Apparently the Doves recorded The Last Broadcast through the same mixing desk as Pink Floyd recorded Dark Side of the Moon.

It's bits of useless rock trivia like that which give writers something to introduce their reviews with.

Then you say something like 'and isn't that weird because the first track, adventurously titled 'intro' is kind of Pink Floydy in its soundscapey airyness and isn't it disappointing that more artists don't experiment with soundscapey introductions anymore'.

Then you say how The Doves sound like Travis sometimes, and they sound like the Stone Roses at other times and then they remind me of that second Ween album and then they sound like The Smiths, who I saw in concert in 52BC when I was there with Jesus, who doesn't heaps sound like the Jesus and Mary Chain anymore, but he used to when he went through that cross phase, and how at times this album is even reminiscent of XTC, who with a name like that should have been an American all girl R&B group.

However, The Last Broadcast is far too good to be lumped with excess trivia baggage. It is a contender for the album of the year. The melodies, production, sounds, structures, vocals, lyrics, and instruments are all flawless. The musical ideas are innovative and original and there's a little surprise around every bar to keep you interested. There's even an oboe on there, which in the hands of a band more heathen could be dangerous, but these are doves, they could probably make make an electric harp sound appropriate.

This is Brit Pop, if we're still allowed to call it that, at it's peak. If Travis are pigeons then it's good to know there's somebody else flying ahead to bring back the olive branch. The Last Broadcast doesn't whack you over the head immediately with anything catchy, but after a bit of subtle coo-ing you realise you've flown the coop with them.