The Dutchess and the Duke - She’s the Dutchess, He’s the Duke (Hardly Art)

Critics are reaching to cast this duo as a pre-rock star, blues-based band that harkens back to Keith Richards before his face was a roadmap of hell. It doesn’t seem necessary since the first Duke and Dutchess album is something we forgot existed in the era of the 3-song album: a tight 10-track indie album replete with stompers, shredders and clap-alongs, but without a duff track to be found. “Reservoir Park” and “I am Just a Ghost” show two-sides of this royal pair, one starts out with a driving 60s psych sound while the other starts forlorn and slow. They both turn on the juice with hot guitar passages by mid-song. Loads of boy-girl call and response along with some only marginally freakish folk to round out the top shelf tracks like “Strangers,” “Prisoner” and “Out of Time.” An album that creeps up on you like late July kudzu…

In recent news: The Dutchess and the Duke will be opening up for James Jackson Toth of Wooden Wand on August 29th at the Gravity Lounge. I will be the first fanboy on the right.

Listen to Reservoir Park

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Sir Victor Owaifo - Guitar Boy Superstar, 1970-76 (Sound Way Records)

I guess the title and cover conveys a lot here. Uwaifo is one of stalwarts of Guinean music and culture. Sometime poet, sculptor, philosopher, and Justice of the Peace, Uwaifo has worn many hats in addition to being the first African artist to go Gold (c.f. Guitar Boy Superstar). While not the enemy of the state that Fela Kuti was, Uwaifo synthesized a lot of what went down in West African and US music in the early and mid-70s. There are plenty of the afropop and highlife sounds, but also cosmic guitar riffs that will leave you checking to make sure you aren’t hearing some alien guitar jam broadcasting though your teeth.

Yeah, I know… so what. There is a lot of hot African music of the 70s that hasn’t been appropriated for a West Anderson or Jim Jarmusch movie. why bother? I think the odd phrasing, inexplicable sounds, and bat-shit crazy timing Sir Victor squeezes from his double-necks and 12-strong backing band will testify. Or try these apples:

Sir Victor and his revolving Guitar [YouTube]

Uwaifo plays “Duduke” [YouTube]

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WOMEN - Women (Flemish Eye)

Another exhibit in the ongoing trial of whether Canadian rock is better or waaaayyy better than most bands stateside. Like the Dutchess and the Duke, it’s a 10-song debut, but D&D go for blues-based rock, Women turn dissonant and angular . “Group Transport Hall” is 71 seconds of pure Of Montreal ear-tease, “Black Rice” is the obvious standout but “Upstairs” and “Shaking Hands” equally showcase their strength with a two-chord guitar riff. The album has some grating and/or marvellous short tracks that stake out the weird limbo between Tortoise and the Meatpuppets. A consistent lo-fi thread holds the range together and that sound is probably due to recordings done on “ghettoblasters and old tape machines” as much as any instrumentation or song choice. Choicest description is from VUE: “the record sounds like sunny Beach Boys pop was dragged into a dark alley and gleefully mutilated.” yeah, that!

“Black Rice”

“Group Transport Hall”

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The “I Wish I Knew How to Quit You” Award:
The Dodos, Visiter (French Kiss)

Dr. Johnson said: “Guests like fish start to stink on the third day.” Well, this “visiter” is still welcome half a year later. Visiter has gotten an absolute slagload of good press, and their show this past spring at the Tea House revealed the dormant musicality of many of the walls and steps at the TBTB. This album is an absolute quantuum leap forward from their previous efforts: still lots of catchy-acoustic guitar riffs matched with semi-plaintive vocals, but the rhythmic textures make me want to take it to the drive-in and make-out with it… so good. still. six months later.

The Dodos Video for “Fools” [YouTube]

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