Duffy!

I’m going to start by saying that I do love me some “Mercy”. I think it’s a perfect summer pop song.

I know she’s huge these days, and it’s taken me a couple of listens to understand why.

When I listen to women making music, I want to hear a “voice”. Carly Simon, Carole King, Sally Ellyson, Martha Wainwright…what I’m really looking for is something entirely distinctive that I’ve never heard before.

“Rockferry” is filled with everything I’ve heard before, but she’s learned well from the past. 

This isn’t a perfect CD, mind you, but it’s a nice introduction to her quasi-like Dusty Springfield soulful vocals. 

However, one spin should be enough.

She doesn’t possess that great Amy Winehouse sneer, or the London street attitude of Lily; instead she reminds me of Lulu singing “To Sir With Love” in those “swinging Sixites”, and it does get old after a bit.

The last track, “Distant Dreamer” is, well…um, awful.

I don’t understand why every female singer feels the need to over emote the final seconds of a song like so many “American Idols”. I’m also clueless to why she felt the need to copy Mariah Carey complete with the string section and hit those high notes in a true Andrew Lloyd Webber finish worthy of Broadway.

So, get the CD, stick “Mercy” on your IPod, and then give the CD to your teen niece.