Long May You Run!
The emergence of Simone Felice and The Duke & The King was, it has to be said, one of the great surprises and highlights of 2009. Casting off personal tragedy and feeling the need to vacate the band he shared with his siblings, the excellent Felice Brothers, The Duke & The King have struck a much deeper chord with the UK music scene than anybody, including Felice could have imagined. Much of this was down to the strength of their blissful debut album "Nothing Gold Can Stay" which appeared high in many end of year polls and was very nearly dreamy folk/pop perfection.
I was lucky enough to see them perform in 2009 to a sold out café/bar show in which they added to their live sound by recruiting the gospel/soul talents of both Nowell Haskins and Simi Stone both now a permanent fixture in the line up alongside Felice and Bobbie Bird Burke. "Long Live The Duke & The King" reflects this by sounding a much more confident and bolder record in contrast to the sweet acoustics of the debut. The record starts with the glowing comfort of 'Gloria' which suits the gospel harmonies of the group perfectly "I don't want this day to ever end". This is followed by the reflective soul of 'Shine on You'. 'Shaky' is a glimmering highlight in reminiscence and pill popping which merrily skips along and bemoans the fact that "The Jackson 5 grew up so fast" it's when Felice invites "come on baby, just come and shake that country ass" that the songs bittersweet lyrics and sax solo reaches its climax and forbids anybody not to be shaking something by this point. It's over the next couple of tracks that the real adventure and diversity of the Long Live really shows itself. 'Hudson River' sounds like a classic from the Stax label with Haskins on lead vocal. This is closely followed by country sing along 'No Easy Way Out' which has Stone taking lead and sounding like Carol King overcoming her whisky soaked past " I lost my way.....this girl be heading North".
During the making of the ironically titled Long Live Simone Felice underwent emergency open heart surgery which very nearly put an end to this band and him personally. On 'Have You Seen It?' he convincingly tells of "I've seen trouble and I've seen grief" but its through this track you gain an insight into the positivity TD&TK are trying to spread through their music, an infectious, joyful communal place, which celebrates music and all that life has to throw at you. Just fantastic!