Duke and the Darlings

Review 20.05.13

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:22:58 -0400

Review for ‘Champagne of the People’. http://asdustdances13.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/duke-and-the-darlings/

Duke and the Darlings are not like every other band that you have come across, they are distinctively different. They realise that music is about giving and enjoying it with others, so as a testament to this, Duke and the Darlings put on regular free gig nights, every month in fact, to celebrate their love for live music, aptly named Ale-ternative. For a list of all their upcoming gig nights, see below, and be sure to check one of them out. I mean it’s good music and it’s free, you seriously can’t go wrong with that combination.

Duke and the Darlings have released two EPs in their time together as a band, their début being recorded live at Abbey Road Studios, which is impressive in itself. Their most recent offering, entitled Champagne of the People, released earlier this year, is a collection of brilliantly, catchy indie rock tunes, that will get stuck in your head for days.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost” comes in hard and strong with a luscious, gritty riff that grabs you by the hand and won’t let go. Cut to Reed who sweeps in and instantly steals your attention, as the song takes a little respite from the fast-paced, no holds barred monster that it is. We hold on his every word, as the track once again picks up pace and goes straight into killer mode, and sweeps you into a delicious chorus. The heavy mix of drums thrashing against the surging guitars is purely a wall of sound that works perfectly with Reed’s and Saatchi’s vocals.“Love’s Labour’s Lost” is a truly magnificent track, that can’t help but wet your appetite for the wonders which follow.

“Whiter than White” doesn’t slacken grip, as we charge into the track, which is a real stand out, in my opinion.“Whiter than White” really showcases the brilliance of Duke and the Darlings, both musically and lyrically, in the best of ways possible, “you say you wanted some time away, they say till death do us part. You say you wanted to see me, but you’re a fly on the wall”. A real triumph, an angst ridden track fuelled with a killer drum beat and a beautiful melody.

“Don’t Need To” is a slight change in pace, a slow-burning tale of the aftermath at the end of a relationship. We move swiftly onto “Walk Away”, which again picks up pace and storms in with another catchy chorus and a heavy dose of drums. A heartfelt plea to save the relationship and for their other half to “please don’t walk away”. A great track to finish on, cementing just how great Duke and the Darlings are.

A solid EP, arguably their best yet, showing that they are a band to be taken seriously. In my opinion, Champagne of the People, is one of the best EP’s I’ve ever heard, a truly remarkable EP to say it’s only their second release to date. Duke and the Darlings are the type of band that you don’t come across regularly, diamonds in the rough.

Live shots from Ale-ternative #6 @The Castle Hotel,...

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:16:51 -0400

Live shots from Ale-ternative #6 @The Castle Hotel, Manchester.

Man with the lens is www.facebook.com/michaelbarrowphoto

Review 10.05.13

Sat, 11 May 2013 07:39:00 -0400

Review of ‘Champagne of the People’: http://www.altmusicreview.co.uk/review-duke-and-the-darlings-champagne-of-the-people/

The second EP, Champagne Of the People from small-time rock group Duke And The Darlings is one for such a list. The Manchester four piece infuse a delicate indie-rock style and entwine it around upbeat vocal hooks, enthralling solo’s and hard hitting melodies that leave an impressionable impact.

‘Don’t Need To’ tackles the solemn issues that may be flying round vocalist Alex Reed’s head as the band drop down to bring forward a consistent, static piece of music that in some way lacks the flair and diversity that the band show prior, but on the other foot; The track isn’t intended to create a party-themed dance-till-you-drop vibe and instead stays in fitting with the lyrical theme. A track that doesn’t grab, or command, any attention but yet still doesn’t lose it.

The EP, which was recorded live as well as being mixed and mastered, all in the space of one short weekend feels in no way rushed. Whilst the up-tempo style and catchy approach works so well for Duke And The Darlings, it wouldbe unfair to say they haven’t explored their options on the EP.

All in all, Duke And The Darlings are a band whose hard-work and obvious talent can only grow in popularity. Their radio friendly indie-rock hits cast a certain element of fun into you. If you’re looking for something to inspire you to run around the garden in the sun with your boxers on, look no further. I’ll let you decide whether that’s good or not.

