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musicOMH.com

Kingdom Of Rust is a triumph, and the best album the band have ever produced.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Listeners feeling nostalgic for early ’00s will likely find a lot to like about Kingdom Of Rust, with its skipping rhythms, chiming guitars, wobbly sheets of synthesizer, and the throaty, eyes-screwed-shut yelp of frontman Jimi Goodwin. And even those who think Doves peaked with 2002’s sprawling The Last Broadcast should appreciate the new album’s sonic depth.

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Alternative Press

Title withstanding, there's no rust on these guys. [May 2009, p.121]

Mojo

This is mostly an album about England, about hearts beating wild and strong through wind whipped, rain-lashed, solace-in-introspection northern living. [May 2009, p.97]

Urb

Doves succeed in giving fans their fix of new music that sounds fresh without altering the formula so much as to alienate any of their devotees.

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Q Magazine

Kingdom Of Rust is Doves' defining work, an album of bold adventure. [May 2009, p.108]

Uncut

By expanding their repertoire, taking a few risks, and nailing those harmonies, they’ve made what feels like the first great British album of 2009.

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All Music Guide

This is still a bright record, however, one that finds catharsis in the gloomier songs and strength in the tracks that resemble Lost Souls' measured anthems.

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New Musical Express (NME)

Whatever way you look at Kingdom Of Rust it’s a magnificent rock record, one which will delight the faithful and also surely see them pick up new devotees.

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The Guardian

A certain confidence is all over Kingdom of Rust. Not the brash, cocksure swagger of a debut album, but the quiet conviction that comes with experience. It sounds like another victory for maturity.

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Under The Radar

They assemble perfect pop structures even as their materials oxidized, carefully building that Kingdom of Rust. [Spring 2009, p.65]

Drowned In Sound

Even if the album loses its way with its final two tracks, you are left so exhausted by this stage that it almost comes with a sense of relief. By reinventing what they do best, Doves have fearlessly strutted back onto everyone's radar.

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Paste Magazine

On Doves’ fourth LP, Kingdom of Rust, the music is more granite than limestone, continuing 2005 album "Some Cities’" move toward cacophonous beauty.

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Pitchfork

Doves' fourth album is another sterling example of why the Doves should be household names and why they probably won't ever be: their unwavering flair for producing mountainous, Wembley-worthy pop anthems that are nonetheless invested with a palpable degree of grace and humility.

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Dot Music

It gradually reveals itself as a lithe and texturally consummate work.

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Hot Press

Good, not great, comeback from epic Mancs.

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Observer Music Monthly

Previous albums never quite lived up to the band's facility for knockout singles, but this one holds the attention.

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Spin

It's familiar, sure, but Kingdom of Rust has a welcome warmth.

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cokemachineglow

While it feels a little sheepish to rag on a band for being a little too competent at what they do, the best you can really say about this, their fourth LP, is that it’s simply a good product that’s easily recognizable as a Doves album.

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Sputnikmusic

For better or for worse--you'll like it because of the music it reminds you of, but you won't love it for exactly the same reason.

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Rolling Stone

Kingdom of Rust is wonderfully dolorous, but when Doves rev up the tempos on tracks like 'The Outsiders,' they show they're not a total pity party.

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PopMatters

For all its strengths, though, Kingdom of Rust also leaves us with the uneasy feeling that Doves are starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of merely staying the course instead of exploring bolder ideas.

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No Ripcord

For the most part though, it adds little to a genre that’s already saturated and is disappointing from a band whose past evidence has shown can do better.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 35 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Nick gave it an8:
Doves have not wasted their time making Kingdom Of Rust, and I haven't wasted my time listening to it.

Kaiser Z gave it a6:
Glimpses of something more that didn't pan out is what this albumn feels like to me. Mixed in with a lot of "familiar" melodies is a couple rewarding moments but it feels more like I've been on this path before. Jetstream is a mess of a song and Compulsion is so Blondie-esque that it's distracting. Most of the albumn lacks the percussion pop of older Doves and mellows out in areas instead of cranking it up. 10:03 and Outsiders inject some life in a Moody Blues stream of songs that don't go fast enough but at least don't drag. A hazy albumn for reflection--not inspiration.

Shane M gave it a9:
The most complete album I've heard since Iron & Wine's Shepherd's Dog. Their best album so far. Simply amazing.

Barry J gave it a9:
An immense album of varied pace, texture and mood, full of simplky great songs and a superb, heavy sound. Definitely their best, most consistent album. It's only a shame the superb bonus track "Ship of Fools" didn't make it on.

Stig Sonsterudbraten gave it a10:
Brilliant album full of harmony and rythm that sticks to your Brain. Everything is packed in a delicate produced sound with a vocal so gently flowing on top of every song. The surprice of this Album makes it even better. Maybe I have to rate this album over the earlier ones....maybe.

Jonah H gave it a10:
Feel good music for the reflective and weary.

Jack P gave it a9:
A complete vision of a Doves album. A proper record from start to finish without filler.

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Kingdom Of Rust

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