Soiled Doves

With the Blood Brothers dominating "best of lists” and critic polls the world over (they are, apparently, the future of hardcore), some of their previous projects and releases are starting to surface. Mutating into Soiled Doves from the Vogue, and featuring Blood Brothers co-vocalist Johnny Whitney (as well as member of the Chromatics), the Doves recorded Soiled Life and broke-up after a single tour in 2001 because of Johnny’s BB commitments. Soiled Life sounds remarkably similar, aesthetically, and probably unfairly, to the Blood Brothers’ brilliant Burn, Piano Island, Burn. The first easy identifier is Johnny’s vocals, as his trademark warble and utterly unique voice is unmistakable no matter what the context, stamping the Soiled Doves with his, and the Brothers’, identity. Also, while Soiled Doves may not go for the broken, spastic, jagged interpretation of frantic hardcore the Blood Brothers transverse so easily with their work, the other Blood Brothers elements of noise and indie rock, no and new wave experimentation comprise Soiled Life and can be just as engaging. In fact, it may signal where a lot of the Brothers’ elements came from, or maybe just how much of their sound they owe to Johnny. Regardless, for those who wish the Brothers would settle down just a little, Soiled Life walks that path.