Those tempted to dismiss Duffy as only the latest pair of false eyelashes to straggle through the British neo-soul parade owe it to themselves to listen to Rockferry. More authentic than Joss Stone if not as honest as Amy Winehouse (both of these are good things), Duffy may be the best choice of all, whether it's because of or despite the fact that she lacks the force of personality that Winehouse has built her career on, from "F**k Me Pumps" to "Rehab." Duffy's voice can go from angelic to devilish within a few bars, and what she lacks in power and richness (her voice is a little pinched in the higher registers), she easily makes up for in the subtleties and sweetness of her vocal craft, and her ability to carry a ballad with the right combination of drama and flair. The first two tracks, "Rockferry" and "Warwick Avenue," are mirror images of each other -- grand, sweeping ballads with string-laden productions by Bernard Butler and Jimmy Hogarth that become a significant contribution to Duffy's power. Contrary to expectations, her songwriting is more strident than Winehouse's, but it's never delivered with the same type of ballsy swagger. Occasionally, she struggles to live up to the force of her lyrical convictions; her voice sounds younger than Winehouse's, and her best vocal performances come when she's wounded ("Hanging on Too Long"). Butler's production makes her solid voice and intriguing songwriting into an excellent album; although he stays in the background, the occasional guitar flourishes or sweetened strings make Rockferry a better debut than Joss Stone's or Amy Winehouse's.
Here are my top 10 albums of 2008. It was really a stretch to put some of these on here, looking back on 2008 made me realize how disappointing it was for music. Not a lot of great, or even good albums. The top few on my list here I think will be some of my favorites for years to come, but the rest are just average at best in my mind. I'm hoping for a better year in 09, I've been listening to t...
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How did I miss hearing and hearing about Duffy until just now?It was against my will that I watched that CBS special FASHION ROCKS - long story, but during my years at VH1, under my regime, the VH1-Vogue Fashion Awards were created... and this is the latest iteration of that kind of programming...Much to my suprise, the show was incredibly well done from the standpoint that there was nothing su...
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If you haven't heard Duffy's Rockferry album yet, do so as soon as you can! As if the catchy hit song Mercy wasn't enough of a reason to give this album a listen, you will be just as pleased with the other nine tracks. There's great music to be heard...from the mellow, bluesy Hanging on Too Long and Delayed Devotion to anthems of strength like Stepping Stone and Delayed Devotion. There's even a...
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My previous post on this topic disappeared, so here's my re-post.Duffy will be releasing her second single 'Warwick Avenue' on Monday, May 26h, 2008, on CD and for download.In addition, iTunes will release an exclusive acoustic version of the song.To warm yourself to the fabulous sound and atmosphere of this new song, have a look at the video:If the above does not work for you, the link to it o...
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.If Duffy continues to release high quality tracks like this she is going to wipe the floor with Adele and give Amy a run for her money.This remix doesn't change things around too much but makes Mercy even more danceable (if that's possible!)Original; Mercy .
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While Amy is having a little break, get some soul from Duffy;..New Single ‘Mercy’ Released February 25thDebut LP ‘Rockferry’, March 3rd on A&M
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So Duffy's new single will be Mercy. Can't find any links yet, so you will have to put up with this live version from 'Later... With Jools Holland'from the end of last year....
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After a slew of spiky guitar bands British tastes seem to be turning towards Torch Singers; First the was Amy Winehouse and now Duffy and Adele.Duffy - Warwick Avenue In August 2004, Duffy came to the attention of Rough Trade’s Jeannette Lee who became both her manager and her mentor. Just as Vicki Wickham guided Dusty Springfield to the best musical collaborations of the day, or Jerry Wexler a.
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.If Duffy continues to release high quality tracks like this she is going to wipe the floor with Adele and give Amy a run for her money.This remix doesn't change things around too much but makes Mercy even more danceable (if that's possible!)Original; Mercy .
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So Duffy's new single will be Mercy. Can't find any links yet, so you will have to put up with this live version from 'Later... With Jools Holland'from the end of last year....
