Search - Duncan Browne :: Duncan Browne

A beaut!

Elliot Knapp | 03/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a lovely album through and through and deserves equal time with anything Nick Drake and John Martyn ever released. Like them, Browne has the gift of being insular without being insufferable; unlike them, at least on this album, he has a quiet warmth that invites you in to listen. He's also very accomplished as a guitarist and is given supportive, non-obtrusive production by Mickie Most (Donovan, Jeff Beck, etc.).
"Journey" was Duncan Browne's UK "hit" from this album, and it's a great song, but so are the rest here. Quite a gem."

Fantastic singing playing and songwriting

Elliot Knapp | Seattle, Washington United States | 09/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Confession time: Ok, I admit it. I had Duncan Browne's self-titled second album on my Amazon wish list for at least six months before purchasing it. To be honest, the cover art really held me back--Browne's long, shiny locks and pensive, boyish face led me to believe this was going to be another one of those sighing, quiet, and spineless singer/songwriter albums. Much as Nick Drake is lauded by today's breathy, relationship-obsessed indie songwriters, he never really did as much for me as his hyped-to-high-heaven reputation seemed to project. I'm a big fan of acoustic music and singer/songwriters, but I like them a little edgier, darker, or more aggressive and with songs that don't always seem to gravitate toward romance (Roy Harper and Ronnie Lane are a couple good examples of what I mean). Despite my fears, I eventually took the plunge, and I wish I did sooner! Although this is introspective music, there's definitely enough energy, eccentricity and variety to prevent it from being depressing or melodramatic.



The album's opener had me hooked within one minute; Browne's self-taught guitar style is unique. I'm used to the acoustic guitar skills of Davy Graham and the like, so Browne's nylon-stringed acoustic is a different timbre and the heavy classical influence is quite different from most of the blues and folk-oriented guitarists of the day. "Ragged Rain Life" combines Browne's nimble plucking with some seriously rocking drums and synthesizer that appear out of nowhere. The dynamic arrangement and quality of his lyrics (lines like "I am never safe from her sad way of laughing") had me totally sold after track one. Although most of the album doesn't rock quite as hard as the first track (would have been nice if some tracks did), the quality of feeling and writing is consistently married with excellent performances and tasteful production for the entire record.



A few of my other favorites are the gentle refrain of "Country Life," the tender but dramatic swelling of "My Only Son," the pacific island ode, "Over the Reef," and the closer, "Last Time Around," which resumes the synth-infused production of the first track. Browne's voice is great--soft, but not breathy or contrived. At times he sounds a bit like Paul McCartney to me (as on the album's single, "Journey," a catchy, jaunty folk-rocker), and other times he sounds a bit like Leonard Cohen (as on the shadowy, jazzy "Babe Rainbow"). Throughout, though, you can tell he's really invested in the words he's singing, which he also did an excellent job crafting.



Overall, this album has been one of my happiest recent purchases, and it really succeeds in fulfilling a number of my desires in a good singer/songwriter album--engaging playing, singing, and songs, and there isn't really really a weakness on any of these fronts, except that it's a pretty mellow album overall and doesn't really cut loose often. I much prefer this album to his first, Give Me Take You, which is decent but lacks the energy and dynamic arrangements of this one. If you like the other artists I've mentioned in addition to people like John Martyn, you'll probably enjoy this quite a bit."

"Don't Change Your Clothes...I Like You The Way You Are..."

Mark Barry at Reckless Records, Lon | UK | 02/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"UK-born classically trained guitarist Duncan Browne started his musical career on Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label at the age of 21 with his debut album "Give Me Take You". It was released in July 1968 on Immediate IMPS 068 to favourable reviews, but public indifference - and is now a £300 vinyl LP rarity. There's an excellent Sequel label CD from 2000 that covers that LP, the 2 sides of the Bell label 7" single that followed it and a few studio outtakes thrown in as well. Well worth checking out after this.



However, this April 2002 CD on EMI reissues his 2nd studio album, the self-titled "Duncan Browne" from 1973 on RAK Records.



Here's a detailed breakdown (58:18 minutes):

1. Ragged Rain Life

2. Country Song

3. The Martlet

4. My Only Son

5. Babe Rainbow

6. Journey

7. Cast No Shadow

8. Over The Reef

9. My Old Friends

10. Last Time Around



Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Duncan Browne" issued in 1973 on Mickie Most's RAK Records label on SRKA 6754 in the UK (a gatefold sleeve).



11. In A Mist

(Track 11 is the non-album B-side to "Journey", the 1st and only single off the album issued in August 1972 on RAK Records RAK 135 (it reached 23 in the UK charts that month)



12. Send Me The Bill For Your Friendship

[Track 12 is the non-album A-side, issued in 1973 as RAK Records RAK 162 with the album track "My Only Son" as its B-side (it didn't chart)]



13. Guitar Piece

14. Mignon

[Tracks 13 and 14 are previously unreleased outtakes from the 1973 album sessions]



The band for the album were:

DUNCAN BROWNE - Spanish & Electric Guitars, Vocals, Piano on "Cast No Shadow"

JOHN "RABBIT" BUNDRICK - Piano, Organ, Synthesizers

JOHN CAMERON (of C.C.S.) - Various Keyboards and Piano on "Babe Rainbow"

JIM RODFORD - Bass Guitar on "Journey" and "Ragged Rain Life"

ROBERT HENRIT - Drums on "Journey" and "Ragged Rain Life"

(Rodford and Henrit were from ARGENT]



TONY CARR [drummer with CCS], SUZI QUATRO [Vocalist] and KEITH HODGE [ex THE ATTACK] are credited as "Also Appearing" on the LP, but the liner notes don't advise on which song. Browne wrote all songs and the album was produced by Mickie Most.



Remastered by PETER MEW at Abbey Road, this CD has beautiful sound quality - really clean - especially given the acoustic and quiet nature of almost all of the songs. It's also bolstered up with 4 relevant bonus tracks as you can see and has an informative 8-page booklet with liner notes by SEAN LYONS.



Stylistically, Nick Drake comes to mind. Timing wise too. Not only was Browne ignored by the buying public, he was sent on tours supporting wildly uncomplimentary acts (like Drake) and on "In A Mist" he even makes guitar-mistakes like Drake did on the outtakes of "Joey"! Browne had a clear high voice and was meticulous in his crafting of songs. His specialist instrument was the Spanish Guitar - as evidenced on the truly fabulous "Journey" (lyrics above). "Journey" (his most famous song) and its 7-minute non-album B-side were recorded first in mid 1972 and it emerged out of Most insisting on a "hit", but the momentum of its top twenty placing in the UK was lost as the album didn't arrive until well into 1973. "Duncan Browne" has always been hard to find on vinyl and at £25 + is a gem worth seeking out - and one that is constantly escalating in price as lovers of Seventies folk-rock catch on to its soft beauty.



Highlights would include his stark and lovely piano-melody "Cast No Shadow" while "Over The Reef" could easily have been the follow up single.



He enjoyed success in the late Seventies and early Eighties with the band METRO (their album was on the Logo in the UK and Sire in the States - Bowie covered "Criminal World" off it on his 1983 "Let's Dance" album), and other solo LPs, but died relatively young in 1993 (cancer, aged 43).



At least this lovely, but criminally forgotten Folk/Rock gem survives him.



If you like Cat Stevens, Nick Drake, Bryn Haworth, Brian Protheroe, Donovan - that sort of Seventies ilk - you'll dig this.



And a lovely job done by EMI."