Glaswegian four piece powerhouse made up of Lewis, Fraser, Sarah and Max are moving like a freight train through releases and performances as they are garnering more fans and followers as the up the ante with the anticipated album launch marked for a release in May.
Getting noticed in a city like Glasgow can be a mission in itself. Bands appear overnight and can disappear just as quickly. St Dukes , although, young and full of the enthusiasm associated with the new kids on the block have been quietly honing their craft for some years now. They say good things come to those who wait, their recent releases are what we have been waiting for.
Make no bones about it : St Dukes aren’t a dream from a drunken night out and a good karaoke session with a few higher music passes between them. This is a group of well learned musicians who all know exactly what they are doing. They don’t just make noise; they make music – music which you should all be listening to.
They released an EP in summer of 2019 ‘Stranger By The Day’ with a particular favourite song of mine being part of this release – See You at The Hug ‘n’ Pint. After the release of this EP the gang to a certain extent disappeared. However, we shall allow them some leniency as we were all suffering through a global pandemic – the perfect time some may argue to get your head down and get creating. So, whilst I was locked away drinking cocktails in my kitchen at lunch every day and going my daily walk this quartet of musical prodigies were hard at work creating something pretty fantastic.
In October last year the band released singles Animal Glue and Nothing. Both records were well received by their listeners. The former of the track had a haunting aura to the sound and lyrics – very dystopian-esque vibes with lyrics repeating ‘you only see what you want to see’. The song crescendos with a smooth climb in the vocals to end with a finish which provides the perfect opportunity for an improvised solo performance at the end when played live. The tone and lyrical composition begs for a comparison with a fellow powerhouse – Hozier.
Their second single nothing was the perfect b-side to Animal Glue. Where animal glue is soft smooth Nothing is louder and grungier with each beat moving in a more erratic and staccato fashion in comparison to its predecessor. This song is much easier to roar to in the car; a single with much more energy. Although a much busier track every layer of sound is built with such precision you can feel the care and commitment in every note.
The momentum and excitement around this group has done nothing but continue to build. Reaching a new height with their most recently released single To Be Home at the start of the week.
To Be Home opens with some birds singing to us which breathes peace into any human being – this is the hill I shall die upon; followed with strings perfect for a whimsical road trip. The icing on the cake is the angelic vocals from the leading lady herself. Although petite in stature and with a beautifully dainty voice to match full of breathy notes you should not underestimate the power and capability posessed by Sarah. She holds her own – done with ease it should be noted. Her voice is harmonised and accented against to help it stand out but the group are sure to never overshadow or drown her out. Clear to see her value is known amongst her accompanying male counterparts.
Now is the perfect time to jump aboard the St Dukes bandwagon and get following them on Spotify as they have announced the date and location for their album launch – Saturday May 7th; Stereo, Glasgow. Also, a little birdy told me another single is due to be released in the not so distant future with their album being released mid April.
However, if, a bit like myself, you can’t wait that long then you are in luck as you’ll catch them opening for Danko at King Tuts February 25th – be sure to grab a ticket and experience your new favourite band.
The Music Files 