As they groove their way through opener ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ they capture your attention with a consistent and catchy as hell riff that keeps you coming back for more. That sounds cliché as shit, right? The first thing I did when it finished was restart the song, hearing so many different elements, as the drums accolade the neat, on-point, vocals. Leaping onto the swiftness of ‘Whiter Than White’, the four piece show that they can regulate their sound with such precision, so effortlessly. The various dips in pace show off a certain togetherness as musicians and a talent that oozes from every beat of the EP.

Review 17.04.13

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:29:00 -0400

Review of Duke and the Darlings to date: http://ilovemanchester.com/2013/04/17/spotlight-duke-and-the-darlings/

This four-piece not only recorded their début EP, live at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, but they have also subsequently released their second EP, just this year, entitled Champagne of the People. This EP astonishingly, was recorded live, mixed and mastered all in the same weekend; this shows the bands drive and absolute dedication to their art, a very rare trait to find in this day and age of manufactured bands.

In their short time of being active as a band, they have progressed very rapidly and have perfected their sound to something that’s nothing less than magnificent. They don’t hide the fact, that they are purely doing this for their love of music and playing live. As tribute to this, they have played many free gigs, quoting the band themselves “Duke and the Darlings isn’t about making money. It’s about playing music, enjoying ales and having a good time”. Raise your glasses to these guys, and if you ever see them, go buy them a drink or a couple, they deserve it.

Their style of heavy-hitting guitar infused indie pop, really packs a punch, making them one of the best new bands I’ve come across recently. A real credit to Manchester, I can’t recommend them more, a brilliant, brilliant band. They are currently unsigned, but seriously the record companies are missing out here, they should be banging the door down, they are just that good.

They commonly cite their influences as Stout, Porter and Ale, their love of ale has become a common theme with the band. Going on to inspire their current residency at The Castle Hotel, here in Manchester, apply naming the nights “Ale-ternative” and also featuring a host of great up and coming Manchester bands and musicians alongside themselves. The comradery becomes very apparent here, as music is supposed to bring people together and that’s exactly what Duke and the Darlings are doing. You have to commend these guys for doing this, all music lovers out there rejoice and embrace our great city’s music scene, head down to The Castle Hotel and enjoy the musical delights that you will find there. For the full list of their upcoming gig dates, see below and don’t miss out, go see these guys for free while you still can.

Friday 19th April – The Castle Hotel, Manchester with Mog Stanley & The Minx – FROM 7:30PM – FREE

Friday 17th May – The Castle Hotel, Manchester with David Shurr & Vienna Blood – FROM 7:00PM – FREE

Friday 21st June – The Castle Hotel, Manchester with Milk PunX & Hundred Dollar Cigar –FROM 7:00PM – FREE

If Duke and the Darlings made labels for ales.

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:31:35 -0400

If Duke and the Darlings made labels for ales.

Review 27.03.13

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:05:31 -0400

Review for ‘Champagne of the People’:

http://itsoundedsweet.com/2013/03/duke-and-the-darlings-champagne-of-the-people-ep-review/

Duke and the Darlings are a four-piece band from Manchester consisting of Alex Reed, Jonny Saatchi, Grant Tildsley and Luke Wilkinson. Their second EP, ‘Champagne of the People’ was released on the 22nd March on Sweet Sweet Records and I’m already a big fan.

The EP, although only four songs long is a sufficient enough gateway to give you a little introduction to Duke and the Darlings. Opening track ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ is a short and punchy alternative pop-rock track. The track’s strength is with its melody, that being the piece left with you as you’re left humming it all night. The track’s playful bassline is the stem that the rest of the song grows upon leading into a much more obvious and blatant energy in the following track, ‘Whiter Than White’.

Track two is a lot more energetic in pace with an infectious and relentless chorus. This is Northern indie-pop at its finest, with bursts of aggression cutting in and out alongside the jittering of lead singer Alex’s vocals.

‘Don’t Need To’ is a more of a ballad than the energetic aggression of the EP’s first two tracks. The vocals are top notch, revealing that the band can harmonise and sing in a conventionally well manner as opposed to the more punk orientated vocal style of the first two tracks. Final track ‘Walk Away’ is a more introspective sounding song of built up frustration with lyrics, “Please don’t walk away” being the driving point of the song. Again, the harmonies are an example of how the band can be versatile and sing much more ballad style songs. The track has a climactic ending, forcing that pent up rage to be releases in the second half of the song.

