2002

I’m pleased to report (even though these lists are rubbish) that there are two doves tracks in the NME’s top 100 tracks of the decade countdown. Without further to do..

38 The Cedar Room

The Manchester band’s debut single

The longest song on Doves’ mesmerising debut album ‘Lost Souls’ represents the true essence of what this most unassumingly special of British bands are all about. A constant live favourite, it creeps along at a lovely, stoned pace, ever so slowly evolving into a classic piece of colourful psychedelia that even the most addled of ’60s acid-heads would be immensely proud of.
They made much more concise, accessible pop records than this throughout their careers, but never have Jimi Goodwin’s lot sounded as mesmerizingly beautiful as they do here. A dark, brooding, slice of 6am perfection that takes you to places you need to go. HM

24 There Goes The Fear

A proper epic, and the band’s finest moment

The near seven-minute mournful masterpiece remains one of the most cherished UK tracks of the decade, by one of our best bands of the era, being one of those tunes that is both sad and uplifting at the same time. NME writers loved it enough to vote it the song of 2002. Nuff said. AW