Released 07-04-09, 14th Floor Records
Ayrshire’s oddest concoction have returned with the 2nd instalment to their album trilogy with the delightfully catchy Duke Pandemonium. Comprising of Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro, aka ‘The Atmosphere’, and JP Reid of Sucioperro, aka ‘The Dragon’, the band first formed in 2003 but with commitments
to other bands their first release was not until 2005 with The Magnificent
Duke.
But unlike this previous album which was split into three
stages – heavy, acoustic and instrumental – Duke Pandemonium sees the band take a much more focussed direction in their music. And it is this new path that has seen the band’s first single ‘Kid Gloves’ get the national radio play
it deserves.
The new album sees the band take a dip into the much-paddled
waters of synth-electro-pop which so many other bands have failed to make work. Yet Marmaduke Duke, with their distinctively rough voices and consistently odd lyrics have managed to not only pull-off what
those before them botched-up, but they’ve also managed to bring a new kooky appeal to what should have been the proverbial dead horse.
Take track ‘Skin the Mofo’, which samples what can only be described as a tune you’d find while on holiday in Tahiti while a psychotic voice tells you over and over again to ‘skin the mother fucker alive’ or ‘Erotic Robotic’ where the lyrics ‘erotic robotic despite the accent we’re Scottish’ seem ridiculous to a band that sound so obviously Scottish. Fortunately with Marmaduke Duke it works. With everylittle oddity the album reveals it also brings it a little closer to greatness.
New singe ‘Rubber Lover’ is very reminiscent of Biffy Clyro
and is set to be the summer anthem of fans and ‘Je Suis en Funky Homme’ will be the highlight of many future parties. In fact, there is no bad song on this album. The only problem you will find with Duke Pandemonium is trying to
figure out the neigh impossible task of dancing to ‘Everybody Dance’. A well deserved gold star to anyone who tries.
Posted In Album Reviews, Apr 14 2009.
Words - Steph