May 19-25, 2005

musicpicks

Doves/Mercury Rev

Rock/pop

With Morrissey and Elvis Costello now residing on this side of the hemisphere, who's gonna explain the slate-grey plights of the ol' U.K. for us Anglo-freaks? (Sure, The Guardian and Mike Leigh films help, but no one ever centered DJ nights around them.) Well, here comes the Manchester trio Doves (pictured) with their masterful third album, Some Cities (Capitol), which acutely captures their hometown as it becomes less and less recognizable. "Too much history coming down," goes the plaintive title track, "Another building brought to ground." The band scales down the extended suites of their previous albums, creating a focused, 47-minute work that remains cinematic in its sweep. Hearts firmly on sleeves, Doves easily move from the epic "The Storm" to the emotive character sketch "Walk in Fire." And of course there's room for a killer single, the gloriously Motown-cribbing "Black and White Town." Having cancelled a few shows earlier this month due to bassist-singer Jimi Goodwin's ailing throat, Doves are back on their tour with Mercury Rev, who aren't British. But given the spooked soundscapes and elfin delivery of The Secret Migration (V2) — and the rave reviews from MOJO -- they might as well be.

Sun., May 22, 9 p.m., $23, Theater of Living Arts, 334 South St., 215-922-1011.

—Michael Pelusi