Doves are like a combination of every great Manchester band of the last two decades - the stoic melancholy of the Smiths, the rhythmic power of New Order and the anthemic qualities of Oasis. The one they don't have is the charisma of any of those people. Still, while Jimi Goodwin and the dour Williams brothers will never be pinups, their third album is another impressive collection of pounding, windswept rock that should delight their legions of loyal fans. Slightly more optimistic than its two Mercury-nominated predecessors, Some Cities is probably best seen as an ironic love-letter to their native town, complete with bittersweet childhood memories and doleful tales of unrequited love. Only the slightly drab vocals and a couple of weak songs prevent this from being a great record, instead of just a very good one.

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