Duffy’s debut is good, far from great
Posted by Jon Chattman on May 12th, 2008
In the bloated market of young female singer-songwriters, coming out with a unique sound is pretty difficult. But young Welsh crooner Duffy tries her hardest with her debut album, Rockferry. The results are mixed.
Like many neo-soul singers Duffy focuses on the woes of love, and though her topic isn’t particularly original, she is good at writing catchy hooks. Her vocals are much the same story. She has a strong voice, but she often seems to be veering between Alanis Morissette and Norah Jones imitations. The first half of Rockferry really showcases these weaknesses, especially with the repetitive, overly mellow “Stepping Stone.”
But track five, “Syrup and Honey,” proves a turning point in the album, if only because Duffy finally seems to find her own voice on it. The songs that follow are full of the spirit and emotional honesty that were missing from the first half of the album. The highlight track of the disc is definitely “Mercy” which shows that this girl can get funky when she wants to. And most of the other songs are enjoyable and easy to listen to. Even at her worst, Duffy never drags. There’s plenty of good stuff here, it’s just a little underdeveloped.
- Helen Horn-Mitchem