I read on a message board that this British singer named Duffy was the new Amy Winehouse, well that kinda turned me off, as I’m not really much of fan of Amy. I’ll admit that I haven’t heard her Grammy Award winning album, and I’m still on the fence whether I should. That whole retro-soul sound kinda turns me off. Sort of like when some of these so called Neo-Soul singers make these songs which sound like they’re trying to recreate the sound of late 60’s-70’s soul that they grew up on, but it just sounds boring and inauthentic, yeah maybe that’s because it's 2008 and not 1972. Anyway I decided to give Duffy a try after watching seconds of a video for her song Mercy during my daily workout. I was interested in watching the video because I recognized it because it was used for a commercial to promote an ABC network show. It was only a small clip of the chorus that was used, but it peaked my interest nonetheless. So I decided to give this Duffy a try.
The title track, "RockFerry" seems to be a good intro song for Duffy as it embodies the sound that you can expect with the entire album. The song is about escaping from a situation, more specifically a person, most likely a significant other who she has determined to be not good for her anymore. “The midnight trains are boarding, all at the ends/ I put my lord and I filled my trunk before it's too late/ I leave the stars to judge, while we moved/I'm not going to think of you or I'll get the blues/”Although I may be wrong the song may just be about leaving her life behind and starting a new one. She sings really well here.
"Warrick Avenue" is another location song, about leaving her significant other and continues with this throwback sound that is a running theme during the duration the album.” I’m leaving you for the last time baby/You think you’re loving/But you don’t love me/And I’ve been confused” It’s a very nice mid tempo song.
“Serious” is a nice up tempo song about her having doubts in her relationship. She as the title indicates she doesn’t know how serious her and her beau really is, if they are really in love or not. “How you really feel for me/Tell me, can we ever be,/ Serious? Serious in love?” …”A joke on my expense/In front of all your friends/All the time/A game you like to play/Leaves me solo/ every day.” I like this song. It’s a real laid back song that could easily be sung along to.
“Stepping Stone” is another song about a broken relationship. Four songs in and I’m rooting for this girl for be happy and find a relationship that works. What an emotional downer this cd has been so far. “You got your kicks, you get your kicks from playing me/and the less you give the more I want, so foolishly/”. It’s a slow song that depending on your mood could be written off as forgettable.
“Syrup and Honey” is a slow possessive song telling her man, not to spend his time too occupied with other things that only divert him away from her, because she is all that he needs. “Don't you be spending every day working away/Because I’m waiting for you/Listen to me 1,2,3/Baby, Baby, Baby/Spend your time on me”
“Hanging on Too Long” is another slow song which goes back to the theme of a disappointed, failed relationship. In this song Duffy sings about a sinking ship of a relationship and just like in the tradition of sinking ships, she playing the role of the captain stays hangs in there and goes down with the ship. “It was just my mistake/Thinking you cared/It was just my mistake/Thinking you'd be there…. I know it's wrong/Hanging on too long/I know it's wrong/Hanging on too long/But I beat 'em all/Hanging on too long”
“Mercy” is the first single off of this album. It’s a catchy, up-tempo song about her being in love with another guy. “I love you/but I gotta stay true/my morals got me on my knees/I'm begging please stop playing games” Despite its retro sound, Mercy actually sounds like it’s not outdated.
“Delayed Devotion” is a very nice mid-tempo song about promises that were made just a little too late, and now she doesn’t want them to come true because she’s through. “It seems you wanna give me/Oh a life time of security/Down on your dying knees/ I watch you babe I watch you please/But your words come much too late/My love for you has turned to hate”
“Scared” is a mid tempo song about another failed relationship that she has taken very hard. Either that or her guy died on her, but either way, she’s scared. “I'm scared to face another day/Cause the fear in me just won't go away/In an instance/You were gone/ And now I'm scared”
The last song is “Distant Dreamer” is a good mid-tempo which finds Duffy being introspective. “Although you think I cope/my head is filled with hope/of some place other than here/Although you think I smile/inside all the while/I'm wondering about my destiny/I'm thinking about/all the things/I'd like to do in my life/I'm a dreamer/a distant dreamer/dreaming for hope, from today/” This song is a good dramatic send off for the album.
I already stated going in to this review that the retro/throwback sound of the 60’s that was adapted by Amy Winehouse and others just wasn’t my cup of tea. I enjoyed this album, but I didn’t really like it. I know that may not make much sense but let me explain. I enjoyed it as a first listen experience, but I don’t see myself replaying this CD over and over. I think that the sound of the cd puts me off a bit. I was patiently waiting for Lulu or the ghost of the deceased Dusty Springfield, or some other 60’s blue eyed British soul singer to leap into a song for a duet with Duffy, and not be able to tell the difference between who’s singing. Now to be fair, vocally Duffy performed well on Rockferry, but the style of songs just sound so outdated. And its kind of depressing that this kind of sound is supposed to be breath of fresh air in today’s music. Sure I guess its great that there’s producers who are actually playing real live instruments, but come on, it seems like if this CD was dropped off in1960’s London that it would just become part of the "bunch" so the speak. Now some of the songs work in this style and others don’t. Mercy is a good song that sounds retro but contemporary at the same time. Really any of the songs near the end of the disc could be a one off “gimmick” song on any cd by a current artist. But this entire cd is just a running gimmick in my eyes, its saving grace however, is that its good music.
