Capitol Music Group

You could have expected to have seen some police sanctioned WANTED posters and a handsome
reward offered by late 2008:

MISSING
THREE MANCHESTER MUSICIANS
LAST SEEN DECEMBER 2005

If you’ll forgive one last desperate pun, Doves had flown the nest. As the next 3 and a bit years
passed, the stunning achievement that was the brooding Some Cities LP (released in 2005)
could easily torment when listened to. Together with their first two releases, Lost Souls and
The Last Broadcast, this made up a considerable and consistent body of work.

Jimi Goodwin and twin brothers Jez and Andy Williams have known each other since they were 15. They started playing together seriously about 20 years ago but, as Jimi notes, "We were wagging school and jamming way before that". As Sub Sub (graduates of a Hacienda-inspired Manchester club land explosion of the late eighties) the band scored some dance inflected hits which kind of painted them into a corner. The number one selling "Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)" was released on New Order manager Rob Gretton's label. "We kind of lost our way for a few years", admits Jez. As newly named Doves, 2000's Lost Souls, a record wrought from hard-bitten experience, put their train back on the rails. Nobody could have been ready for the attention it brought them.” The Last Broadcast, a record which realised all expectations, was an unbelievably assured second LP. Some Cities arrived almost three years after The Last Broadcast.

But that was 2005. Since then, in the absence of any releases, fans, writers, DJs and pundits wondered what had happened. Unless you are related, prior to this welcome communication you would have been none the wiser.

Kingdom of Rust is a record that consolidates while pushing forward. The hardest thing it had to
do was to satisfy the exacting standards of the group themselves. It’s hard for Doves to distance
themselves enough right now to see the wood for the trees with it, or even begin to evaluate.
But, aside from the relief of closure in completing this record and the excitement of looking
forward to getting out and playing in front of people again, it’s clear from the smiles and the
sense of hard won celebration that Doves have done enough to allow themselves a little sleep at
night. For now at least.