Lost Souls, the debut album by Cheshire trio Doves, was released 25 years ago. That quarter of a century has been a hell of a ride for the band, made up of brothers Andy and Jez Williams and frontman Jimi Goodwin.
Following the release of their latest album, Constellations for the Lonely, the Williams brothers made the bold decision to tour without Goodwin. Four years earlier, the band had to cancel the tour for their comeback album, The Universal Want, when Goodwin’s mental health made it impossible to face the heavy toll that touring takes on the body and mind. Now, promoting So, Here We Are: Best of Doves, the band are back on on the road, minus their lead singer.
I won’t lie – part of me was worried that seeing Doves without Goodwin would be like seeing a Doves tribute band. It wasn’t. The brothers make Doves what they are just as much as Goodwin does, and it was a brilliant gig at Sheffield Octagon. But it would be disingenuous to pretend I didn’t feel Goodwin’s absence. His voice and his presence are such a big part of Doves’ identity that experiencing the songs without him did take some getting used to.
However, sharing the singing between them, Andy and Jez did justice to the band’s impressive back catalogue and should be proud of what they’re doing with this tour. Being honest and open about mental health struggles is something we need more of, particularly from men, as is seeing someone putting recovery first and proving that great things can still happen while you get better. I applaud their decision. It feels radical, a big act touring without their lead singer, but in doing so they are proving something important: you can take the time you need to heal. The world will keep turning, beauty and joy will still be found. The door will remain open for you to return, when the time is right.
Lost Souls is an important album for me. I played it relentlessly at a pivotal time in my life. One track, A House, sowed the seeds that would later become my first novel, The Raven Wheel. If I had my own way, the gig would have been that album from start to finish. I would have missed out on some great music though, so it’s just as well I’m not in charge.
Meanwhile, the audience took a while to get going and I wondered if it was related to the venue. My day job is at the university, and this is a university venue. Maybe there were a lot of staff in the audience, worried they’d not completed the required risk assessment to allow them to cut loose. Anthemic bangers like Pounding, There Goes The Fear, and Caught by the River did liven people up, but the band really took it up a notch with the last track of the encore (Space Face) – an absolute belter from their pre-Doves days as dance outfit Sub Sub that had even the most inhibited in the audience going full Haçienda.
It was a great night, and Doves are doing something special here. Jimi, if you’re reading this, your bandmates are doing you proud and you should be proud of yourself, too.
By Amy Stone, Sheffield Correspondent
Main image by Amy Stone
Doves
