Bin Bin Duffy

I've been cheated. I've been conned. They reeled me in with some sweet cinematic soulful defiance and when they had me in their clutches they smothered me with formula and heartlessness; music plundered from a special place and time but which itself comes from no particular place, has no home and is born out of nothing but a desire to keep the Jones's happy that the background cd is adaquately drowned in enough syrup for them to lightly shimmy to, but never evocative enough to invest even a solitary drop of personal emotion into - you see, they're busy discussing mortage prices with Susan and Geoff, who they have over for dinner. How did I get here? What have I ever done to Bernard Butler to deserve such disrespect? I adored Suede. I was behind him when he left the band. I lost all interest in them after that. I embraced his work with Dave McAlmont in the 90s and early 2000s. I wished him the best as a solo artist. I've been nothing but a friend to Bernard Butler. How could he do this to me? How could he do it to himself? I tell you why - whatever some ranting blogger like myself thinks, 'Rockferry' by Duffy will be one of the biggest albums of 2008, that's why!

It all starts so full of promise. The debut single 'Rockferry' swoons, floats, sprouts wings and, regardless of what follows, is one of the best singles of recent times. With her Dusty Springfield in her prime vocals Duffy compliments Butler's special take on Phil Spector's 'Wall of Sound' and what results is a song that would fit so well in a Tarrantino scene with an appropriately cast femme fatale. Such glorious heights are sadly not realised again on the album until it's closing track 'Distant Dreamer', where we get reminded once again of what made Bernard Butler great as a guitarist and producer. It has a sound straight out of his period with McAlmont and you can easily imagine Dave the Diva putting his vocals on top of it. Duffy's delivery is by no means inferior. On the contrary, she takes herself into the realm of Nancy Sinatra, rising to the top, backed by an angelic choir of herself, beautful strings and sax.

'Rockferry' would've been a masterpiece had the momentum of the opening and closing tracks been maintained throughout. Sadly, it wasn't. What we have inbetween is a collection of weak, bland soul-by-numbers ditties. Duffy can sing, no doubt about it, but her voice is wasted on these tracks. 'Mercy' is upbeat, confident and quite a sexy floorfiller. Perhaps an extension of it's spirit may have improved the album also. Sadly, the albums falters because of bland fare such as 'Serious', 'Sleeping Stone' and 'Delayed Devotion' - all designed to convey an emotion non-extistant at any point of their conception, recording or clean-ass production. These are songs that no-doubt will be used to death by ITV when advertising the latest drama series starring the likes of Hermione Norris and her frozen face. These are soul songs without soul. They leave no mark in the sand and no desire to be played again. They may as well have been given to Gabrielle! I've news for you all too - we are set to be bombarded with this kind of 'Soul Diva' fare from all directions this year - you have been warned. Yet, for the merits of tracks like 'Rockferry' and 'Distant Dreamer' I do hope there is a future for Duffy. I'm sure there will be, but will I be listening? That really depends.