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College Tribune | November 12th 2008
Baroque and roll It is easy to imagine, if you are soinclined, that if the lyrics of Bono and the music of Mark Ronson were to have a love child, it would be Duke Special. This Lisburn-born legend has taken a style of theatrical musical score and coupled its orchestral ballet with poetic lyrics that would make even the most depressed Goth feel a bit of love - or possibly even more depressed. As any self respecting crackerjack of the Irish music industry might be
aware, Duke Special is the man behind 2007’s Last Night I Nearly Died and Freewheel, songs of unparalleled lyrical and orchestral power which, presumably because they were originating from an Irish soul, became ‘uncool’ in the eyes of the ever trendy. Apparently, it’s uncool to like romantic music.... “Damien who?” I
hear you cry. Duke’s new album I Never Thought This Day Would Come will unfortunately win him no new fans. The power of Freewheel doesn’t seem to make an appearance but there is of course the ever present beautiful natural imagery associated with obviously painful memories common to every listener lucky enough to identify with his lyrics. The record also, unfortunately, lacks the punch of the ballad, but Duke has nonetheless graced
DUKE SPECIAL I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME
★★★★★
us once again with his amazing ability to write poetic tracks which stir the soul as well as our auditory senses. If you have already been entranced by Duke Special, there will be a significant emotional movement in you when
you hear the opening piano of the opening track Mocking Bird Wish Me Luck for the first time. While the lack of the ballad is lamentable, Duke continues his mix of swinging tracks. Representative of this is the inclusion of Flesh And Blood Dance, which is by far the best track of the album and would have been a more desirable choice of release as a single than the merely perfunctory Sweet Sweet Kisses. This record will, of course, not fail to inspire die-hard fans of his style, however it is extremely likely that people who have not already been captivated by his earlier material will not feel the lure of the Duke. Nonetheless, the quality of I Never Thought This Day Would Come is such that you should be more than happy to content yourself with giving this album pride of place in your collection, as a beacon of redemption in what must inevitably be, by comparison, an otherwise humdrum and antiquated library of tracks. GRAHAM HARKNESS
JASON DONOVAN
RAZORLIGHT
THE SMITHS
SLIPWAY FIRES
THE SOUND OF THE SMITHS
LET IT BE ME Pregnant with cheesiness, Jason Donovan’s fourth album, Let It Be Me, sounds vaguely familiar. This bumper album of 17 tracks is essentially a rendition album of popular 50’s and 60’s tunes, with all the freshness of Christmas sprouts in August. Simply put, they are crooner tunes. Once you get past this glaring obstacle, the album is not terrible - it might even be considered good - which is ultimately symptomatic of the entropy in modern music. The title track is probably played at many a wedding or 50th anniversary song, and fans of the TV show Knight Rider might recall ‘the Hoff’ doing a less notable rendition of this tune; resurrecting 80’s demons evidently seems so ‘noughties’. The double A-side first single, Dreamboats and Petticoats / Be My Baby, gives the listener a definite idea
of what the album is about. Donovan manages to pull the album off fairly convincingly but it ends up sounding like a very good karaoke routine; no wonder he has managed to make it to Number 1 in Japan in the past. These are tunes you have heard before - most likely on the jukebox in Eddie Rockets. Your mother might like it for Christmas. KEVIN DOYLE
★★★★★
Even upon just the first listen, it is apparent that Slipway Fires is more experimental than its predecessors. The album is splintered with various contradicting sounds that make it difficult to describe the record in one term. Bravely, Razorlight have delivered eleven tracks where they have manipulated and played with musical forms. The opening songs, following on from single Wire To Wire, begin softly before bursting into a loud chorus - and then just quietly fade away, creating a mellower sound. Yet Tabloid Lover, with its electric guitar intro and crashing drums, comes as a shock to those who think that this is just another sentimental record. This 80’s sounding track could have been corny, but it really works thanks to its amusing lyrics. Burberry Blue Eyes’ syncopated piano is another pleasant surprise, with a catchy chorus.
This playful side is contrasted with the darker elements heard in Stinger, a song which, in parts, is reminiscent of Pink Floyd. The same darkness also lurks in Slipway Fires’ final track, The House. Most interestingly, it is not just the lyrics or music that creates this haunted sound but Johnny Borrell’s voice, which has clearly become stronger. Although there are only glimpses of Razorlight’s indie sound, their experimenting has paid off, creating a mature sound and a great record. FIONA REDMOND
★★★★★
The notion of another Smiths collection is dull to many. However, on closer inspection this is a more complete and worthwhile group. The songs have been remastered and the release has been overseen by both Johnny Marr and Morrissey. Indeed, The Sound Of The Smiths bears a vast similarity to previous Greatest Hits packages. Thankfully though, the most conspicuous of these similarities is that the songs are simply stunning. The twenty-three songs range from the snappy, laconic two-minute tunes of pop perfection, to the lengthy laments of How Soon Is Now? The remastering of the songs is not deeply apparent but it injects a subtle punch and vivaciousness. In particular, songs which featured on the band’s eponymous debut benefit greatly. This Charming Man manages to sound even more vivid and Still Ill is provided with a sweeter
crunch than originally. Instead of selecting songs based on chart positions, these are just the greatest of the many that The Smiths recorded. They are songs which can soothe, console and liberate. The catchy Ask will compel you to dance and sing, and the final track will induce you to weep. The chosen material is powerful, succeeding in displaying the lyrical magnificence of Morrissey and the sonic brilliance of Marr throughout. EVAN O’LEARY
★★★★★