The Universal Want

After touring and promotion of the band's previous album, Kingdom of Rust, and subsequent compilation album The Places Between: The Best of Doves in 2009 and 2010 respectively, Doves announced they would be taking an indefinite hiatus. Jimi Goodwin released his debut solo album, Odludek, in March 2014, while Jez and Andy Williams regrouped as Black Rivers and released a self-titled album in February 2015.

In December 2018, Goodwin and the Williams brothers announced they would be reuniting as Doves and performing at the Royal Albert Hall in support for the Teenage Cancer Trust in March 2019.{{cite web |first=Elizabeth |last=Aubrey |title="We're blown away – this is incredible": Doves make emotional return to a sold-out London crowd |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/blown-away-incredible-doves-make-emotional-return-london-2469001?amp |work=NME |date=29 March 2019 |accessdate=14 July 2020}} Following the warm reception to the performance and additional live gigs, rumours began to circulate regarding new material being written and recorded. On 18 June 2020, the band released "Carousels", their first new song in ten years. A month later on 9 July, the band announced the details of their new album and released the album's first proper single, "Prisoners".

Doves partly recorded the album at Frank Bough Sound III (a studio converted from a barn in Cheshire where they had recorded Kingdom of Rust{{cite web |first=Scott |last=Munro |title=Doves reveal new album The Universal Want with video for Prisoners |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/doves-reveal-new-album-the-universal-want-with-video-for-prisoners |date=10 July 2020 |accessdate=14 July 2020}}), Big Red Studios in Macclesfield, EVE Studios in Stockport and Vada Studios in Alcester in England. The band co-produced the album with frequent collaborator Dan Austin, and it was mixed by Craig Silvey at London's Toast Studios and Dan Austin at SoundHorn Studios in southwest England.

In an interview with independent music website At the Barrier, Andy Williams said there was a renewed focus and clarity in the studio after not recording together for as long as the band did; he added, "[There was also] an appreciation of what all three of us brought to the band originally. We enjoy each other's company. We missed writing together and we also gave each other more room. If someone wasn't feeling great one day we'd reconvene at a later date whereas during Kingdom of Rust we were working solidly day-to-day; clocking in. It was quite militant. We've always had a strong work ethic but this time it was different because of the way we gave each other space if they weren't feeling it. It was a lot easier as a process."{{cite web |first=Dominic |last=Walsh |title=Doves' Andy Williams: Interview - At The Barrier |url= https://atthebarrier.com/2020/08/25/doves-andy-williams-interview-new-album-the-universal-want/ |date=25 August 2020 |accessdate=7 September 2020}}

The album's artwork was chosen by the band from London-based, Finnish photographer Maria Lax. Goodwin was moved by the images in Lax's 2020 photobook, Some Kind of Heavenly Fire, and he gifted his bandmates a copy each.{{cite web |first=Ryan |last=Leas |title=Doves Announce 'The Universal Want,' Share "Prisoners": Listen - Stereogum |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2090529/doves-prisoners-the-universal-want/music/?amp=1 |date=9 July 2020 |accessdate=14 July 2020 |website=Consequence of Sound}} This marks the first album release by the band to not feature artwork from longtime collaborator Rick Myers.

{{Album ratings

| ADM = 8.2/10{{cite web |title=The Universal Want by Doves reviews |url= http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/12563/Doves-The-Universal-Want.aspx |publisher=AnyDecentMusic? |accessdate=1 October 2020}}

| MC = 80/100{{cite web |title=The Universal Want by Doves Reviews |url= https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-universal-want/doves |work=Metacritic |accessdate=14 September 2020}}

| rev1 = Clash

| rev1score = 8/10{{cite web |first=Susan |last=Hansen |title=Doves – The Universal Want – Reviews |url= https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/doves-the-universal-want |date=7 September 2020 |accessdate=7 September 2020 |work=Clash}}

| rev2 = The Guardian

| rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |first=Alexis |last=Petridis |title=Doves: The Universal Want review – soaring soundtrack to changing lives |url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/sep/10/doves-the-universal-want-review |date=10 September 2020 |accessdate=10 September 2020 |work=The Guardian}}

