Though a permanent presence on the UK DIY scene for the last three years, new material has been a long time coming for London-based three-piece Doe. Having proved themselves as a band with promise thanks to a quartet of well-received EPs, all of which ticked the right boxes on release yet felt a little well-trodden by the time they were compiled as 'First Four' back in 2014, there's a fair amount of expectation surrounding their first album proper.
Fortunately, 'Some Things Last Longer Than You Do' makes good on the band's early promise, building on their established aesthetic, while feeling far enough removed enough to be a definite step forward. Opener 'No.1' and 'Sincere' for instance both harbour the poppy immediacy of earlier cuts such as 'Work in Progress' or 'Late Bloomer', yet feel more fleshed out and fully realised; the absence of the bass, something previous releases suffered from, unnoticeable this time around.
Despite such immediacy, it's the record's second half that really shows just how far Doe have progressed. The clattering 'Anywhere' fizzes with an energy unseen since the likes of Tsunami Bomb, while 'Last Ditch' feels like the first true instance of the band spreading their wings and heading in to newer, more expansive grounds, something they relish in and build on with the record's final three tracks.
'Before Her' sees drummer Jake Popyura on more than backing vocals for the first time, while the penultimate 'Corin' finds the band verging on metal territory; its breakneck riffs and uncompromising percussion a far cry from the sweet and sour pop-punk of early releases.
It's the record's final offering however, that sees the band at their most diverse yet. An understated intro and verse blossom in to the triumphant kind of wonky alt-pop that Doe have been threatening us with for years. Working like a microcosm of the record itself, off-kilter time signatures, screeching guitars and bold lyrics are delivered with the confidence of a band completely at ease with themselves could muster. A bold first full album from a trio whose ambitions are clearly only getting bigger.
8/10
Words: Dave Beech
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