Dove Ellis Understands Every Snowflake That Makes Up a Blizzard
Opening for Geese during the second leg of their US national tour (an impressive endorsement alone, between their successful album release Getting Killed and Cameron Winter’s solo success), Dove Ellis had just a few modest songs and an elusive media presence to show for himself at the time. Apparently that was all it took; without much of a discography to credit, Ellis gained some impressive traction. He became revered by many as comparable to the likes of alt-rock legends Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke, and Elliot Smith, and a sizable following sat on the edge of their seats awaiting for more original work from the Irish musician. December 5th Dove Ellis released his debut album Blizzard, and while I am rather protective and pretentious over the aforementioned musicians, it absolutely proves the testament to his promise as an artist and secures him as an alt-rock newcomer you cannot miss.
Blizzard album cover
The album opens with “Little Left Hope” and, vocally, I immediately understand the comparison to Thom Yorke circa The Bends. It’s like we’re listening to his son. I also just understand the comparison in general, considering the aptly named song sounds like a less debilitatingly depressed version of a Radiohead song pre-OK Computer. The layered vocals on the chorus help build himself into a towing choir.
“Pale Song”, one of his first released singles, smoothly follows. I love when album’s tracks blend seamlessly into the next because not only is it satisfying, it also showcases the album as a large-scale project rather than a random conglomerate of songs. “Pale Song” has a more spring-esque warm sound to it, which interestingly juxtaposes a rather leaden voice.
“Love Is” begins with a somber piano and a verse delivered soberly, then with two hard snare hits thrusts us into an upbeat, heartening chorus that boasts over and over “Love is not the antidote to all your problems.” The song keeps this upbeat nature until hollowing out only to rebuild to a spectacular release. I love music that begins unassuming and explodes into a completely different dynamic, so naturally this one’s easily my favorite. Dance like you know you’re going to be okay with this one, he makes it feel possible.
“When You Tie Your Hair Up” really resembles Cameron Winter, just with less sprechgesanging and weird vibrato (that is a compliment, I love Winter’s weird vibrato). This is a true heartbreak alternative power ballad as it builds and sinks dynamically and lets the emotional weight of the song carry the sound of the song.
If you didn’t know Dove Ellis was Irish, “Jaundice” will help clear this up for you. Do a fun little jig to this one! Upbeat and unserious, it’s such a silly fusion of Irish dance folk and alt rock.
“Heaven Has No Wings” is an interesting switch to a more 70s/80s AOR rock piano trudging. Without the weight of a gritty lead guitar though, this instrumental sounds like it could be the background instrumental in an inspiring weight loss commercial. However, Ellis’s voice is so much more earnest than that that it diversifies the sound really interestingly, and the dynamic change in the bridge/outro really saves itself.
Dove slurs through a sludging “It Is a Blizzard”. I feel as though he’s really trudging through a snowstorm, slow, but as relentless and abrasive as the weather. This song’s sorrowfully beautiful and sounds somehow resilient though depicting an exit.
Dove Ellis live at Paradise Rock Club November 14, 2025
“Feathers, Cash” is the album’s 8th track and if his voice wasn’t so damn good, I’d say this one’s kinda a snoozefest. But, around minute 3 it changes to a lovely acoustic fingerpicking and vocally builds rather harrowingly. It’s a shame it takes that long to catch my attention in this song. He has a diction problem (i.e. he lacks it) but once I looked up the lyrics and followed along I really loved what he was saying.
“To The Sandals,” Ellis’ first single ever released on major streaming platforms, begins rather experimentally with random pangs of digitized droning, to senseless fingerpicking, to striking wanes on a cello. Somehow this all becomes complementary and comprehensive as it builds, rather than divulging into a different foundational instrumentation. There’s always a new sound or layer or pang to discover as this song progresses, which I always love to dissect. This song, described in one word, is interesting. Its consistent inconsistency is so fascinating.
“Away You Stride” closes out the album, and the guitar part sounds like the sad end of a movie, a begrudging parting of ways. Adequately named, I see. While this instrumentation is slow and steady, I don’t find this song boring the same way I do “Feather’s, Cash.” The guitar part is commanding though sweet and his vocals and melody are bursting with emotion you simply cannot look away from. Away you stride, and I am forced to watch.
Dove Ellis makes himself a steadfast example of chamber pop from the first wind instrument to the last guitar strum, embellishing an alt rock sound with beautiful orchestral accents throughout. While his vocals are absolutely something to write home about (and just a scarily similar sound to Thom Yorke) what I find most impressive is his abstract instrumentations. With all of their diminutive layers to them, they all perfectly mold together like dough scraps to become one beautiful, tactical thing, “To The Sand” and “Pale Song” being two of the greatest examples of that. It’s clear Ellis, and to a greater credit his production team, has an incredible understanding of the minutiae of rich, whole musicianship. Dove Ellis builds his songs and this project like each snowflake builds itself into a swallowing blizzard.
Some may argue he is too much of a Thom Yorke embryo, and I bet those people also hate Greta Van Fleet. To both of those puritan sentiments, I disagree. It’s clear this music is heavily inspired by Yorke’s sound, and yeah his voice is close to identical, so there’s a small bone for the dog, but Ellis keeps himself more grounded than the abstract, untethered Yorke. If Ellis goes through an experimental OK-Computer phase, feel free to correct me, but it doesn’t seem that’s an intended path for Ellis’ sound. The Bends and Pablo Honey, though most similar to Blizzard, had a greater grit to them and leaned much more into the rock aspect of alt rock. Ellis in comparison is more pop-ish, an easier pill to swallow. His experimentation comes through as an Irish jig–not whispered digitized computer soundbites. Just because two alt rock singers can actually sing (a rarity we must champion, I guess), doesn’t mean they’re creating the same music. But regardless, whatever Dove Ellis is creating has my attention, and hopefully now has yours.