DUKES OF THE ORIENT – Freakshow (2020)
After a Covid-19 delay, DUKES OF THE ORIENT will finally release their eagerly anticipated second album, “FreakShow” on August 7, 2020. The band’s sophomore album follows their impressive self-titled debut, which successfully launched the new international AOR with a touch of Mid-Atlantic Prog band.
Dukes Of The Orient is a collaboration between vocalist John Payne (ex-ASIA, GPS) with keyboardist Erik Norlander (Last In Line, Lana Lane, Rocket Scientists). Payne’s powerful arena-seasoned vocals carry soaring melodies and lush harmonies over the sea of classic synthesizers and keyboards artfully painted with Norlander’s signature sonic palette.
Therefore, you get a mixture of AOR and a lot of melodic, progressive rock. “Freakshow“ is mostly midtempo but offers a lot of depth in the songs.
It’s pretty much in the vein of their very good debut album, but here the Dukes have added a wonderful new twist to their music: saxophone. And for this type of music, works greatly.
Most every song has a saxophone solo or two, or is simply peppered with a sax line as part of the arrangement. But don’t think Clarence Clemens and the E Street Band, here it is used like a guitar, and with the effects at places indeed sounds like an electric guitar.
Songs like ‘A Quest For Knowledge’, ‘The Last Time Traveller’, ‘The Monitors’, and my favorite The ‘Ice Is Thin’ mix proggy atmospheres with melodic rock choruses, all wrapped by fine Hammond and synth lines from Norlander.
There’s one song quite different from the rest: ‘The Great Brass Steam Engine’ which is an instrumental wherein Norlander amazes you with his prolific keyboard skills.
Other songs of interest are the Asia-like ‘The Dukes Return’, which may have a guitar solo after the half, the heavier and carnival feeling of ‘Freakshow’, and the soft closing AOR ballad, ‘Until Then’.
Simply said, ”Freakshow” is another exceptional and entertaining album of AOR melodic progressive rock from vocalist John Payne and keyboard player Eric Norlander.
Easily Recommended
01 – The Dukes Return
02 – The Ice is Thin
03 – Freakshow
04 – The Monitors
05 – Man of Machine
06 – The Last Time Traveller
07 – A Quest for Knowledge
08 – The Great Brass Steam Engine
09 – When Ravens Cry
10 – Until Then
John Payne – Vocals, Bass, Guitars
Erik Norlander – Keyboards, Synths
Frank Klepacki – Drums
Alex Garcia – Guitars
Eric Tewalt – Saxophone
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www.amazon.co.uk/Freakshow-Dukes-Orient/dp/B088GGFJTQ
