William Duke
"A Part of Me" b/w "The
Ghost" 7"
self-released
Genre: indie pop
San Francisco, CA
October 2009 |
Two album tracks
comprise this vinyl teaser, which was released in concert with
Duke's new album, The Ghost That Would Not Be. On this
record, Duke exudes an overt appreciation of The Beatles, AM
pop, Supergrass, and Eels, employing breezy
guitars and keyboards and sugary sweet vocals. The
formula is most successful on the B-side, "The Ghost," which has
decent hooks but seems to plod a little. Meanwhile, "A Part of Me"
boasts a cheery melody, but the multi-layered vocals are in dire
need of more polish. These two songs show serious potential,
although they seem to lack the sense of melodic togetherness that
gets the listener humming along. In the pure pop domain, where
memorable hooks are the principal form of currency, it's clear Duke
has some work ahead of him.
william duke's myspace
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 2 tracks, distributed by
the artist,
released 2009] |