Why aren't The Duke Spirit bigger?  Their retro-rock revival churns just enough to appeal to rock enthusiasts, without being a retread.  They've got a beautiful, enticing, and blonde frontwoman in Leila Moss.  So maybe Bruiser will take them that next step.

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 Click here for photos of The Duke Spirit at Bass Concert Hall in Austin, TX on May 12th, 2012 in the QRO Concert Photo Gallery

 Click here for photos of The Duke Spirit at CMJ 2011 in New York, NY in the QRO Concert Photo Gallery

 Click here for QRO's review of The Duke Spirit at Webster Hall in New York, NY on July 30th, 2008

 

Perhaps nowhere is The Duke Spirit's retro-rock revival better than on Bruiser opener "Cherry Tree", which grabs the listener and doesn't let go.  The band is definitely better when they up the pressure, such as on "Tree", the driving "Surrender", or the explosive single "Everybody's Under Your Spell".  When the group slows down, they can be a bit of a grind (see "Bodies").  Stronger in the slower department are the flame-carriers like closer "Homecoming".

Even as they've kept at it through a number of records (most recently 2010's Kusama EP - QRO review - and 2008's Neptune - QRO review), The Duke Spirit haven't been reinventing anything, even retro-rock revival.  But they've kept at it strongly, and maybe they're on their way to getting their reward.

MP3 Stream: "Cherry Tree"