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Review
National treasure Stephen Fry has Twittered his approval of the album, which is no surprise given the PG Wodehouse flavour of proceedings.
Jiggery Pokery in particular has a tweedy piano refrain and is quaint as a pack of grandmothers darning socks on a village green. Ten out of ten, though, for the lyric, ''Robbery/muggery/Aussie skulduggery'', while ending a tune with a crazed, ''I hate Shane Warne!'' is surely unprecedented.
Single, The Age Of Revolution, is a more modern take on the game's recent turbulence (including the advent of Twenty20) and bumps along mellifluously like a brass-adorned leftover from The Bees' Octopus.
It's far better than Gentleman and Players which is the kind of awful, fey, tenth-rate Kinks tribute aberration that should been smothered in the studio and The Coin Toss, a hateful but thankfully short relative of Supernatural's Smile.
Elsewhere, unexpected pleasure abounds in The Nightwatchman. Hannon's voice occasionally mimics the richness (but not ferocity) of Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme before the delicate number morphs into Superfly-era Curtis Mayfield. On a record of baffling moments, this one is easily the oddest.
Harpsichords finally turn up on the bucolic Flatten The Hay (about the only truly predictable moment on the whole record), but by then listeners will have decided whether The Duckworth Lewis Method is essential, hazy summer listening or infuriating, esoteric nonsense.
In truth, it's probably both. --Lou Thomas
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CD Description
Written by Duckworth (Thomas Walsh) and Lewis (Neil Hannon) the album was recorded and mixed in Dublin and mastered just down the road from Lord's in Abbey Road Studios.
All the songs are either loosely or tightly connected to the beautiful game of cricket, there are no covers, extra covers or cover drives for that matter. These are all wonderfully crafted pop songs for cricket lovers and non-lovers equally to enjoy.
First delivery, `The Coin Toss', spins wickedly into lead single `The Age Of Revolution', released June 28th.
From `Jiggery Pokery', which tells the tale of the Gatting Ball and features guest cameos from Phill Jupitus, Alexander Armstrong and Matt Berry amongst others, through the Trescothian angst of `The Nightwatchman', to the triple century of `Test Match Special'. This album really hits `The Sweet Spot' (track4!) with a guest appearance from Cathy Davey.
With trademark melodies and glorious harmonies, the anthemic `Meeting Mr Miandad' is yet another album highlight. It depicts Duckworth and Lewis' epic road trip to meet the legendary batsman Javed Miandad.
"The Duckworth Lewis Method is an album steeped in the love of cricket and pop. The resultant twelve songs are a cacophony of leather and willow turning through a cosmos of searing melodies and all round tunes," says Duckworth in his post match interview.
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Customer Reviews
Even if you're not well versed in the rules of or the characters in cricket, hopefully the music should be enough to keep you listening and appreciate what is on offer here. There are shades of classic and eccentric melodic rock in the vein of ELO, XTC, The Beatles, The Beach Boys and, perhaps not surprisingly, early Divine Comedy, all of which are more than apparent on the magnificent "Gentlemen and Players". The vaudeville elements of the album bring to mind Noel Coward, Paul McCartney and even Flanders & Swann in the case of the incredible "Jiggery Pokery", the hilarious story of the "Ball Of The Century" delivered by Shane Warne to a hapless Mike Gatting. It's a beautifully eclectic album as well, taking in electronically-enhanced glam-rock stompers such as the funny, double-entendre filled "Sweet Spot", the jazz-touches of "The Age Of Revolution", the sumptuous baroque, harpsichord pop of "Flatten The Hay" and the soaring ballad "The Nightwatchman" which seems to fit in somewhere between the realms of Scott Walker and Jeff Lynne at their headiest powers. Speaking of Jeff Lynne, there are very strong echoes of The Electric Light Orchestra on the album closer, "The End Of The Over" - very "Out Of The Blue".
Although I'm well aware that this record may not be everybody's cup of tea, personally, I love it and can't find fault with any of the contents at all. The whole project is played out with loving care, craftsmanship and irrepressible charm. Each and every track hits the sweet spot for me and I can't recommend it highly enough. Pardon the pun, but it's hit me for six. Well played, chaps!
Whilst you are to be congratulated for an audacious concept album that would not be out of place in the company of other equally ridiculous, though... Read more
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