Munk Duane’s new album Argue With Gravity is a classy rock and roll affair with ballads, R&B, and a few other styles. Duane’s smooth, soft timbre coats each song with warm, emotive charm. The soundscape beneath the voice consists of many fine musical elements. Depending on the song, there could be anything from a dreamy synthesizer line to a more feisty lead guitar phrase, and each is artfully, tastefully self-restrained. Duane certainly uses the studio as an instrument throughout this album with each song benefiting from a consistent polish and shine.
Duane opens his album with the mildly R&B feeling song “Random Act Of Blindness.” His vocal sustains and coos contain plenty of soul as his voice seems to glide over the instrumentation. His soulful vocal eruptions make you feel what his song is all about. Duane shows here that he’s listened to a lot of Stax and Motown in his formative years.
“Stupid Pride” sways in with cool guitar riffs and a slowly mounting organ heft. Over this musical backdrop, Duane sings it smooth and hip, showcasing, with casual ease, his ability to create a mood and an atmosphere with his crooning. Meanwhile, supporting players finesse the soundscape with adept touches. A guitar phrase hums and sparks with excitement as a rhythm section keeps the pulse smacking with attitude.
“Long Way From New York City” is a slow boil hipster sprawl. Duane infuses this with loads of loneliness. His longing for companionship and personal connection emotes out of every note in his vocal melody line. Making you feel what the song is about is just icing on the cake, as the musical accompaniment also builds several swells of emotion. A piano backdrop quite effectively layers this whole thing in another wave of tenderness, and, the rhythm section nudges it forward with dollops of well placed drum fills and tasteful bass guitar touches. There is a hint of Joe Jackson classiness here as a lead guitar phrase gives it a tender edge.
“Arguing With Gravity” takes many cool twists and turns while offering Duane’s smooth, tender, emotive vocal. His guitar line beneath his voice tells the tale too, dropping down to a lower pitch with swooning swoops. It’s uncanny how well guitar riffs inter face with a percolating piano line. Those melody line instruments practically sing the emotion of the song with their own particular voices.
“Some Rivers” is another emotive ballad. In Duane’s hands this one builds into something special on the strength of a sprawling, sliding lead guitar cry in the backdrop and Duane’s soulful powerhouse vocal. Voice, guitar, organ, and a rhythm section build this one up with a mighty emotional heft. You can feel the instruments and vocals scaling mountainous heights, rising above multiple peaks, making the music feel like it’s on a mission to bring the listener to a place of clarity and solace.
“Bystander,” like some other songs on this album, begins with Duane giving a public service announcement like he’s talking through an electronic loud speaker. After defining the role of “bystander,” someone who sits one the sidelines during an intense drama, Duane does his best to evoke the feelings of someone in isolation. His soft lush of a chorus, some gentle piano tinkles, synthesized colors, and a brittle acoustic guitar work wonders to bring this song to three dimensional life. Duane keeps this one masterfully self-restrained, letting the emotion build up without spilling over the top or exploding.
“String Of Pearls” is a hip, funky rocker. Duane emotes with street corner cool while he makes this song feel like its moving forward with muscular musical underpinnings. This number swaggers down a dark hallway and occasionally kicks open doors with a sudden eruption of shifting dynamics. It’s a treat to hear Duane sing it so smoothly, with swaggering attitude, right next to twitchy guitar line.
“Where Is My Ever After” has a little more electric guitar verve. Duane croons soulfully, tenderly about life’s tragically unfair twists of fate. He clearly sympathizes with those who ended up with little to show for their lifetime efforts, and he puts this strong anthem across with an easeful delivery that makes it feel even stronger. Backing instruments have an important ensemble role here. Snappy guitar riffs, flinty organ swirls, and an adept rhythm section give this one a stubborn pulse.
Duane closes his disc out with “Coming After Me,” a number with pent up dramatic fever. Listeners can hear tension mounting, even in the tender acoustic guitar picking intro. Duane’s tasteful self-restraint implies some force or something needs to be restrained. He builds suspense, creating a sense of foreboding, making one feel there might be something dreadful waiting for him around the next corner. His vocal belt goes far and wide while remaining earthy, soulful. He certainly conjures a solid emotion here while wrapping it in cool vocal delivery. A sprawling guitar phrase and simmering string work complete the picture, making this tune a memorable finale to a fantastic album.
Munk Duane is a name people in the music scene need to remember. There is something special in his songwriting and there is a touch of genius in his ability to utilize a studio to take his songs to the level of art. This new album will likely open a lot of new doors for him.