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Duffy is the "It" girl in the UK right now and I'm starting to understand why. But if someone told me 5 years ago that the world's finest soul divas of today would all be skinny white girls from England.... I wouldn't have believed it for a second...Nonetheless, here is the new video for Duffy's "Mercy":I bet Winehouse fans won't love Duffy as much and vice versa. What do you think - Winehous...
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Another cool track off Duffy's Rockferry. Check it out.
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MOG wasn't feeling the hotness in the new Lykke Li video "I posted last week,":http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/175677 so I'm hoping this new Duffy video for "Stepping Stone" makes up for it. I own Duffy's debut, but somehow this song got overshadowed by the hits "Mercy" "Rockferry" and "Warwick Avenue," probably because it's so slow and mellow. "Stepping Stone"
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While Amy is having a little break, get some soul from Duffy;..New Single ‘Mercy’ Released February 25thDebut LP ‘Rockferry’, March 3rd on A&M
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After a slew of spiky guitar bands British tastes seem to be turning towards Torch Singers; First the was Amy Winehouse and now Duffy and Adele.Duffy - Warwick Avenue In August 2004, Duffy came to the attention of Rough Trade’s Jeannette Lee who became both her manager and her mentor. Just as Vicki Wickham guided Dusty Springfield to the best musical collaborations of the day, or Jerry Wexler a.
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I'm back from Austin. Here, in no particular order, are my fave musical moments:1. The Wrecking Crew: a documentary by Denny Tedesco (son of Wall of Sound guitarist Tommy Tedesco). This movie is a loving and revealing look at the gang of LA studio musicians who shaped the west coast pop sound of the '60s. Among the talking heads are Brian Wilson, Jimmy Webb, Herb Alpert & Lou Adler, Micky Dolen...
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As profiled in the Jarvis Cocker guest-edited edition of the Observer Music Monthly supplement."There she is, 22 years old, all puppy-eyed and delicate, looking like the sort of shiny pop pin-up that adorns young girls' bedroom walls. Yet her songs - elegiac paeans to heartbreak and treachery, delivered in a voice that has all the gorgeous, aching depth of a seasoned soul diva - bring to mind t...
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Her new video is pretty cool, but the song alone is better.
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Duffy one of the retro femmes fatale signings in the wake of Amy Winehouse's success. I like this Phil Spector-influenced track, "Rockferry."
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oh dear, I want to post this song but I am at a loss for ten words. and I call myself a wordsmith! for shame. there, was that ten? it must be ten by now. okay, let's get this baby off the ground:''
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Can some of our UK citizens of Mogville explain this bumper crop of solo female artists? Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Kate Nash, KT Tunstall, Corinne Bailey Rae, Kate Walsh, Candie Payne, Joss Stone, Adele...And this Duffy girl.I saw her on Jools Holland's show, doing a song called "Warwick Avenue."And then I heard her single "Rockferry." Which I've been playing in pretty high rotation lately.
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My previous post on this topic disappeared, so here's my re-post.Duffy will be releasing her second single 'Warwick Avenue' on Monday, May 26h, 2008, on CD and for download.In addition, iTunes will release an exclusive acoustic version of the song.To warm yourself to the fabulous sound and atmosphere of this new song, have a look at the video:If the above does not work for you, the link to it o...
More >
How did I miss hearing and hearing about Duffy until just now?It was against my will that I watched that CBS special FASHION ROCKS - long story, but during my years at VH1, under my regime, the VH1-Vogue Fashion Awards were created... and this is the latest iteration of that kind of programming...Much to my suprise, the show was incredibly well done from the standpoint that there was nothing su...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Rockferry |
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| 2 Warwick Avenue |
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| 3 Serious |
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| 4 Stepping Stone |
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| 5 Syrup & Honey |
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| 6 Hanging on Too Long |
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| 7 Mercy |
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| 8 Delayed Devotion |
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| 9 I'm Scared |
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| 10 Distant Dreamer |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Rockferry")