Although short, the second EP by Duke and the Darlings, ‘Champagne of the People’ is a record of versatility and fresh Northern indie-pop. The EP shows promise and we will be looking forward to more releases as we follow the band in the future.

'Champagne of the People' - iTunes

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:35:00 -0400

'Champagne of the People' - iTunes:

This link will transport you to iTunes, where you can buy our new release. Serving suggestion: Stout and wasabi peas.

'Champagne of the People' - Spotify

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:32:00 -0400

'Champagne of the People' - Spotify:

This link will carry you to Spotify, where you can enjoy our new release. Serving suggestion: IPA and mature cheddar.

Review 21.03.13 (2)

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:25:00 -0400

Review for ‘Champagne of the People’: http://softconcretemag.com/2013/03/21/ep-review-champagne-of-the-people-by-duke-and-the-darlings/

This is the second EP from Manchester-based alternative pop band, Duke and the Darlings. Released on Sweet Sweet Records, it is considered to be instantly infectious and have songs written about marriage breakdowns, flirting and drug-induced fits…

Track listing: Love’s Labour Lost, Whiter Than White, Don’t Need To and Walk Away.

“Love’s Labour Lost” starts with a catchy electric guitar solo followed with a full onslaught of guitars and drums. It then settles into a repetitive mellow tune until we reach the chorus when all hell breaks loose again. The vocals are smooth and convincing. ‘We’ll never know’ what this song is about, as it is quite ambiguous enough to be about anything. “I know that you like it, I can see it in your eyes you’re quite delighted”. Some good riffs too as the songs progresses, vocals pause, and then come back into play again. A good catchy tune of a tale.

“Whiter than White” is a quirky upbeat tale of looking for answers and not quite understanding them. A paralleled tale of the two halves of marriage. She wants/he wants. The melody and music gallop along consistently. Guitar chords match the vocal tone, a nice easy listen on the ears. Lyrics are contradicting, “they say we live for the daytime but it’s a stab in the dark” and “you say you wanted to see me, but you’re a fly on the wall”. Reflecting the squabbling that goes on in any tired relationship. A tale of modern romance with cool guitar hooks. This song seems more soft metal that alternative pop.

“Don’t Need To” starts with steady beats and electric guitar chords. The electric guitar seems to tell the story here, echoing the vocals, with additional low toned vocals echoing the lead singers voice, which add to the atmosphere of the song. Repetitive lyrics, perhaps to get the meaning of the song across – “take what you want but I don’t need too”.

The electric guitar progresses the song along in “Walk Away”. Quite a few hooks and licks. Head nodding and foot stamping ensue without you even noticing. The vocals are begging the protagonists subject not to walk away, well at least not all the way. Heavy guitar chords hammer home this requirement. The hooks within the middle of the song are reminiscent of Coldplay. This song will have you singing and nodding along at the first listen, although it gets a bit heavy and like the previous song is repetitive especially towards the end of the song with a sudden halt…

Collectively this EP works and flows well. This Manchester-based band sing about happenings in our everyday lives and when you’re feeling in the mood for listening to uplifting tunes of reality I would definitely recommend this EP. ‘Champagne of the People’ is fun and fresh, with musical motifs aplenty.

Review 21.03.13 (1)

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:20:00 -0400

Review for ‘Champagne of the People’: http://independentmusicnews.co.uk/rreeevviieeewww-duke-and-the-darlings-champagne-of-the-people/

I think we should hire Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Renée Zellweger for their latest adventure - Champagne of the People. I was rather excited when I received the digital present through the post/email box. I opened it and noted down each emotion, with pen and paper, as I listened through four wonderful tracks. Here’s what I wrote -

Don’t Need To – is a break-up in a relationship. I can feel the vocalist massage his sentiment into the listeners mind with aggravation and remorse. The other instruments take a different path and reminisce memorable times. What a mind fuck, I like it.

Love’s Labour’s Lost – is a track you have to listen to in a dark and miserable room. Much like the previous track, we’re kicked and punched until we understand each segment of the song. When you find the end of the path you can leave the bad thoughts in the damp (SEXY) and devious room and go outside and enjoy the sun as you listen to – LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST.

