Doves: Firesuite
By the year 2000, all of the early 90’s shoegaze bands had either broken up (Chapterhouse, My Bloody Valentine, Ride) or either changed their sound altogether (Slowdive/Mojave 3, Catherine Wheel). While not purely a shoegazing act, Cheshire, England’s Doves brought a sense of beauty and ethereality to their music, similar to that of their shoegazing influences, with careful use of echo and reverb. The opening track from their debut album, Lost Souls, as Doves (previously they had played under the electronic moniker Sub Sub), Firesuite, displays all of their strengths. While a band like the Verve would take you on 9 minute space rock odysseys a la She’s a Superstar, Doves were capable of keeping it under the 5 minute due to a strong rhythm section. I am perplexed that there is not a YouTube live version of this track!
Doves – Firesuite
[audio:firesuite.mp3]
12 Comments Leave A Comment
Luis says:
July 7, 2008 at 10:58 pmHey Scott, totally unrelated but did you design the Irongate logo or these guys totally stole your work?
http://www.slipg8.com/
Greg B says:
July 8, 2008 at 1:01 amSuperb track, classic album! I have vivid memories attached to ‘Lost Souls.’ It’s always a joy to listen to.
ed@dupe says:
July 8, 2008 at 2:13 amAhhh, Doves. Brings back memories of Glastonbury 2003
Awesome band. No doubt will be increasingly overlooked as the years go by
drew kora says:
July 8, 2008 at 5:51 amWhen I really got into music in my teens, it was with the shoegazers….foremost of these was HUM for me. The Doves are also top-notch. Great post.
…and regarding the Verve. You’re so right. Actually, they could easily keep their songs around the 5-minute mark. But they always find it necessary to carry on for 3 or 4 minutes at the end of every song in a repetitious loop repeating the chorus or some other lyric over and over again until fading out. A few songs like that are fine, but not all of them!
Daniel Carvalho says:
July 8, 2008 at 7:13 am@Luis
I asked the same question a while back, so I’m happy to answer that one for Scott. Scott and undoubtedly the guys responsible for the Slipg8 logo, based their design off a soviet propaganda poster. It’s quite a well known poster among collectors.
– Daniel
Luis says:
July 8, 2008 at 8:26 am@Daniel
Thanks a lot. For a moment there I thought Scott Hansen could be suing John Romero :p
gwdesign says:
July 8, 2008 at 2:55 pmI have all their albums… love their songs. They are a modern Stone Roses, or Oasis in my book.
Daniel Carvalho says:
July 8, 2008 at 11:07 pmWell, I think John Romero has enough to worry about heh, like recovering a batted and bruised reputation.
– Daniel
courdek says:
July 9, 2008 at 8:42 amGreat song , but it sounds a lot like the 2nd half of a song called Polaris by Zero 7 off their Simple things album.
Is that coincidence?
tisha says:
July 10, 2008 at 12:19 ami love them. i remember hearing that song when i first saw the movie with kate bosworth, blue crush, right then and there that became my favorite song of theirs.
and your one of my favorites too! all my friends i’ve told looove your music :)
Closet Metalhead says:
July 10, 2008 at 11:25 amOh ya COURDEK it sounds like ZERO 7! WOW.
I love the Doves and Zero 7. Great live bands too! Many times have i seen these bands perform at Slim’s or the Fillmore.
Check out—-DOVES – “Darker” from Lost Souls. Listening now a fav
fer sure!
Alex / HeadUp says:
July 11, 2008 at 8:56 amNercrocommenting here, but yeah Doves are great– first got into em way back when when I heard the song, The Cedar Room. I bought Firesuite off iTunes last yr because it sounded so great, but after a very heavy stint of Doves, Trentemøller and Apparat, I had my fill and stopped listening to it. Every once in a while tho, I’ll give a rockin’ out to Black and White Town off Some Cities.