The Wayward Doves are a Sydney-based band led by songwriter Luke Russell, featuring vocalists Blazey Best and Kim Shazell, and drummer Michael Nielsen. Specialising in heartfelt, polished pop songs for jaded romantics and frustrated idealists, The Wayward Doves’ second album, Troubled Lover, is out on Friday 5th July.

In the opening track, Blazey croons, “I need a troubled lover who hasn’t quite got his shit together”, setting the conflicted tone for what is to follow. Over a swinging guitar riff in “Somebody Walk Me Home”, Kim wails, “When I was a debutant in taffeta and frills, I was seduced by men who lit cigars with dollar bills”. The melodies and stories keep coming, ranging from the bitter jealousy of “You Got a New Favourite”, to the playful optimism of Latin-tinged “Say You Will” and the guitar-driven power pop of “Her Beautiful Distress”.

The arrangements of these songs are lifted by guest performances from keyboardist-for-the-stars Cameron Bruce, jazz trombonist James Greening, and violinist Kathryn Brownhill. Turn the lights down low, put on some headphones, and lose yourself in this gorgeous collection of tunes.

*****

Their debut album Oh Lost Love gives us the first delicious fruits of their collaboration. Oh Lost Love is an intimate collection of songs that trace the arc of a relationship from heart pounding discovery and distracted infatuation to deeply-felt fragile love, before spiralling into familiar angst-ridden frustration and dissolution, finally resolving with nostalgic longing.

This is the fifth collection of Luke Russell songs, following on from two solo albums and his records with the bands The Proposition and You & Your So-Called Friends. On Oh Lost Love The Wayward Doves deliver more of Luke’s achingly accurate observational pop songs for jaded romantics and hopeful lovers.