Walk Away – is my favourite track on the EP. It sounds like the band are taking a holiday to find captivating culture, it wouldn’t be out of place in an independent film. The imagination and creativity in just over two minutes is inspiring; its like listening to Stephen Fry read one of your favourite books, the act take it to the next level.

The last track on the EP is – Whiter Than White and our second favourite on the album. WHY? I hear our readers and Duke And The Darlings shout….WELL – the chorus is memorable with hints of repentance, the guitar and drum sections team up and provide an entertaining listen, while the whole piece wreaks of promise. I wouldn’t be surprised if this track is played on national radio stations and featured in mainstream magazines. GOOD WORK.

Interview 19.03.13

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:15:00 -0400

‘Champagne of the People’ was reviewed by The Suddenly Kate Show. Below is the interview from this review. For the full review please visit: http://suddenlykateshow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/duke-and-darlings-new-ep-champagne-for_19.html?spref=tw

You mentioned last August that you would be doing free gigs in Manchester, what made you decide to do this? And do you think this has contributed to a more relaxed and natural sound? And how many have you done to date? Will you continue?
The Ale-ternative nights, our free monthly shows, have been truly successful, both in that they have attracted some truly brilliant acts (check out the listings on our Facebook page) but most importantly that they uphold our integrity. We are not anti-promoters, per se, as often they can provide acts with the skills and experience necessary, but certainly we have been frustrated by some of the nights they have hosted in the past: taking money from friends; bands on a bill being musically incongruous; mid-week shows; lack of genuine interaction with bands and media alike. The nights are free entry as we take the hit, and the acts are mutually encouraging: we compere each night to ensure that each band is introduced and made to feel welcome; after all, we have manners.

March saw Ale-ternative #4 at the uber-cool pub The Castle Hotel in Manchester’s hip Northern Quarter; we have five more shows booked there until Summer. Come August, we would love to host an Ale-ternative show at a micro-brewery, as they seem to be the unsigned bands of the beer world, but this is very much a star in the sky.

We are delighted with how they have taken off so far, and certainly we play better on the night as you know that there is no obligation within the room, for supporters and performers alike, and that everyone is there because they want to. The ales may help, too, but there is no scientific research into this as of yet.

Last time we discussed a flash mob and you said you had been working on one (possibly not seriously), but you made mention to a song that you perform live called Momma Fle, did you consider putting this on the EP for those of us who can’t get up to Manchester to see you live?
The flash mob is on the back-burner for no reason in particular. Maybe we have a stronger online presence than when we first conjured the idea; we have certainly explored many different means of promotion, with the flash mob still a good thought. We expect it to be stolen by whoever is reading this.

We do wonder whether we should record our live sets to share, but being perfectionists we tend not to. Maybe we should relax more. Maybe we could record the whole Ale-ternative night and host online gigs. We expect this idea to be stolen also by whoever is reading this. But with regards to Momma Fle, they simply don’t make computers powerful enough to record that song in its entirety, or capture the essence of its ironic thrust; we only dabble in it live, really.

There were aspirations to have the EP out by Christmas, was it delayed due to not being able to choose a name? And what were the best ones you didn’t use? And why Champagne for the People?
Ironically, the EP was recorded for those that listen to our music in far-flung places, but only have access to the three songs we recorded: the delay probably left them sick of those songs and they have now lost interest, just in time for the EP release! The delay itself was just circumstance, the juggling of variables, karma…one does not rush karma, that’s sort of the point: we don’t feel like we have missed any boat, though. We promised each other after recording in March that we would not leave it so long again.

We must have created one hundred distinct EP titles. At least. ‘Loiter’ stuck for a long time. ‘Champagne of the People’ was the first suggestion and we couldn’t better it. For the record, most of those hundred possible titles were, shall we say, inspired and not very good. But we’re happy with the title; it rings bells with our ethos and is suitably charming.

For the first EP you had a trailer for it, you don’t have one this time, but what about a music video? Is that something in the pipeline and for any particular track?We had a mini-documentary arranged, which was exactly to explore the pride and/or pretention of unsigned music, but the producer postponed it very late on, unfortunately, due to personal reasons. He is still a good lad, and we understand why it didn’t happen then. A music video will occur if the EP is well-received; unsigned bands have a backwards alchemy, you know. ‘Whiter Than White’ is a favourite of ours, and always gets a lively response. Although it’s a song about divorce, it is quite empowering, and this would probably transpose well into a video.

