Sam Duckworth has built up a solid following over the past four years for his brand of oddball electro acoustica, without ever enjoying a major breakthrough. Major success is unlikely to arrive with his third album either, which again promises more than it delivers.
At times, Duckworth’s vocal similarity to Jack Penate is genuinely uncanny, but unfortunately this record doesn’t possess the rhythmic flair that made Penate’s 2009 album Everything Is New such a revelation. The tracks suffer from a terminal lack of urgency: there are a few catchy melodies but overall the album is seriously devoid of energy and intensity. Nowhere is there a song that grabs your attention and demands that you listen again. Oh, and the cover is a bit of a stinker.
Got album. Listened to album. Was underwhelmed.
Key track: ‘Queen For A Day’