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THE DUKE SPIRIT

The Duke Spirit

Cuts Across The Land - 20th Anniversary Edition

    'Cuts Across The Land' was the first full-length album from much-loved cult rock band The Duke Spirit - Originally issued on Loog Records in May 2005, it was a huge, critically acclaimed adrenalin-rush of an album that consolidated the group's word-of-mouth success - To commemorate the album's 20th Anniversary, the original album is paired with a new limited LP of B-sides and rarities from the era and is pressed onto two audiophile 180gm LPs: one on yellow splatter vinyl and the other on red vinyl splatter vinyl.

    The Duke Spirit was formed in London in 2003 by guitarist Luke Ford (guitar) and vocalist Liela Moss (vocals), who'd met at art college in Cheltenham. Joined by bassist Toby Butler and guitarist Dan Higgins after moving to London, their debut EP, Roll, Spirit, Roll was released on City Rockers that year. It garnered positive reviews, which led ultimately to a contract with Polydor through James Oldham's hip Loog Records imprint.

    'Cuts Across The Land' was produced by ex-Cocteau Twin Simon Raymonde and U2 producer Flood, taking the strident vocals of Moss and the chiming guitars of Higgins and Ford to create a dense, exciting sound. Containing five singles, including the UK Top 30 hit, 'Lion Rip', the group offered an exciting mixture of post-punk and heavy rock, creating their own, unique sound. Album standout and live favourite 'Love Is A Unfamiliar Name' typifies their approach.

    TRACK LISTING

    1. Cuts Across The Land
    2. Stubborn Stitches
    3. Darling, You're Mean
    4. Win Your Love
    5. Hello To The Floor
    6. Bottom Of The Sea
    7. Fades The Sun
    8. You Were Born Inside My Heart
    9. Lion Rip
    10. Lovetones
    11.Love Is An Unfamiliar Name
    12. Red Weather
    13. Dark Is Light Enough
    14. So Good To Hear
    15. Boot Hill (demo)
    16. Take A Look Around
    17. Souvenir
    18. Now Be Still
    19. Every Cell Can Tell
    20. Honeysun
    21. Scratching Around (demo)
    22. Patients (demo)

    The Duke Spirit

    Sky Is Mine

      Following 2016's acclaimed album KIN and EP Serenade, The Duke Spirit march on with poignant new album Sky Is Mine. Produced by the band themselves, and mixed by Bruno Ellingham (Massive Attack), it also features guest vocals by long time friends Josh T Pearson (Lift to Experience) on the woozy How Could, How Come, and Duke Garwood on album closer Broken Dream. Each song approaches, revises, steps back and looks for humanity on a planetary scale. From the shimmering melodies and prodigious power of tracks like ‘Magenta’ and ‘See Power’ to the energy-fuelled psychedelic rock of ‘Houses’ and ‘Yoyo’, the album flows with a dark, beguiling grandeur with the majestic allure of Liela Moss’ crystal vocals. Sky Is Mine looks at Harm, Control and Lack of love but burns through it to find the essential human heart. Talking about the inspiration behind the album, front-woman Liela Moss explains: “With feet cold and wet from standing in the sludgy shit of rhetoric, illegitimacy and fear that is the world we tread upon, the album snapshots a palpitating love that bursts with, and values, Life. Half-finished sentences, which describe shards of arrogance, egomania and cruelty are dissolved by being pissed on from a great height with a stream of golden, glowing benevolence."

      STAFF COMMENTS

      Barry says: Haunting reverbed guitars and swooning synths are laid out into languid carpets of sound before being joined by the unearthly, mesmerising vocals of Liela Moss. Like the best instrumental affectations of stunning post-rock but joined by the soaring majesty of a good vocal line. Brilliant.

      The London 4-piece return with an album brimming with new sounds amid a vibrant energy, flecked with sublimely delicate, intimate spaces and recorded by Simon Raymonde (Bella Union / Cocteau Twins).

      At the core is a deep respect for the frailty of life and the nobility that can be observed in death. Sonar, a highly emotional Liela Moss vocal, delivers a poignant goodbye to a loved one, framed by a magnificent circular guitar hook around which organs, bass and drums carry prayer and eulogy. There are some maverick guest appearances throughout the record, Mark Lanegan, Raymonde himself, longterm TDS collaborator Terry Edwards (PJ Harvey/Gallon Drunk) and old friend Sam Windett from Archie Bronson Outfit is here also to duet with Liela on the wiry post-punk vibes of Side By Side.

      One of the many standouts on the album is Pacific, a hyper vigilant and introspective tale of travel and self-discovery, of the realisation that often silence is a better way to communicate than with words. Adding to the tension, a force that pulls you in deep throughout the album, is a beautiful melody at the start of the song played on the saw by Mara Carlyle who also lends her effortlessly fluid voice to this and Sonar.

      Despite these cameos, this is about The Duke Spirit, who in ten glorious songs, have resurfaced effortlessly and quietly, with one of the most exhilarating albums of this year.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Blue And Yellow Light
      2. Sonar
      3. Wounded Wing
      4. Hands
      5. Here Comes The Vapour
      6. Pacific
      7. Anola
      8. Side By Side
      9. 100 Horses Run
      10. Follow

      Duke Spirit

      Cuts Across The Land

        Twelve slices of cool, sassy garage rock'n'roll veering between throbbing slo-mo tracks like the opener "Cuts Across The Land" and "You Were Born Inside My Heart" to spikier more uptempo tracks: "Fades The Sun" and the excellent "Lion Rip". All topped off with Liela Moss' great vocals at times reminiscent of PJ Harvey's best bluesy croon, at others more abrasive and occasionally, sweet and soulful.


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