Cuts Across the Land

Album Review

The Duke Spirit's debut album, Cuts Across the Land, arrived in the U.S. almost two years after it was recorded, due to the time it took the London-based band to secure a new label after their then-current label, City Rockers, folded. After signing to Loog in 2005, it took another year before Startime International distributed it in the States. Fortunately, the album still sounds fresh and vital despite the time and effort it took to finally get released. Collecting songs dating back to the band's very first singles and EPs, Cuts Across the Land showcases the Duke Spirit's fiery, bluesy indie rock. It's clear that they worship PJ Harvey (especially on "Win Your Love"), Patti Smith, and the Velvet Underground — influences that are pretty much the touchstones for any cool, tough-sounding band with a powerful frontwoman. However, the Duke Spirit manages to wear these influences in a way that seems more broken-in and comfortable than derivative, like an old concert T-shirt that still looks too cool to stop wearing. Like their geographically and musically similar contemporaries the Kills, the band brings new energy to these influences, although the Duke Spirit is rawer and grittier (and with a lineup that's 250 percent larger than that of the Kills, a much fuller-sounding band). Singer Liela Moss is indeed a force to be reckoned with, an equally aloof and alluring presence that acts as the Duke Spirit's lightning rod, steering the band from bold moments like the title track and "Lion Rip" to appealingly weary ballads like "Hello to the Floor" and "Bottom of the Sea." The bonus tracks included on the U.S. release are a nice touch for those who were patient enough to wait until the album came out domestically to check out the band, although they add bloat to what was initially a lean, scrappy-but-sexy set of songs. Nevertheless, Cuts Across the Land is a strong, self-assured debut, even if the Duke Spirit needs to work a little harder to escape the long shadow of their forebears.