Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy is making quite a name for herself at the moment. Her début album ‘Rockferry’ has already earned her a Number 1 single in the form of ‘Mercy’ and she certainly seems to be causing quite a stir in the music press. The Evening Standard commented late last year that ‘she will be the sound of 2008’ and whilst this may not be entirely true, 2008 will definitely be a good year for her I feel. She’s certainly started the year off quite well by gaining herself a Number 1 single, that’s for sure.
Beginning with title track ‘Rockferry’, Duffy kicks off the album in tremendous style. It’s an excellent launching point for the album, a perfect presentation of her soulful music. It is such a powerful track and certainly grabs your attention right from the offset. She’s got one hell of a voice on her has Duffy, she sure belts it out in this one and never will you find yourself disappointed as she dazzles you with her terrific vocal style. She is only 23 and yet the voice she beholds belies her young age, the strength of sound she exudes when she sings possesses a power that few can boast of conveying on a début album.
The funky flavour of aforementioned hit single ‘Mercy’ certainly goes down well with me, it is this track that I feel provides the album with its finest moment. Right from the first beat you know that you’re in for something special with this one and as the track unfolds you are certainly not left disappointed. The chorus is absolutely fantastic and is really what makes this one so powerful I feel, there is also a brilliant drumbeat which is present throughout the entirety of the track. In ‘Mercy’, Duffy shows that she is a force to be reckoned with as a vocalist and more than proves what a fantastically talented singer-songwriter she truly is. Her voice is never short of sensational and always she impresses with that great tone of hers, a tone of voice that possesses a rare quality of elegance and sophistication.
With so many average singer-songwriters out there doing well for themselves at the moment, it is only right that 2008 is the year for Duffy to really make her mark. The music possesses a great maturity and unlike some of her contemporaries Duffy does not rely on incoherent sentences in order to make her mark, instead the music is greatly intelligent and the lyrics actually mean something. Album tracks such as ‘Warwick Avenue’ and ‘Serious’ are extremely well rounded and finely put together, providing perfectly for music that is absolutely excellent to listen to. The music is always thoroughly enjoyable, hugely powerful, and never does Duffy disappoint with her larger than life voice.
Ending the album with ‘Distant Dreamer’ Duffy goes out on a high, leaving you wanting for more and craving to hear another of her finely crafted soulful pop anthems. It definitely ends the album on a high, I fail to see how anyone could dislike this one and I personally thoroughly enjoy the listen each and every time I hear ‘Distant Dreamer’. Once more her vocals are belted out at the top of her voice and will certainly not leave you disappointed. When listening to the music you tend to forget her age and the fact that this is only her début album, all this goes out the window and all you hear is an extremely mature and well accomplished musician who sounds to be at the top of her game. Duffy was born to perform and never in this album does she ever seem to suggest otherwise, each and every moment on this release is finely crafted and expertly carried out.
‘Rockferry’ has an extremely calming effect on you as a listener, whatever you may be thinking or feeling when you begin listening to the album will soon be forgotten and the music will overcome you. You can feel as the music runs through every inch of your being, it is a great feeling and Duffy’s début album definitely does not disappoint. There are ten tracks here, each as beautiful and well crafted as the next and never is the sound produced anything short of sensational. Wales has definitely produced a fine artist in Duffy, she is exceptionally talented and should certainly have a terrific career ahead of her. This may be her first album, but I’m sure that it wont be her last. I could easily listen to the music of Duffy all day without ever tiring of it, her voice truly is that stunningly sensational in sound. If you’re a fan of singer-songwriters then I think you’ll find that Duffy is amongst the best and her music is therefore definitely well worth a listen. Those that appreciate soulful pop music should love the sound of Duffy, she should go far and I have full faith in her that she shall.
Label: A&M
Release Date: 3rd March 2008
Rating:
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
