Grande Duke are fundamentally a funky, post-rock trio based in the East Midlands, who include a wealth of musicians on their tracks, offering great jazzy undertones infused with grungy beats and great basslines.
The opening track of the self-titled debut EP is called “Stonecutter”, a lengthy 8 minutes 23 seconds, the track is a great introduction to the rest of the EP, easing the listener gently into the grunge-reality of basement bassy riffs and sultry saxophone overtones. The track is far from anthemic and it doesn’t offer a great climax, however, it’s a great instrumental track that is a gentle invitation into the unruly and creative world of Grande Duke.
The following 2 tracks on the EP are in the same vein as the first, not as lengthy but still displaying the now familiar elements of jazz and rock. The second track, “Duke of Rain” is a tune that could easily have been heard in a 70’s pop-cult drama starring a side-burned detective, which isn’t a bad thing if you’re into that kind of sound.
The third track on the EP, “Lunacy by Sea Wind”, is my favourite of the 4 introductory tracks. It reflects many bands of yesteryear and channels some bands of the moment whilst being fresh and innovative. There’s elements of Nirvana, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and heavier, more metal based bands, with the weighty guitar riffs, juxtaposed with the airy electric-guitar.
Finally, the album is rounded off by “Chora”, a sluggish but fulfilling track, giving an air of melancholia and the subdued. The track has a slow but varied drum beat and a tempting bass line with a simple yet effective guitar riff. The track has the notion that it’s building to something bigger and halfway through the tempo picks up and the bass line becomes more dominant, leading to the heavier guitars, similar to those in “Lunacy by the Sea Wind”.
The entire EP is full of post-rock experimentation, there’s whiffs of The Clash, T-Rex, The Cult as well as more recent bands like Nirvana and Rage Against The Machine. The band has no doubt revelled in their inspiration and tried to create something unique whilst remaining true to the sounds of their instruments. The jazzy elements are refreshing and mix well, in most parts, with the grunge-inspired guitars and drums.
The EP is lengthy, with all the tracks being over 4 minutes and ranging right up to 8 minutes 23 seconds. Perhaps the reason for the timely tunes is to fit the imaginative instrumentals in comfortably. The EP can, at times, feel haphazard and somewhat unfocussed but this is not necessarily a criticism, it all lends to the vibe of the EP, which is cleverly concocted to combine a multitude of genres.
Despite the lack of singing/shouting throughout the EP, the sound effects and spoken word offer an intriguing blend with the instruments. There are no sung lyrics on any of the tracks, which is either a clever omission, designed to create mystery and suspense or a bad decision which leaves the listener wondering where the vocalist is. Either way, it somehow works, and the tracks are well-accomplished and well produced.
Overall the debut EP from Grande Duke is a fulfilling listen which will no doubt be interpreted differently by everyone. It’s a challenge to explain what or who they sound like, which, in my opinion, makes them unique and inventive. The EP is both satisfying and interesting and it will be interesting to see which direction the trio take their material in in the future. [J]
Check out the band’s MySpace! www.myspace.com/grandeduke
I gave this a few spins actually, but couldn’t quite decide. You’ve done a neat job of summing it up though, nice one.