The Duke Spirit — Cuts Across The Land

Alternating between speedy, punk-inspired numbers and Sonic Youth-style swamp-rockers, The Duke Spirit serve up a debut that, while far from perfect, is too catchy to dismiss. Singer Leila Moss' sexy, oh-so-British delivery is a huge part of the charm, giving the disc a welcome sense of dark intelligence. But for every hard-charging anthem like "Fades The Sun," there's a monotonous dirge like "Darling, You're Mean" and there's no question that the upbeat numbers are more successful. Still, The Duke Spirit manage to channel a wealth of high-pedigree influences into a sound that's distinctly their own and for that reason Cuts Across The Land makes for a solid listen.

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