When is your next gig?
Our next gig is Ale-ternative #5 on Friday 19th April. We have the fantastic Mog Stanley opening proceedings, we are on second with the headliners not able to reveal themselves until they come home from a national tour. Fancy it?

Our second EP, ‘Champagne of the People’, is out on...

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 10:23:00 -0400

Our second EP, ‘Champagne of the People’, is out on Sweet Sweet Records, Friday 22nd March.

Ale-ternative at The Castle Hotel, Manchester

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:31:44 -0500

Ale-ternative at The Castle Hotel, Manchester:

Ale-ternative brings unsigned alternative pop to you and your ears, all for the loving price of £0.00.

But you knew that.

Our monthly night has now taken residency at the uber-pub The Castle Hotel, in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. These are the dates confirmed so far:

Friday 15th March

Friday 19th April

Friday 17th May

Friday 21st June

Friday 19th July

Get in touch if you would like to suggest an unsigned alternative pop band. Otherwise, we’ll just keep on digging for gold.

Jonny and Alex recording vocals at Abbey Road Studios in...

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 10:22:48 -0500

Jonny and Alex recording vocals at Abbey Road Studios in December 2011.

Duke and the Darlings EP

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 06:36:32 -0500

Duke and the Darlings EP:

For those of you with the new year’s resolution to listen to more unsigned bands, here is our first EP for your consumption.

It’s on Spotify and YouTube, too, if you’re other new year’s resolution is to save more money…

The Year Of The Duke?

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 07:05:22 -0500

For ever and ever we will forever endeavour, but it can be quite healthy to decompartmentalise this into targets more tangible every now and again. The imminent prospect of a new year has got Duke and the Darlings all reflective.

What can we achieve in 2013? We don’t know. We cannot predict the unpredictable.

But. However. Despite this. Here is our wish-list for the next 12 months:

1. Record the second EP and release it early Spring

2. Tour the UK and play festivals across Summer

3. Record more visual material; a video here, mini-documentary there…

4. Take Ale-ternative nights to some interesting venues…micro-breweries, anyone??

We wish you all a great year.

Ale-ternative

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 08:56:22 -0500

Duke and the Darlings are cask-conditioned. We are pop music matured in an oak barrel.

In October, we hosted our first night of live music: Ale-ternative. We wanted to make exceedingly good alternative pop free to those human beings boasting ears. Sunday 23rd December saw Ale-ternative #3 packed to the rafters, with attendees left gasping for more.

And there will be more.

We have never truly accepted the idea of promoters as facilitators of introductions. Put another way, we have played many gigs with promoters who have slewn Duke and the Darlings on a bill with other bands, with whom we were never acquainted, and unfortunately with a small handful of bands whose music we could not enjoy.

Salacious confession, hey?

Worse still, it has been more than seldom that we have been placed on a bill with umpteen bands, and so the fervour of isolation and that of being perceived as performing monkeys, wound for the pound, was exacerbated.

The bills of Ale-ternative nights are carefully considered, in order to provide a musical thread upon which the button familiarity can be sewn. As evidence, Duke and the Darlings would gladly not play an Ale-ternative night if we another band could complement the bill better. Furthermore, we insist on compering through the evening, to show our appreciation to the bands and also to the crowds.

The crowds, by the way, have not paid a penny to be there.

2013 should see Ale-ternative nights unsheath themselves from their youthful cocoon, and flourish wonderfully. But only if those ears of yours are willing.

Duke and the Darlings (no airbrush necessary)

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:47:06 -0500

Alex

Jonny

Luke

Grant

Duke and the Darlings (no airbrush necessary)

Putting The 'Hi' in 'hiatus'

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:35:00 -0500

As if subject to the madcap logic of Dorian Gray, whereby one’s image appears much younger and inexperienced than is actually true, we would like make clear that despite this barren blog suggesting a neglect of duty from ourselves, we have in fact been working tirelessly as a band.

The truth is that unsigned bands run their own social media.

The truth is that unsigned bands run themselves ragged.

"I just go where the guitar takes me."

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 17:01:09 -0400

“I just go where the guitar takes me.”

- Angus Young