Duchess of York provide the first addictive smash hit of my summer
Take four kids from Richmond, VA who average an individual age half that of Jack White, and all collectively have lived fewer years than one Mr. James Brown, but who exude heavy doses of both vibes in perfect collaboration.
My new favorite on-repeat listen is “21st Century Slave” from their Era In Static EP. No, seriously — like, listen over and over in my car until it’s ridiculous, trying to suppress the urge to dance in the driver’s seat, and restrain myself at stoplights so I don’t get weird looks. I find the raw and pugilistic garage scowl of the White Stripes mixed with the outrageous I-feel-good funk of the Godfather of Soul/Jackson 5 to be an absolutely irresistible sound combination. Listen! Try to sit still.
21st Century Slave – Duchess of York
Duchess Of York swagger and strut with the cockiness that only comes from not having lived long enough to know better yet. But let them for a while – this is a terrific album from a talent that is relatively unknown outside of Richmond, but who have the stuff to hit it huge.
They are 16, 17, 18 and 21 and the band is made up of two brothers and a pair of cousins. This is somehow their third proper album, all dirty growly blues with super-seductive funk and melody.
LISTEN: More tunes (try “Animal City”)
BUY: Era In Static
Name: Heather Browne
Kinda very easy to sit still for this.
Anonymous — June 12, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
Oooooh this is fantastic Heather. I love it…..thanks!
Christina in Argentina
Anonymous — June 12, 2008 @ 10:10 pm
kitchy … also sounds like they’re (eh hem) borrowing from a few too many pop hits from the last century.
The best thing this thing has going for it is the bridge which then again sounds like the background music for the next KIA commercial.
Next.
Pete K — June 13, 2008 @ 12:31 am
i liked the beginning of the track better when it was called shakedown street.
Anonymous — June 13, 2008 @ 1:30 pm
Excellent song!
Natsthename — June 14, 2008 @ 11:00 am
This is such a great song!! If you check their myspace, Tangle Me Up is also an awesome song.
Anonymous — June 16, 2008 @ 10:21 pm
great band. i think your information is wrong though, the bassist and singer are brothers and distant cousins of the drummer. the other guitarist isnt related to any of them (but is quite sexy)
Anonymous — June 16, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
hey i’m a member of the band i play guitar.
thanks for the great review.
i also appreciate your allusion to Leash.
saw em in VA Beach it was spectacular.
Anonymous — June 19, 2008 @ 10:14 am
these guys are absolutely insane, this track is cool but man the innovative sounds of the rest of their tracks on myspace are classic but so forward. this is excellent, i am now a fan, thanks for the post.
Anonymous — July 11, 2008 @ 10:49 pm
Haha, I took that photo of them.
Anonymous — July 16, 2008 @ 10:49 pm
Well thanks for it, it is a great one!
heather — July 16, 2008 @ 10:58 pm
Hey! I’m not a member of the band, just a fan saying that they have their new ep for sale on their myspace (myspace.com/doymusic) and some songs from the ep on the site.
If you want to support them, PLEASE go to http://www.40th.vcu.edu/events/bands.php and VOTE for Duchess of York. Tell your friends!! It would mean alot.
stephanie — August 20, 2008 @ 11:04 am