Duffy - 'Rain On Your Parade'
The Story So Far: Welsh singing lady releases album which attempts to recreate the 1960s, just like the indie bands do. People buy many copies. Similarities are noted between her name and that of Dusty Springfield, a popular singing lady from the 1960s. People make jokes, the kind of jokes which the Last Shadow Puppets managed to avoid by working to almost exactly the same mission statement, but then they are boys, and one of them is an Arctic Monkey, so different rules apply.
As this scene opens, she is seen mopping up the leftover public goodwill towards her backwards-looking musical endeavour, by releasing another single. Now read on...
There is nothing to be said about this song which hasn't already been said about her previous releases. You are either a fan of her work or you are not. The '60s revival thing either appeals to you (or, and this is most common, doesn't really bother you because she's got the songs and the voice and stuff) or else sends you scurrying for your dad's/grandad's Cilla Black EPs, or your mp3 player stuffed full of ultra-modern sounds.
You can't even spend a lot of time thinking about the song itself, because it's just a retread of 'Mercy', with added orchestra and less cheesy keyboard. The lyrics may be a bit grumpier and more vengeful, her voice may stray further into The Helium Zone than she has ever been before, but there's nothing here which screams for attention beyond a decent pop song, done up like a bodice-ripping period drama.
So - and this is really only a question for people who have to think about Duffy on a professional basis - will she break the mould next time around, or will she end up recording a song called 'Son Of A Teacher Man' in Memphis, and losing herself in The Past?
Tune in to the next exciting installment to find out...
Download: Out now
CD Released: November 3th
(Fraser McAlpine)
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