On song (boom boom!) I think Elbow are the better band, they're the band I listen to more and I think their albums have more of a consistancy to Doves. I've always found with Doves albums that there will a few truly brilliant tracks that evoke an amazing atmosphere, and fit a mood perfectly... and there the rest of the album will slightly pass you by. With Elbow I find that I'll be able to listen to the whole thing and genuinely appreciate each track, probably with a song or 2 I truly can't stand in there somewhere but there will still be some crackers in there too, and again those few truly first rate tracks will perfectly convey a feeling, or an emotion, absolutely brilliantly.
I suppose a couple of good example of what I'm trying to say there are, with the Doves, Cedar Room. First heard that song on their set at Glastonbury a few years ago, and it seemed to capture the moment beautifully, and since then I've had times where that song was practically a soundtrack to a moment of my life. Elbow, equally. One Day Like This blarring out at Glasto I think again last year, brilliant, and when listening to a song like Switching Off I can feel the emotion there, the sentiment behind it.
But ultimately I think it has to be Elbow for me. When the Doves crack it, they make a 'Life moment anthem' better than Elbow, I think, but Elbow produce the more consistantly enjoyable music.