A "Sample" Video of Mercy at the Music Week Awards

Duffy is back!

UPDATE: Some more photos of Duffy at this event....

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Duffy made an appearance at the Music Week awards show on Thursday and performed a short acoustic set, including a new song called "Don't Forsake Me"

From The Sun:

BRIT-WINNING Welsh lass DUFFY has swerved the limelight for the past 12 months.

But she burst right back into it on Thursday with a surprise appearance at an awards show.

She aired her new track Don't Forsake Me at the Music Week Awards at London's Grosvenor House.

I'm told she has written 50 tracks since releasing debut album Rockferry in 2008.

That's some work rate.

I only hope there's quality along with the quantity.

From Music Week:

Duffy closed the night by playing a short acoustic set. She says she was extremely excited to be at the event, adding, “It is an honour to be invited to the Music Week Awards; it is always guaranteed to be a fantastic night.

“It’s been quite hectic so far, trying to talk to as many people as possible, but I’ve been enjoying every minute of it. I’m really happy as well at the great reception I got from the crowd.”

Mystery Photo #2

Please leave a comment if you know where this photo of Duffy is from!

ROYP Revisited

Rain On Your Parade isn't my favourite Duffy track.

There, I said it.

Following that bombshell, another little secret: when sorting my ultimate Duffy playlist on my mp3 player, I deliberately missed out ROYP. It is the ONLY officially released Duffy track I omitted.

In truth, maybe it disappointed me (when I got the Deluxe cd and its booklet confirmed it) that the lyrics are "And I'll keep raining raining, raining over you". In my opinion "reigning over you" would have been a cleverer lyric, and when the presenters on the radio stations (and listeners who called in to comment about it) mocked it for sounding like Duffy had an embarrassing approach to toilette, my imaginary response to them was, "It's reign as in rule, not rain as in water. It's word play. Why do you suppose that Duffy's lyrics are so basic?". But it's a good job the repost was only imaginary, otherwise I would have had to literally eat my hat upon receiving the cd booklet.

But it's not just the rainy lyrics which put me off the song. The video (showing Duffy strutting in a black jacket and wearing not much else apart from too much make-up) didn't suit her. Of course that's just my opinion. But the attitude of the song felt so unnecessarily vitriolic (vitriol is no sin when there is reason behind it) and without subtlety or sweetness (either one or the other always features in Duffy's other songs, don't you think?).

My disappointment at the song was mostly wrapped up in feelings that could only be understood when the song first started being played on radio and performed on TV in late 2008. Duffy's change throughout 2008 seemed to culminate in the ROYP performances: shorter skirts (even though it was winter!), too much bright red lipstick, and too many of the TV performances - in a bid to emulate the official video no doubt - featured canned sound while Duffy strutted west-end-musical-style on a podium in her black jacket, fishnets and high-cut knickers.... It was a move away from the innocent soulful 60s style (featuring real music, not canned) us Duffy fans were used to.

That said, this performance of ROYP in a sense won me over. Not to the extent that I ever play the official release, but this version of the song did actually make it on my playlist:

Radio Programme about Bernard Butler

Bernard talks about his early days with Suede, along with his production credits for Duffy, Kate Nash, Fyfe Dangerfield and others. The programme includes rare access to demo recordings from both Suede and Duffy. David McAlmont talks about his collaborations with Butler and the lead singer with Texas, Sharleen Spiteri, comments on Bernard's work on her 2008 debut solo album Melody.

Steve Levine analyses the original multi-track recording of one of McAlmont & Butler's biggest hits. He also talks with Fyfe Dangerfield about the construction of his recent Radio 2 airplay hit She Needs Me, which features production work and guest guitar by Bernard Butler.

Listen again for the next few days here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rvz34

In the Duffy section they talk mainly about the recording of title track, Rockferry.

An expanded version of the programme is on 6 Music next Sunday:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rzld2