Out of the Dark

A new CD from a new talent, and not someone from the X Factor/Pop Idol/Fame Academy production line of evil, soulless, corporate blandness.

Grainne (pronounced Graun-ya) Duffy is a blues/rock guitarist from Ireland, and she also happens to have the voice to match her guitar style. This CD features 12 tracks, 10 of her own and 2 cover versions. And it's excellent. And it's nice to be able to sit here and talk about a talented new artist like that. She plays with skill and heart, and she writes a good song too.

It's very lazy to make comparisons with other artists, but without doing this you won't know what this album sounds like. The most obvious blues/rock comparisons are Bonnie Raitt (described by Duffy as an influence) and Susan Tedeschi. But there's also a country flavour to some of the tracks, bringing comparisons to Sheryl Crow, Deana Carter and Suzy Bogguss.

The album opens strongly with Each and Every Time, which sets the country/blues/rock/tone. Drivin' Me Crazy shuffles along to a country/blues riff and then Bring It All Together slows things down with some gentle steel playing. Bad to Worse rocks along and then we move to the nice cover of I'd Rather Go Blind which is full of emotion. I Don't Know Why is a little non-descript, but things pick up with the more traditional blues of Good Love Had to Die.



Meant to Break drifts along amiably, followed by an ambitious attempt on BB King's "Thrill Is Gone", which is paid due respect. "Time's Not Enough" is a slow country/blues track with more great playing. "Out of the Dark" is a short instrumental, and the album closes with another slow track, "Waiting For You".

This is a great debut album, and one that a few friends and family will be finding in their Xmas stocking this year (providing I can get hold of a copy as Amazon don't have any stock, but Duffy's own web site does).

If you like any of the artists I've already mentioned, or blues/rock/country in general, then you'll find lots to enjoy here. A very good album.