Doves' new album Some Cities is arguably one of the most highly-anticipated new releases of 2005. We'll have to wait until mid-February (in Europe) or early-March (in the US) to confirm early reviews suggesting this is a more cohesive, homogenous piece of work than The Last Broadcast was three years ago. For now, we can listen to its first single, 'Black & White Town,' an energetic slice of atmospheric psychedelic pop not unlike some of the strongest moments in their classic debut Lost Souls (2000). Granted, this is not as immediately mesmerizing as 'There Goes the Fear,' (let's face it, they'll probably never come close to topping that), but 'Black & White Town' is more aggressive and grows with repeated listens. A bitterweet soundtrack to life in the city, it features a pounding beat that turns it into the most danceable song Jez and Andy Williams have recorded since their Sub Sub days.
