KEY POINTS:
DUFFY
Rockferry
(Rough Trade)
Herald Rating: * * * *
Verdict: Don't believe the hype and you'll be pleasantly surprised
It's hard to approach an album as hyped as Rockferry with an open mind. Hundreds of column inches have been dedicated to Duffy and her quaint back story.
It's all part of a massive publicity drive that has labelled Rockferry the most anticipated album of 2008, named Duffy the next Amy Winehouse and the new Dusty Springfield. They are big promises that, on some levels, fail to deliver. But if you cast the hype aside, Rockferry is a beautiful album, and Duffy, a stunning talent.
Opening the record, the title track is an unusual chorus-free song that swoops and soars showcasing Duffy's vocal abilities.
The soulful album echoes a bygone era, particularly on Warwick Avenue and the exquisite Syrup and Honey, while still sounding modern and relevant. Mercy, the album's first single, is a rollicking Motown number that is the obvious cause of Winehouse comparisons, complete with backing chorus singing "yeah, yeah, yeah".
But overall, Duffy is to Winehouse what Springfield is to Nina Simone. Especially when it comes to the string-laden closing track Distant Dreamer, whose schmaltzy lyrics could have come straight from the songbooks of Celine Dion.
At 23, Duffy lacks the experience to make all her lyrics believable, hinting songs have been written for her, rather than by her.
