The Duke Spirit Announce New Album Details


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London’s The Duke Spirit triumphantly return with a collection of new songs, entitled ‘Bruiser‘, set for release in Spring 2011 on Shangri-La Music.  The band’s eagerly anticipated third studio album was helmed by producer Andrew Scheps at Punkerpad West in Los Angeles, CA, with additional mixing done by Alan Moulder at Assault and Battery in London.

The Duke Spirit (Liela Moss, Toby Butler, Luke Ford, Olly Betts) burst onto the US scene in 2003, when they released both a critically acclaimed single (‘Darling You’re Mean‘) and mini-album (‘Roll, Spirit, Roll‘), which showcased a scuffed and soulful guitar aesthetic, redolent of everyone from the Velvets and Nico through to The Gun Club and Patti Smith. Everything about their music — from the arcane supernatural imagery on the sleeves of their records (drawn from 17th Century English woodcuts) to the raw, instinctive recording techniques — underlined The Duke Spirit’s sensibilities and purpose.

Since then, the band has released two critically acclaimed LPs (‘Cuts Across The Land‘ and ‘Neptune‘) and a handful of EPs. They have played every US late night TV show including The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Last Call with Carson Daly, headlined national tours, and supported the likes of Incubus, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and Eagles of Death Metal.

All walks of the media have praised the band from the Los Angeles Times saying, “The British quintet plays ragged soul-punk with an absolute firecracker of a lead singer,” to SPIN calling their music “fully loaded Jesus and Mary Chain-fried fuzz, ” to Filter Magazine celebrating their sound as “completely enveloped in a shroud of huge emotion – a mix of warm swirling dissonance, minor chords and a pounding minimal ‘60’s rock rhythm section.”

On ‘Bruiser‘, The Duke Spirit make a conscious effort to strip down the fuzz and create space in which the drums, guitar and bass have their own sonic place, allowing Liela’s stunning vocals to rise to the forefront. While the band’s music will always be rooted in elements of blues rock and hard playing guitars, this record bears sensitivity showcased on Liela’s gorgeous piano ballad ‘Villain‘.

There have also been instrument shifts elsewhere in the band, with Toby Butler moving over to guitar and longtime band friend and touring player Marc Sallis picking up the bass. There is a fresh perspective to their music, and intent to move slower and more deliberately while still making the raw, powerful noise that they have been loved and praised for throughout the years.

Haunting and seductive, aggressive and explosive, these songs will undoubtedly be some of most celebrated in the band’s beloved catalogue. The Duke Spirit’s melodic sensibilities filled with their signature lyrical imagery and metaphorical sentiments are at the core of the album.   First single, ‘Everybody’s Under Your Spell‘ features free-wheeling guitars riffs and the lyrical candor of ‘Cherry Tree‘ (“I don’t look back/why would you?”) is soul touching while the thunderous chanting of ‘Procession‘ shows their ability to be simultaneously dark and playful.

If anyone has ever witnessed radiant front woman Liela Moss on stage, you’re aware of her theatrical rock swagger, her heartbreaking lyrical delivery, her signature blonde fringe, and the ability to lead her band-mates through an electrifying and gripping stage show. Like the great lineage of rock front women before her such as Debbie Harry, Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde and Shirley Manson, Liela carries the torch high and proud as one of the most talented women in rock music today.

Effortlessly bridging the gap between fashion and music, The Duke Spirit have cemented themselves as fashion darlings since the release of their last studio album ‘Neptune‘.  Recognized for their inimitable style, designer Philip Lim cited Liela his “modern muse” while the late Alexander McQueen named Liela as the inspiration behind McQ, his 2009 exclusive fashion line for Target launching her on the cover of leading fashion daily WWD, and gracing the pages of W, Elle, Teen Vogue and more. This fall at New York fashion week, the band played to thousands at the Y3 runway show, and later returned for an exclusive Levi’s event.

‘Bruiser Tracklisting’

Cherry Tree
Everybody’s Under Your Spell
Villian
Don’t Wait
Surrender
Running Fire
De Lux
Procession
Northbound
Glorious
Victory
Homecoming


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