What’s the best thing about Doves? Beards and tunes. And we haven’t had that since Cilla Black’s husband was buried with his mouth-organ.

Anyway, the record. In short, it’s beautiful. Brimming with life, soul, and energy, it’s the kind of album you can whack on at any time of the day and find yourself getting totally lost in. There’s tunes as big as your sister’s arse thoughout, and by the time you reach the sprawling, hymnal closer “ Ambition “, you’ll be declaring this record’s genius to every cunt you know.

Sound-wise it’s not a huge leap forward from the band’s first two long-players, in fact it sounds like a tidy cocktail-mixture of the two, but when the tunes truly soar they reach heights most other popular mainstream bands can only dream of. When music is this moving, this huge in sound, and this beautifully written and performed, who gives a nipple about progression?

Album of 2005? We have the first true contender.

Buffet Rating:

8/10

Fancy a taste? Try these:

Black And White Town, Almost Forgot Myself, Walk In Fire.