On the merits of her infectious song “Mercy,” Welsh singer Duffy has been propelled into musical superstardom.
Touted as Amy Winehouse 2.0, Duffy is more of an acquired taste than the lush beehived chanteuse. Her high-pitched, gritty vocals may turn off some initially. It took me some time to appreciate her unique voice, more Dusty Springfield than Aretha Franklin, which originally sent me climbing up a wall. However, repeated listens to the rowdy good-time beats of “Mercy” converted me.
Though “Mercy” may be the “Rehab” of 2008, Rockferry is no where near as raucous as Winehouse’s “Back to Black”. Duffy’s skills are control and refinement; even when she’s loud (as in the chorus of “Mercy”) she’s still quiet, but Duffy’s clear-eyed, emotional honesty is refreshing and arresting.
The desolate, melancholy title song chronicles the journey after heartbreak (“I move to Rockferry tomorrow / and I build my house, baby / with sorrow”).
“Warwick Avenue” showcases Duffy’s vocal prowess whose steady voice lulls you through to the heartbreaking chorus backed by simple yet lush instrumentation. And, the song’s middle is impassioned and poignant without Duffy sinking to over-singing a la Mariah Carey.
“Serious” is a sweet mid-tempo song-one of the few on the album-which isn’t particularly memorable. Duffy seems to be strongest when she completely lets loose or slows down as in the brooding “Stepping Stone”: You used to call me up from time to time / and it would be so hard for me not to cross the line / the words of love lay on our lips just like a curse / and I knew-oh yes I knew-they’d only make it worse.
“Syrup ‘ Honey” plays slow as its main ingredients wherein Duffy begs a lover to “spend your time on me”, “because I’m sweet enough,” yet he squanders his money on “syrup and honey.”
“Hanging On Too Long,” a reflection on a couple who has outlived their own relationship, begins strong, but flounders during the suddenly intense chorus crammed with background singers, drums, and violins, which detracts from the overall power of the song.
From there we come to “Mercy” an oasis of pure joy in an otherwise serious record. Every aspect of the song gels and are individually interesting from the unique thumping beat to catchy lyrics: “You got me begging you for mercy / why won’t you release me / you got me begging you for mercy / why won’t you release me / I said you better release me). “Delayed Devotion” is a short and snarky kiss-off to a man who’s wasted too much time and missed his chance for love.
The final track is the longest, clocking in at just over five minutes but is an unfortunate way to end an otherwise immaculate collection of songs. “Distant Dreamer” simply plods on without going anywhere else lyrically or vocally.
It’s unfortunate that Duffy gets lumped under the Winehouse banner, but considering the intriguing glut of soul-inflected Brits in recent years such as Adele, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Estelle it’s not difficult to see why she’s easily categorized. Still, her spare lyrics and quirky voice set her apart from the rest. Rockferry is one of the best this year and is a shoo-in for prize nominations later this year; I’m confident in a lengthy, creative career for Duffy.