Aimee Duffy establishes herself.Byline: Craig S. Semon COLUMN: TRACKS Duffy "Rockferry" (Mercury) * * *-1/2 Aimee Duffy is from a tiny Welsh village, but there is nothing tiny about her talent. Despite being only 23, Duffy - who was the first runner-up on "Wawffactor," the Welsh equivalent of "American Idol American Idol is an annual American televised singing competition, which began its first season on June 11, 2002. Part of the Idol franchise, it originated from the British reality program Pop Idol. ," in 2003 and has been touted as one of the more promising "new Amys" (as in Amy Winehouse) - evokes the spirit of Dusty Springfield Dusty Springfield OBE (16 April, 1939–2 March, 1999) was a popular English singer whose career spanned four decades. She achieved her most notable success during the 1960s, with a successful comeback in the late 1980s. with shades of Noun 1. shades of - something that reminds you of someone or something; "aren't there shades of 1948 here?" reminder - an experience that causes you to remember something classic Lulu. Showing kinship with Winehouse in the refreshingly retro soul department, Duffy's smoky, sultry voice sounds like that of a seasoned veteran way beyond her years. With its combination of minor piano chords, delicate guitar strums and lavish strings that harken har·ken v. Variant of hearken. Verb 1. harken - listen; used mostly in the imperative hark, hearken listen - hear with intention; "Listen to the sound of this cello" back to the glory days of '60s pop heartache, Duffy pours her guts out and wins our collective hearts on the title track, "Rockferry." When Duffy passionately belts, "I'll give it all my strength and my mind," she isn't kidding. While the sultry singer is referring to mustering the inner strength to finally break away from the clutches of a non-caring lover, she unleashes the emotional powder keg powder keg n. 1. A small cask for holding gunpowder or other explosives. 2. A potentially explosive situation or thing. powder keg Noun 1. that rages within. The song gradually builds, never losing its emotional focus or setting adrift the fiery supernova supernova, a massive star in the latter stages of stellar evolution that suddenly contracts and then explodes, increasing its energy output as much as a billionfold. at the center of it all. Duffy plans a rendezvous with a non-caring lover to remind him how much he hurt her and to leave him once and for all (she hopes) on "Warwick Avenue." Delivered in a breezy, conversational style, Duffy soulfully soul·ful adj. Full of or expressing deep feeling; profoundly emotional. soul  ful·ly adv. croons, "You think you're loving but I want to
be free/Baby, you hurt me." The sparkling orchestration is sweeping
but not overpowering, giving Duffy ample room to declare her
independence and allow her talent to shine.
"Stepping Stone" starts off as an intimate confession of heartache before turning into a rousing declaration of passion and strength. One of the disc's best offerings, the number showcases Duffy's undeniable sexiness and strong-willed nature. As her commanding voice expresses her regrets and lust, Duffy wrestles with never wanting to see her two-timing lover's face again, while confessing, "I knew I couldn't control myself." As the tempestuous tem·pes·tu·ous adj. 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a tempest: tempestuous gales. 2. Tumultuous; stormy: a tempestuous relationship. arrangement wonderfully accents her conflicting emotions, she declares, "I will never be your stepping stone/Take it all or leave me alone," well aware that her lover would be foolish not to heed her advice and even more foolish not to say yes to this once-in-a-lifetime offer. If there's any doubt that Duffy is a musical dynamo, all that will be obliterated o·blit·er·ate tr.v. o·blit·er·at·ed, o·blit·er·at·ing, o·blit·er·ates 1. To do away with completely so as to leave no trace. See Synonyms at abolish. 2. with the album's sexiest song (and arguably the sexiest song this year), "Syrup & Honey." Here, Duffy cries out for our undivided attention and she gets it. After letting out a big sigh, she coos, "Don't you be wastin' all your money on syrup and honey/Because I'm sweet enough." With sparse, bluesy guitar licks sweetening the pot, Duffy tantalizes us, not teases us like most of American pop divas who don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. the difference between sex appeal and silly smut smut, name for an order of parasitic fungi (Ustilaginales) and the various diseases of plants caused by them. Smuts produce sootlike masses of spores on the host. . When Duffy wails, "Listen to me 1, 2, 3/Baby, baby, baby/Spend your time on me," it's enough to make the listener drop whatever he's doing and search her out. The UK chart-topper "Mercy" shows Duffy is drinking from the same well as Winehouse. With all the makings of being this year's "Rehab," the cool-sounding, hip-shaking "Mercy" is about another kind of dependency altogether. With its funky bass, slinky slink·y adj. slink·i·er, slink·i·est 1. Stealthy, furtive, and sneaking. 2. Informal Graceful, sinuous, and sleek: wore a slinky outfit to the party. keyboards and clanky percussion, Duffy urgently pleads, "You got me begging you for mercy/Why won't you release me?" Sassier and sexier than anything Mariah Carey, Ashlee Simpson or Madonna whipped up on their latest, the listener, too, might be begging for mercy because this song is hot. Duffy takes the reins of her destiny while firmly establishing herself as a force on the album's rousing closer, "Distant Dreamer." Sweeping and powerful, Duffy empowers herself and the listener to believe in themselves. Despite having her heart go through the ringer for the bulk of the disc, Duffy emerges as an optimist. When she cries out, "Although you think I cope/My head is filled with hope/Of some place other than here," Duffy is not crying out in desperation but with acknowledgement of the potential ahead. Besides being a wonderful ending to a stellar debut, Duffy will inspire others to embrace their dreams while reminding them of the power of good pop music. ART: PHOTO CUTLINE: Aimee Duffy |
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