Doves head off on Black Rivers

As two-thirds of Manchester’s Doves, the Williams brothers achieved major success with four hit albums: the classic Lost Souls debut (2000), the No.1 hits Last Broadcast (2002) and Some Cities (2005), and 2009’s Kingdom of Rust, which peaked at number two.

After Kingdom of Rust, the pair say they both needed a break from each other, as a band if not as brothers.

Guitarist Jez plunged himself into electronic music while drummer Andy formed a new band with some friends.

Gradually, the brothers found themselves making music together once again.

After drifting back together, the duo can now officially launch their new band, Black Rivers.

The lads will soon make their live debut, via two warm-up shows with Neon Waltz at Gullivers in Manchester last night and Liverpool’s The Shipping Forecast tonight. They then head to Kendal Calling on Saturday before playing Belsonic Festival on August 18.

Black Rivers decamped to a remote cottage in Anglesey last winter in order to write and record new material.

Sharing vocal duties, they boosted their sound with Jez playing bass and keyboards, and Andy contributing piano in addition to their regular instruments.

They also called on the expertise of Claudius Mittendorfer (Johnny Marr, Muse, Temples) for mixing duties.

“Some bands are rooted in the reality of the here and now,” says Jez.

“I suppose we’ve always been about escapism: searching for something.

“That’s the link, but I wouldn’t want to think we sound too much like Doves.

“The exciting thing about Black Rivers is that we had the freedom to go wherever we wanted.”

Black Rivers’ debut track The Ship combines an electro arpeggio with a haunting melody reminiscent of a seafaring Nick Drake, and is available for free download now from their website www.blackriversofficial.com.