The Dutchess and the Duke

w/ James Jackson Toth

Monday, August 25 @ Tasty World

originally published August 20, 2008

It takes something more than reckless abandon for musicians to attempt a musical about-face from their genre safe-zones to something more honest and stripped bare. In the case of Seattle folk-pop duo The Dutchess and the Duke, treading uncharted waters has paid off in spades with last month's release of She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke on Hardly Art, Sub Pop's new imprint.

In the case of Jesse Lortz and Kimberly Morrison, recording this dejected, lonesome folk drawing apt comparisons to early Dylan and The Stones' acoustic efforts was a blind leap of faith. For two punks known in some circles (and barely, at that) for participation in brash garage-punk smash-ups like the Fe Fi Fo Fums and Intelligence, this duo is a remarkable diversion. The former gets by with snotty party-punk that declares “Fuck New Wave” while the latter noisily annoys with a dissonant synth-punk - miles away from The Dutchess and the Duke's nervous “Ruby Tuesday” stylings.

These aren't campfire songs, though. “Strangers” declares menacingly, “If there ever was a crime/ you'll be together one more time/ before I put you face down in the dirt.” Morrison's sweet soprano is reminiscent of Athens singer Madeline Adams as she harmonizes with Lortz's stiff deadpan that never sounds so frighteningly similar to Mick Jagger as it does on “Back to Me.” Seattle friends provide multi-instrumentation, including a sprightly flute on “The Prisoner” and “I Am Just a Ghost,” which ends epically with entrancing moaning over a sparse guitar riff and tambourine.

The Dutchess and the Duke have a long way to go before assuming rock royalty, but their transfixing folk and bare recordings are surely the correct path to take to the throne. It won't be long before we all bow down before the duo's presence.

Scott Reid