The Duke Spirit 'Neptune' album

London-based The Duke Spirit consists of Liela Moss (vocals), Luke Ford (guitars), Dan Higgins (guitars), Toby Butler (bass), and Olly Betts (drums). Moss and Ford formed the band when they were studying art at Cheltenham, and released their first EP "Darling You're Mean" in early 2003. It took almost two years, and the folding of a record label, for them to put out their first full-length album, Cuts Across the Land.

The Duke Spirit have received much acclaim and increasing success despite relatively little advertising based promotion on TV and the radio. Initially a "word of mouth" band, their heavy touring schedules have helped them to spread their music across the country and eventually into America and Europe. They have played a number of high-profile support slots for the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Mercury Rev, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Scars on Broadway.

With the release of their second full-length, Neptune, (Shangri-La Music-released April, 2008) The Duke Spirit has continued to grow and develop as independent artists. From the opening chant of "I Do Believe" to the finale "Sovereign," Moss' crystal pure voice elevates the smooth and flowing music. "Sadness can be a great trigger for the imagination," she notes, "through it you can reach a sweet center, a stronger core, which itself feels a bit like love." That's a good description of the album, too.

After touring extensively throughout the United States, the band ended up recording the songs on their new album with producer Chris Goss in the desert. Toby Butler says, "Last year we worked really hard, driving ourselves in a van across America with no money. We played anywhere that would have us. When you've survived that, you feel indestructible." Olly the drummer adds, "Recording out in the desert influenced us, but it didn't inspire these songs. That had all come before."

Neptune has a number of tracks with a watery theme. "Quite unexpectedly, water seeped into lots of my phrases and titles," says Moss. "I feel like going to the desert was the only rightful place to take these images of submersion, sea gods and ships. I wanted to dry out in the heat of the sun and start anew."

The second single, "Lassoo" is now impacting Alternative.

tour dates
10/30/08 Seattle, WA Neumo's
10/31/08 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
11/01/08 Bellingham, WA Viking Union Lounge
11/02/08 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
11/05/08 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
11/06/08 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
11/08/08 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
11/09/08 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
11/10/08 Chicago, IL The Bottom Lounge
11/11/08 Detroit, MI Small's
11/13/08 Toronto, ON The Mod Club Theatre
11/14/08 Montreal, QC Studio JPR
11/15/08 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
11/16/08 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall Of Williamsburg
11/17/08 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
11/18/08 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
11/20/08 West Chester, PA The Note
11/21/08 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
11/22/08 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
11/24/08 New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jacks
11/25/08 Houston, TX The Meridian

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When The Duke Spirit first came about, they slipped under many peoples radars. Debut album, Cuts Across The Land was delayed for nearly a year after their record label City Rockers collapsed and, despite being revered by critics, it just wasn't the success it should have been. Lost in a myriad of 'lad-rock' bands, they were overlooked by the music-buying public, though with a years touring of America under their belts and a change of label (Shangri-La), The Duke Spirit, a five-piece from Cheltenham, England -- Liela Moss (lead singer), Toby Butlet (bass/guitar), Luke Ford (guitars/vocals), Daniel Higgins (guitars), and Olly "The Kid" Betts (drums) --have come back sounding confident and raring to go.

In May 2006, whilst on their trek of America, The Duke Spirit collaborated with UNKLE and worked with respected Queens of the Stone Age producer Chris Goss. Having struck up a profitable relationship with Goss last year, they returned to the legendary desert area of Joshua Tree, California to record new album, Neptune which will drop on April 8th. The album will be the first release of new indie label Shangri-La Music.

Influences such as Sonic Youth are still apparent on tracks like 'You Really Wake Up The Love In Me' and 'Send A Little Love Token' which hurtle past you in a midst of distorted guitar aggression, while the self-confessed soul fans tap into the area on 'My Sunken Treasure' as delightful piano and vocals from front woman Leila Moss anchor one of the more mellower tracks off Neptune.

Complimenting uplifting guitars on the first single 'The Step and The Walk' (now at Alternative) is the sort of sinister brooding bass line that you wouldn't want to meet down a dark alley. Indeed, it's not the only track that sounds made for the live arena. All the hard touring has perhaps made them think about what would and wouldn't translate well from the studio. Album highlight 'The Ship That Was Built To Last' for instance, has a climax that could quite easily make it a contender for the closer in their live set.

Liela Moss says of Neptune, "There has to be music for early doors and music for serious conversations,' she explains. 'Then you need music for hangovers, music for lazy afternoons and music for round about the time you're starting to tell people things you shouldn't. And of course there's got to be music for dancing."

Because The Duke Spirit don't seem to fit in any kind scene in the UK, it's been harder for them to capture the imagination of the NME crowd that lap up songs about drunken weekend antics. But The Duke Spirit deserve to be heard and, on the basis of Neptune, there is a determination about them that ensures they won't go away without a fight.

The Duke Spirit return to the states with tour dates beginning on the east coast. Then the band will be touring with BRMC.

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The Duke Spirit - Neptune