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Thursday, 17th December 2009

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: THE DUKE & THE KING – THE MORNING I GET TO HELL:The Duke & The King are a glam-soul-folk quartet from New York featuring Simone Felice, Bobbie Bird Burke, Simi Stone and Nowell Haskins. Named after the travelling Shakespeare Hustlers in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn these curious blood-brothers (and sweet sister) have found a home together, a travelling church of harmony and sin where its OK to French kiss your cousin and all strays are welcome to come out of the cold and sing along to songs of love, loss, pathos and hope. New single The Morning I Get To Hell (apart from its excellent name) is a brilliant introduction to them, featuring laidback vocals, excellent layering and a smooth, really appealing folksy backdrop. It culminates in a marching band percussion that’s equally compelling, and which really should help to win even more fans over to their Nothing Gold Can Stay LP. Bonus track One More Year is equally as charming, featuring a more insistent central beat that unfolds against a strong sense of melody and some lush vocals. We’re really liking The Duke & The King! Available in all formatsRating: 4 out of 5www.indielondon.co.uk