Duke Special - I Never Thought This Day Would Come

So I was just recently introduced to this artist by a co-worker- this morning actually - and his style and album "I Never Thought This Day Would Come" piqued my musical interest.

From the cursory information I could glean from his Myspace, Wikipedia and website (I really go in depth with my research - ha ha), Duke Special aka Peter Wilson is an Ireland native and his music is described as: "having a theatrical style inspired by Vaudeville and music hall, and often incorporate 78s played on an old-fashioned gramophone, or sound effects from a transistor radio."

His music would be an enjoyable excursion for fans of the Decemberists, Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground, Elliot Smith, or musical theatre. His sound has a very music hall, vaudeville style to it - especially tracks such as the title track "I Never Thought This Day Would Come" which has a rusty waltz feel to it - and "Digging an Early Grave" which is a creepy upbeat, jaunty show tune.

There are a huge variety of sounds on the album, and with some amazing orchestral arrangements and production work like a Broadway musical-- however by and large the strongest part of the album is the first half. The poppy track "Sweet Sweet Kisses" is reminiscent of UK alt-pop personality Patrick Wolf. The love of orchestral arrangements and the grandiose abound on the album.

Wilson's vocal qualities drift from the murky styles on "Flesh and Blood Dance" (sounds like Elliot Smith), "Mocking Bird Wish Me Luck" (sounds like Colin Meloy of Decemberists) to the upbeat "Sweet Sweet Kisses" which also sounds like Rufus Wainwright. He has a wonderful ability to convey darker songs with sincere and gorgeous melodies which is his winning combination.

UK Reviewer Nic Oliver of MusicOMH stated this about Duke Specials newest release:
"Oddly enough, Sweet Sweet Kisses is by and large in a category of its own on I Never Thought This Day Would Come. The rest is largely downbeat fare, epitomised by the first track Mockingbird, Wish Me Luck. This haunting piano ballad has the cojones to open the album with the line "I'm so unsure of myself", which is oddly reminiscent of Elvis Costello's lead-in to Armed Forces - "Oh I just don't where to begin."
By the time the listener reaches the third track Those Proverbs We Made In The Winter Must End the modus operandi of Wilson becomes readily obvious. Swirling orchestral arrangements backing nagging piano-driven melodies, with literate, articulate lyrics that never lose sight of popular appeal." - Nic Oliver (read the all article here at http://www.musicomh.com/albums/duke-special-3_0409.htm)

Overall - the album was a wonderful oddball pop record to stumble across in the AM. Strangely enough his music is a perfect accompaniment to the chilly Seattle fall weather. Check out the youtube video below for a taste of his style:



~Andrew D.B. Joslyn