Albums

This album is a very refreshing take on the whole singer/songwriter thing, contrasting beautifully with the dull, gutair driven slush that that sub-genre has become so polluted with recently. This quirky piano pop has a lot going for it.

Duke Special (aka Peter Wilson), with his northen-irish accent and authentic, honest lyrics has an unusual charm and grace in his voice and with the backing of his piano, and a collected ensemble of (mostly)orchestral instruments, a lot of these songs have a real power and presence to them. The often wacky precussion is worth special attention. Though, if you observe the photo, his image, with a mop of dreads and some seriously OTT black eye make-up, smacks of pretentiousness, the music is anything but...the simplistic honesty of "No Cover Up" being the perfect example.

If there is a flaw in the record its that the Duke's song writting style tends towards big emphatic chorus refrains...his lyrics are certainly strong enough that he could afford to be a little more subtle, but this hardly takes away from the over-all quality of the music.

The highlights are: "Portrait" - "Salvation Tambourine" and the sombre "Ballad of a Broken man"

The new single "Freewheel" is also worth a listen, and the Duke with his mallee of a band are playing two dates in Vicar St this may.

Check out the website for a free mini-album download: www.dukespecial.com