Doves’ sixth album is one many feared would never happen. After the release of The Universal Want (2020), they were set to go on tour the following year, but their plans were thwarted. It wasn’t the pandemic that hindered them; rather, frontman and bassist Jimi Goodwin struggled with his mental health and was recovering from substance abuse.
While Doves were on indefinite hiatus, Goodwin began working with a new project called the Bird Effect Ensemble. During that time, he shared more about his struggles in a Paste interview. He said, “I’ve known alcohol abuse. It’s something I’ve struggled with the last couple of years. It’s that thing about having access to it pretty much 24/7 on tour, and what was once Dutch Courage kind of became a bit too habit-forming for me really. It spooked me out.”
There is no indication that things are much better, at least on the touring front, as Doves recently played a few intimate dates with brothers Andy Williams (drums) and Jez Williams (guitar) taking the lead alongside keyboardist Martin Rebelski. Although already sold out, the upcoming string of UK shows will go on without Goodwin. All of that aside, the original members carved out time in Greater Manchester, North Wales, and Cheshire, with producer and long-term collaborator Dan Austin, to record their latest installment, Constellations for the Lonely.
Were it not for the tenuous circumstances and somewhat vague public relations (not to mention the album release being delayed by two weeks due to manufacturing issues), Constellations for the Lonely might seem like another familiar milestone for the Mancunian trio. Just like their heralded releases up to this point, the new record unfurls as an atmospheric tapestry with drama and soul. Quietly, Andy Williams takes a more prominent role, with Doves still generating tones that have become familiar in their catalog. However, the LP contains fewer standout tracks and will not offer the same immediacy as their previous works.
The distorted introduction in the lead single “Renegade” suggests this could be another intense affair. Then the piano cuts in for a dreamy, dystopian take on their hometown, as envisioned a century from now. The track is plaintive but not brooding, as one has come to expect. Doves can generate different moods, and they can shift like the wind. This is from a band whose debut album opener, “Firesuite”, sounded like birds chirping before slowly coming into focus, only to dissolve into the atmosphere.
In some ways, Doves have aged like fellow Brits Elbow. Initially lumped in with bands like Radiohead, both bands have secured a place more defined by strong vocals and relatively daring artistic choices. Each record feels like a unique outing, and this is one characterized by darkness, even by Doves’ standards. Standout “Southern Bell” kicks into gear with the line, “Wake up, it’s morning / Of these, our last days / It takes strength and courage / Just to die this way.” On the record, they can tap into a universal sense of unease. Even if “Stupid Schemes” contains sunny instrumentation a la Rolling Stones‘ “She’s a Rainbow”, the wisdom Goodwin dispenses urges wariness.
While broader themes lurk, Doves follow their muse in different directions where curiosity leads. “Saint Teresa” recalls the 16th-century Spanish nun, Teresa of Ávila, whose body was exhumed and appendages were removed as relics, musing whether she is truly without a home. “Butterfly House” depicts a fantasy world of the title construct, where the singer is held forever and time stands still, with images of a secret garden, a deep lake, and flickering lights. The incorporeal world is made all the more substantial by the interplay of fluttering guitar patterns and acoustic flourishes.
Andy Williams has taken on a more significant singing role, meaning Goodwin’s unsteady presence now carries considerable weight, as nothing compares to his rich vocals. Fans have gotten used to Williams contributing a song or two per record, but Goodwin has always been front and center with those timely stylistic shifts. Take “M62 Song”, from Doves’ critically acclaimed The Last Broadcast (2002), which sounds like a distant radio transmission, something that can be attributed to the album theme but also speaks to Williams’ limited vocal range.
On Constellations for the Lonely, Williams has been called to duty with mixed results. The fierce determination of “Cold Dreaming” cuts through the symphonic splendor to express that it’s time for a change. He tells listeners, “God knows it ain’t easy / But I can’t live my days in fear.” Conversely, “Strange Weather” includes celestial sounds and a psychedelic bent in the vein of the Flaming Lips. Give the group kudos for effort and for sticking with specific Plutonian themes. Either track leaves a more lasting impact than “Last Year’s Man”, which moves along in humdrum fashion despite the noteworthy harmonica ornamentation.
Overall, the album works better than expected had fans known going into it that Goodwin would have a reduced role. However, if Constellations for the Lonely had maximized his talents, it might have meant a different track sequence or another majestic number to be considered alongside classics like “Words”, “One of These Days”, and “Kingdom of Rust”. Doves still create complex compositions that take listeners on a singular journey through the cosmos or even the darker sides of Manchester. With six solid releases over the last quarter century, nobody can challenge their continued impact on British music or indie rock.