Foolish Men – 1000 Doves (Single Review)

‘1000 Doves’ is the first single from the upcoming album, Listen, by UK duo Foolish Men.

The track is defined by a distinct metallic and woody texture, driven by a core of strings, bass, and drumming. While this foundation dominates, the arrangement is punctuated by appearances of brass and percussion. These elements are further textured by moments of abrasive instrumentation and sonic flourishes that mimic the sound of birds taking flight

Lyrically, Foolish Men favors metaphorical storytelling that leans into the realm of the fantastic. Surrealism is a big part of their songwriting, the duo blending the mundane with the absurd to create a world where wallpaper dragons dance, and buskers juggle atom bombs.

The track is a study in tonal opposites, exemplified by the jarring image of a ballerina – the ultimate symbol of grace – donning boxing gloves.

Yegor Mirnov previously reviewed the duo’s single, ‘Call It A Draw’. In the review, the author wrote about how the duo’s single prior to ‘Call It A Draw’ critiqued the ‘homogeneity of British society’. In ‘1000 Doves’, it’s the fascists that comes under fire for releasing a thousand doves.

However, the most arresting lines for me in the song goes like:

You say it doesn’t make any sense
But it’s all just one big coincidence
Is reality keeping you in suspense?
Or is it all just a big pretence?

The two questions linger in my mind. Attempting to answer them requires more than a casual listen; it demands a deeper dive.

The vocals are delivered with a restrained, speech-like quality, occasionally drifting into fully spoken-word passages. However, there are moments where the dense instrumentation competes with the voice, threatening to submerge the lyrics.

SCORE/ Excellent. With ‘1000 Doves’, Foolish Men have crafted a compelling piece of social commentary. While the track’s surrealism is its calling card, the core of the song acts as a sharp critique of power and pretense. Whether or not one fully untangles its metaphors, the band’s masterful play with opposites demands a heightened state of awareness from the listener.

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