scarecrow reviews
2.28.2005
The Duke Spirit - Lion Rip.
****
Has anything as mind-blowingly cool, achingly unruffled as The Duke Spirit appeared from the darkest depths of North London in the last ten years? I seriously doubt it. Forget East-End wastrels such as The Paddingtons, The Others et al. The Duke Spirit have arrived Ladies and Gentlemen. Think scuzzed-up Spaceman 3 and New York (yes, I know) circa 67-79, briefly, just for a fleeting instant, savour the moment, cherish it – and then forget about it forever. For this is where it begins anew. The Duke Spirit simply ooze that special ingredient, that knowing all freshly unearthed wonders possess: raw, untouched talent. Lion Rip moves so effortlessly, so smoothly, it is quite sublime. It’s a wonderful mover, a single made all the more rousing by Leila Moss’s snarling lead vocals. It’s frenetic, fast and it’s sure to get those kids skulking in the corner all dressed up in black on to the dance-floor once and for all. If you miss this single then you’re missing out full-stop.
Lee Rourke © 2005.