| rev3 = Mojo

| rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |first=Andrew |last=Collins |title=Mojo Magazine October 2020 (pg.90) |url= https://archive.org/details/mojo-october-2020/page/90/mode/2up |accessdate=3 September 2020 |work=Mojo |via=Album of the Year}}

| rev4 = musicOMH

| rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |first=Alan |last=Ashton-Smith |title=Doves - The Universal Want - Reviews - musicOMH |url= https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/doves-the-universal-want |date=10 September 2020 |accessdate=10 September 2020 |work=musicOMH}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |first=Damian |last=Jones |title=Doves - 'The Universal Want' album review |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/doves-the-universal-want-review-2746917 |date=8 September 2020 |accessdate=8 September 2020 |work=NME}}

| rev6 = Our Culture Mag

| rev6score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://ourculturemag.com/2020/09/14/album-review-doves-the-universal-want/|title=Album Review: Doves,'The Universal Want'|work=Our Culture Mag|last=Pappis|first=Konstantinos|date=September 14, 2020|accessdate=September 14, 2020}}

| rev7 = Pitchfork

| rev7score = 6.7/10{{cite web |first=Ian |last=Cohen| title=Doves The Universal Want |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/doves-the-universal-want/ |date=14 September 2020| accessdate=22 September 2020|work=Pitchfork}}

| rev8 = Q

| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |first=Victoria |last=Segal |title=Q Magazine September 2020 (pg.106) |url= https://archive.org/details/q-magazine-september-2020/page/n105/mode/2up |accessdate=3 September 2020 |work=Q |via=Album of the Year}}

| rev9 = Uncut

| rev9score = 9/10October 2020 issue, pg.38

| rev10 = Under the Radar

| rev10score = 8/10{{cite web |first=Matt |last=Conner |title=Doves: The Universal Want (IMPERIAL) Review |url= http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/doves_the_universal_want/ |date=10 September 2020 |accessdate=10 September 2020 |work=Under the Radar}}

}}

The Universal Want was met with critical praise. In the October 2020 issue of Uncut, reviewer Paul Moody awarded the album a 9 out of 10 rating, and praised the album as a "cathartic comeback from the kings of Northwestern noir" and concluded, "With their fifth album they're taking strength from sadness, hope from despair, and wisdom from experience. In troubled times, The Universal Want is exactly what we need."{{cite web |title=Doves Music Blog – Uncut Review |url= https://www.dovesmusicblog.com/2020/08/16/uncut-review/ |date=16 August 2020 |accessdate=17 August 2020}} Reviewer Jonathan Taylor of British independent website Gigslutz gave the album a positive review, stating, "There is an autobiographical subtext and musically it encapsulates perfectly three decades of experience and ideas. This time around, devoid of pressure and breaking free from the shackles of expectation, Doves have produced a masterpiece of a record, which arguably could be considered their finest album to date."{{cite web |first=Jonathan |last=Taylor |title=ALBUM REVIEW: Doves 'The Universal Want' - Gigslutz |url= http://www.gigslutz.co.uk/album-review-doves-the-universal-want/ |date=30 August 2020 |accessdate=3 September 2020}} Along with positive reviews, both Stereogum and The Guardian awarded the album their "Album of the Week" tags for the week of the release date.{{cite web |first=Ryan |last=Leas |title=Doves 'The Universal Want' Album Review |url= https://www.stereogum.com/2096086/doves-the-universal-want-review/franchises/reviews/album-of-the-week/ |date=8 September 2020 |accessdate=9 September 2020 |website=Stereogum}}

