Doves – ‘Constellations For The Lonely’ album review: A delicate yet explosive journey into flawed authenticity
THE SKINNY: “We were staring down the abyss,” Doves‘ Jez Williams recently explained to Far Out. The period of uncertainty that followed their 2021 tour cancellation ushered everybody into darkness before the Williams brothers began working on new material, forming the basis of what would eventually become Constellations For The Lonely. “This picture started to emerge, and we thought, ‘There might be a way through this,'” Jez recalled.
This organic delicacy is what immediately gives the record its sentimental charm, compounded by something inexplicably heady, perhaps the melancholic undertones that came with a slightly fractured dynamic following Jimi Goodwin’s prioritisation of mental health and recovery from substance abuse. But this feels less weighed down by the sudden turn and more authentic in its flaws, even from the first track, ‘Renegade’, which came together more as a tester than anything final.
Because of this, among many other reasons, the record feels more open and stripped-back, even when the sounds erupt into explosive indie-rock soundscapes and the vocals turn soaring, and especially when the slow embers suddenly veer towards something more engulfed in Doves’ signature anthemic flames. And that’s precisely what makes the more tender moments, like ‘Strange Weather’ and ‘A Drop In The Ocean’, feel more poignant—like a presentation of Dove’s most vulnerable chapter, ready to be handled with care and embraced with passion.
For something that smells suspiciously like a comeback, Constellations For The Lonely has it all and wastes no time proving it. It might seem a desperate game at times, with the band figuring out how they operate with their new approach, but for the most part, it sparkles with all the strength and fervour they’ve become known for over the years, even if this new venture leans into unchartered territory.
For fans of: Indie anthems by artists that no one admits they love, like Courteeners.
A concluding comment from a house DJ: “Too many feelings, not enough drop.”
Constellations For The Lonely track by track:
Release Date: February 28th | Producer: Dan Austin, Andy Williams, Jez Williams & Jimi Goodwin | Label: EMI North
‘Renegade’: Although unexpected, it feels entirely fitting for this record to begin with distorted guitar and piano sounds, setting the scene for something unexpected and unpredictable. Still, this far-from-perfect affair feels like the perfect beginning for a new chapter. [3/5]
‘Cold Dreaming’: More immediately upbeat than the initial track, ‘Cold Dreaming’ upholds the band’s usual inexplicable endearing qualities with a sound that seems to rise and fall with the changing tides. [3/5]
‘In The Butterfly House’: Perhaps more playful than the band initially intended, ‘In The Butterfly House’ feels akin to stumbling upon relief in the most unexpected places, like deep within a surreal, dreamlike state of mind or the laughter that follows a much-needed punchline. [3/5]
‘Strange Weather’: A sudden solemn turn feels like a beautiful change of pace, with ‘Strange Weather’ centralising the band’s newfound sentimentality amid uncertainty and the quest for a different flavour of authenticity. The overt psychedelia also adds to its overarching disoriented charm. [3/5]
‘A Drop In The Ocean’: Venturing further into the emotional abyss they have come to know and love, ‘A Drop In The Ocean’ feels one of Doves’ most accomplished pieces to date, taking on a more considered and effortless pacing and atmosphere than any other song on the tracklist. [3.5/5]
‘Last Year’s Man’: Within most tracks on this record, the arrangements guide the stories, with the vocal accompaniment serving as a welcomed enhancer. In the case of ‘Last Year’s Man’, Doves toy with these dynamics beautifully, oscillating between loud and dark, soft and hard. [3.5/5]
‘Stupid Schemes’: All of these arrangements, the ones that feel as though, theoretically, they should be contradictory and not work well, come together on ‘Stupid Schemes’ to prove that Doves’ latest affair with sonic experimentation is more a stroke of innovative genius than a half-baked attempt at taking on something completely new. [3.5/5]
‘Saint Teresa’: A more typical Doves song, ‘Saint Teresa’ sees the band doing what they’ve always done best, taking one of Goodwin’s late-night internet search sagas and transforming it into good old indie rock. [3/5]
‘Orlando’: A more quietly contemplative disposition sweeps the entirely of ‘Orlando’, even as the song erupts into something more immersive and visceral, hinting at the untouchable and indescribable nature of life’s curve balls. [3/5]
‘Southern Bell’: There’s always a certain amount of pressure on an album closer, but ‘Southern Bell’ feels somewhat resigned from expectation, though not in an egotistical way. Instead, it ends Constellations in a more effortless way, leaving the door ajar for whatever will come next. [3/5]
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