The Duke & The King - 'The Duke & The King'

The Duke & The King - 2009 debut U.K. album Nothing Gold Can Stay from Simon Felice (ex Felice Brothers) and Robert Bird Burke had critics swooning, a folksy Americana jewel that drifted into more retro-soul domains on last year's follow up Long Live with the addition of Simi Stone and Nowell “The Deacon” Haskins...New collection -- the band's American debut, incredibly -- pulls tracks from the two albums // Release: The Duke and the King (August 16, SilvaOak) // Sounds like: the reference points could go on and on, from L.A. 70's songwriting nirvana to rural backporch song circles to sweetly nostalgic 60's soul harmonies -- Leonard Cohen to James Taylor to Sly Stone...infinitely more than a revival, this is a mostly subdued stunner that scribes have called "seriously gorgeous", "undeniably lovely" and "dusted with magic"...

Quote: “I kind of get to be a bit of playwright and hear these great voices singing what’s in my head. We joke around and call it Fleetwood Black...I don’t just want a bunch of dudes backing me up, I want people right beside me, inspiring me, keeping me sharp as a singer and writer." - Simone Felice // What we like: this is some mighty wondrous music through and through...Felice, a gifted literary writer as well, brings lyrical depth to songs both dark and cautiously hopeful...songs like "If You Ever Get Famous" may look back in time for inspiration but these are timeless tracks that speak with their own special, contemporary voice...

The Duke & the King - "Shine On You" (from The Duke & The King)

The Duke & the King - "If You Ever Get Famous" (from The Duke & The King)