In a year-end recap, independent music website Albumism ranked The Universal Want at number 10 on their list of the "100 Best Albums of 2020."{{cite web |first=Justin |last=Chadwick |title=Albumism's 100 Best Albums of 2020 - #10: Doves' 'The Universal Want' |url=https://www.albumism.com/lists1/best-albums-of-2020-doves-the-universal-want |date=6 December 2020 |accessdate=9 December 2020}} Under the Radar ranked the album at number 12 on their "Top 100 Albums of 2020" list.{{cite web |first=Mark |last=Redfern |title=Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2020 |url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/lists/under_the_radars_top_100_albums_of_2020/ |date=15 January 2021 |accessdate=29 January 2021}}

{{Track listing

| headline = The Universal Want track listing

| all_writing = Jez Williams, Jimi Goodwin, and Andy Williams{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Carousels" features a drum sample written by Tony Allen.}}

| title1 = Carousels

| length1 = 4:50

| title2 = I Will Not Hide

| length2 = 4:15

| title3 = Broken Eyes

| length3 = 4:15

| title4 = For Tomorrow

| length4 = 5:28

| title5 = Cathedrals of the Mind

| length5 = 5:20

| title6 = Prisoners

| length6 = 4:26

| title7 = Cycle of Hurt

| length7 = 4:15

| title8 = Mother Silverlake

| length8 = 5:13

| title9 = Universal Want

| length9 = 5:21

| title10 = Forest House

| length10 = 3:43

| total_length = 47:06

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese CD bonus tracks{{cite web|url=https://www.universal-music.co.jp/doves/products/uicy-15922/|title=ザ・ユニバーサル・ウォント[CD]|publisher=Universal Music Japan|accessdate=September 8, 2020|language=ja}}{{efn|group=upper-alpha|Bonus tracks originally released in 2002; reissued in 2020 on the band's digital download-only release Remnants II.}}

| title11 = There Goes the Fear

| note11 = Live acoustic

| length11 = 4:40

| title12 = M62 Song

| note12 = Four Tet Remix

| writer12 = Williams, Goodwin, Williams, Fripp, Giles, Lake, McDonald, Sinfield

| length12 = 6:26

| total_length = 58:09

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Limited edition box set bonus 12" single track listing

| title1 = Carousels

| note1 = The Comet Is Coming Remix

| length1 = 5:02

| title2 = Carousels

| note2 = The Comet Is Coming Instrumental

| length2 = 5:01

| title3 = Carousels

| note3 = Instrumental

| length3 = 4:54

}}

{{notelist-ua}}

;Doves

• Jimi Goodwin – lead vocals, bass (except tracks 5 and 9), acoustic guitar, percussion on "Mother Silverlake", programming, production
• Jez Williams – guitars, backing vocals, synthesiser, programming, co-lead vocals on "Mother Silverlake", bass (tracks 5 and 9), string arrangements (tracks 3, 6, 7), mixing, production
• Andy Williams – drums, percussion, backing vocals, keyboard on "The Universal Want", samples, production

;Additional musicians

• Martin Rebelski – piano on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9; modular synths on track 6
• Tony Allen – drums on track 1
• Dan Austin – programming
• Belinda Hammond and Hannah Groarke-Young – strings on tracks 3, 6 and 7
• Colin Williams, Kim Wedderburne, Mark Menzies, Se-ember Yaor and Yvonne Shelton – backing vocals on tracks 4 and 9

;

;Technical

• Produced by Doves and Dan Austin, except tracks 1, 5 and 9 produced by Doves.
• Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 mixed by Craig Silvey at Toast Studios; assisted by Dani Bennett Spragg.
• Tracks 2 and 4 additional mixing by Jez Williams.
• Tracks 6, 7 and 10 mixed by Dan Austin at SoundHorn.
• Tracks 5 and 9 mixed by Jez Williams for Cedar Music Productions.
• Engineered by Jez Williams and Dan Austin.
• Assistant engineers: Henry Broadhead and Joel Patchett (tracks 2, 4, 8 and 10); Jake Evans (track 3); George Perks (tracks 7, 9 and 10).
• Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Mastering, London.

;Visual

• Photography by Maria Lax.
• Band photo by Jon Shard.

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{{Doves}}

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Category:Doves (band) albums

Category:2020 albums

Category:Albums produced by Dan Austin