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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Duke Special would have made much more sense in 1974. Like some sort of bizarre offspring from an illicit union of Gilbert O'Sullivan and the Temperance Seven, or perhaps Lieutenant Pigeon and Leo Sayer (and just to be on the safe side, I'd be doing paternity checks on Neil Diamond and Alan Price) he mixes quirky vaudeville with love songs so sugary sweet you ask yourself whether it's altogether healthy to like them, and yet you do.
And just when you think you've pinned the blighter down into a sort of neo-Cabaret Bonzo Dog irony, he hits you with the guilty pleasure of the sweepingly middle of the road and stupidly radio friendly "Freewheeling".
But yet somehow it works perfectly. These are not songs that will change your life, but they are warming and affirming and likeable. Every song has some sort of hook that pulls you in, and you emerge wistful or joyous, often with your feet tapping uncontrollably.
I love this album. I will listen to it for weeks, and then leave it for months, returning when I need cheering up. It's that sort of record, a good friend rather than a lifelong partner, but none the worse for that.
And just when you think you've pinned the blighter down into a sort of neo-Cabaret Bonzo Dog irony, he hits you with the guilty pleasure of the sweepingly middle of the road and stupidly radio friendly "Freewheeling".
But yet somehow it works perfectly. These are not songs that will change your life, but they are warming and affirming and likeable. Every song has some sort of hook that pulls you in, and you emerge wistful or joyous, often with your feet tapping uncontrollably.
I love this album. I will listen to it for weeks, and then leave it for months, returning when I need cheering up. It's that sort of record, a good friend rather than a lifelong partner, but none the worse for that.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a lovely quirky little album! The lyrics are poetic and evocative and the music an eclectic mix of vaudeville,alternative,jazz and a bit of everything really! He uses piano,strings, an old gramophone, harp, cheese grater/whisk and other imaginative instruments. Please give this album a try , you wont be dissapointed!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Few of his local supporters doubted the class of his first full-length, Adventures in Gramophone, but with a bigger label behind him, Duke Special has been able to pull out all the stops on this glorious work. With orchestral backing, the songs which first appeared on Adventures and which have been re-recorded sound fantastic as ever, but it's Mr Wilson's new work which really raises the eyebrows. There's some proper toe-tapping going on in the great first single Portrait, Everybody Wants A Little Some and Salvation Tambourine, some heartstring pulling, nay, <u>wrenching</u> on This Could Be My Last Day, No Cover Up and Something Might Happen. Slip Of A Girl sounds like Avalon Sunset-era Van Morrison with a sweeter voice, and last but no least are my two favourite new songs, and what I feel are the most interesting ones on the album. The intro to Brixton Leaves sounds like a phrase from a piece by one of the great Russian composers of old, and sure enough, the chorus has that sort of "cossack" feel that just makes you want to put on a furry hat and drink vodka. Then the chorus kicks in, all strings and soaring vocals, singing of hope and rebirth, quite fitting after the last verse, about our troubled shared hometown of Belfast. Ballad of a Broken Man is (IMHO) the best song on this album, mixing Peter's phenomenal ability to craft lyrics of maturity and poignance (and still get them to rhyme!), and then mix them with graceful melodies. A pefect song off an almost perfect album by the best European singer-songwriter in the past 20 years (at least). This album should catapult Duke Special above all the record-company-pleasing trash posing as singer-sonwriters in the charts, and it's about time too. Best of luck, Duke.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fanstastic album!
After becoming a fan upon hearing the Songs From The Deep Forest album I knew I had to get the entire back catalogue of Duke Special and was not disappointed! Read more
Published 4 months ago by chocoholic
The Duke Is special
I saw Duke supporting Crowded House on their last visit to Bournemouth a couple of years ago - I was very impressed with his stage presence and liked a lot of his material so... Read more
Published on 14 May 2009 by Richard Cornish
Duke's Special!
I've watched Duke Special singing "Portrait" many times on Performance channel without ever knowing his name. Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2009 by Jimmy Blue
buy it
I made a beeline to see Duke at Guilfest 2007 having seen him on Jools Holland. They were fantastic live, and Chip on percussion with Duke was a great show. Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2008 by teejay
Do yourself a favour...discover this!
It has been a long time since I heard an album full of such TALENT and ...UNIQUNESS...if there can be such a word. Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2008 by Joanna Wynne Simm
Wonderful.
Joining a few other reviewers here, I first discovered the wonderful Duke Special supporting Crowded House recently, and the music instantly captivated me. Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2008 by My life is a house
Outstanding Talent
Like others, bought this after seeing them support Crowded House. The songs are very inventive and the hooks really get into your head. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2008 by Nudger99
Just stunning
I accidentally had the pleasure of seeing Duke Special supporting Crowded House in Birmingham. His live performance and his band blew me away. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2007 by Mr. James Ventham
An absolute Gem of an Album
I brought this album within minutes of seeing them perform as support at a recent Crowded House concert. It's not often that a support act blow me away in the way they did. Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2007 by L. Whitefoot
Brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye
Since it's release, the LP `Songs From The Deep Forest' has won critical acclaim across the board, including 4-star reviews from Metro and The Independent. Read more
Published on 8 Dec 2007 by Mr. P. J. Hannington
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