and just wish they had this kind of edge. Kingdom of Rust is the kind of disc that Radiohead would release if they actually gave a shit about releasing accessible music.
The Brit-pop band has been steadily increasing their fan base abroad since the late 90’s, but has remained relatively unknown on this side of the pond. If they continue to release music like this they could suddenly find themselves as the next big thing to come out of England. And that could be a great thing because this is big music and hearing it live with the full production would certainly be something special.
The easiest blanket statement to make about this disc is that there isn’t a weak song on it. It is all good and it is all slightly different. It can be moody, boisterous, contemplative and kick ass. It can be intense at times and in fact it is intense most of the time. Was that an airplane that just too off?
“Kingdom of Rust” takes you on a rollicking gallop across a Sergio Leone landscape complete with desolation and lost love. This song belongs in a future Quentin Tarantino western. It’s camp with the right mixture of hip pop and it is very cool.
“The Greatest Denier” stands out as a song that I have simply been unable to play often enough. It is just put together almost perfectly. There is a ton going on here and it quite frankly never lets up. There is nothing stripped down about this song. By the time the below mentioned final verse rolls around you’re ready for a breather.
So go to sleep citizen
we’ll wake you up when we’re done
Kind of fitting somehow with what is going on these days don’t you think?
“Spellbound” sounds like it easily could be the forgotten track off of By the Way from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Also, there are elements of “10:03” that would have fit perfectly on Pink Floyd’s Meddle as well as Streetcore from Joe Strummer and the Mescalaros. On this strong disc these songs are especially powerful.
I’ve still not figured out “Compulsion.” Blondie I see most definitely. But then if you’re going to go there you should also think about Sandanista from the Clash. That will take you most certainly to some of the sound of Big Audio Dynamite. It has this odd kind of early 80’s disco influence that is infectious to say the least.
In my opinion, Kingdom of Rust will receive consistent rotation decades from now. The folks in England have this band figured out as their sales have continued to steadily climb. Doves may not make that next great leap to superstardom in the USA with this disc but if there is any so called musical justice in play here these guys should at the very minimum climb a few more rungs. Buy this CD. It is an essential CD for this period in time.