Visions Of The Underworld

One week ago I went to see Patrick Duff live as I reported before.
On that night I also bought his two new albums, Visions Of The Underworld and Seven Sermons To The Dead.
Last days, I can't stop listening to Visions Of The Underworld. It is superb and truly beautiful album.
The album was recorded almost live and without overdubbing or big production.
The album starts with a sad and nostalgic song about a man called Danny Freeman. The guitar's fingerings is great and fits with the melancholic feeling of the song.
Then, we meet Julie Of The Rose a more mature and secure song, full of strange and intimidating woodwind sounds.
The 3rd person is Henry James, this is the song that was dedicated for me in Patrick's last concert so it will always have a special meaning for me. The song is happier and lighter than the previous ones.
The slowest and saddest song of the album is Jesus, a personal praying for someone that has abandoned you. Patrick's voice is very sentimental and the high notes helps to make the guitar cry a little bit.
To finish the first half of the LP, Duff wrote a song about The Man Downstairs, it is probably my least favourite track on the album but, even the "not as good" song (in my opinion) is completely amazing. The track ends with some scary and wild sounds, something like a heartbeat of a beast.
Number 6 is Hail Holy Queen, a song about the feeling of dating a woman who already has children from other man. It sounds perfectly when played live and it is a very masculine and strong song.
Though Birds is one of my favourite songs form the album. Sad, simple, nostalgic and, most of all, very mysterious, perfect ingredients and you can really hear the birds through the song. At the end you can experience a very beautiful and short piece of instrumental music.
Luckiest Man I Know is a song that shows you the reason that we should never be miserable and we are blessed for being alive so, just enjoy life, and remember that it is a gift that we are all here, really here, alive and well!
Today, my favourite song from this album is Midnight Garden. The instrumental is great, the guitar really sweeps through the entire song. It is an instant classic, something that you understand in the first time you listen to a piece of music like this. Patrick's vocals are, as always brilliant, the lyrics are great and the song is dark and sad. Everything fits, the lyrics, the guitar, the tune, it is a real moment of pure magic.
To end the album, a song about receiving and being happy with all the good things that life has to give us. Thank you for everything, thank you for the Flowers On My Grave.
The album is a masterpiece. The reason why I love it so much is the fact that Visions Of The Underworld is, technically a very simple album but the melodies, the feelings, the lyrics, the message, the music is very very very complex and omnibus. It is something that, doesn't matter how my mood is, it will always make me feel good and I can always create some kind of connection with every single song.
Please, take (gain) 45 minutes of your life and enjoy the listening of this great piece of music,
Patrick Duff is touring alone this album and it is an amazing experience to see him live.

Suede in Record Store Day 2014

Suede will release Let Go in 7' for the Record Store Day.

Let Go is a b-side from Can't Get Enough single which was released in 1999.

Back in those days, the song was much appreciated by Sweden who decided to release it as single instead of Can't Get Enough.

This year it will be released for the first time in the UK as a 7' single. The b-side was not revealed yet. This will accomplish the 7' singles boxset that the band will release soon.

Let go was written by Brett Anderson and Neil Codling, and it can be found on Head Music Deluxe Edition, or on both of the new Boxsets.

You can pre-order the single through Proper Music

Patrick Duff Live At The Old Queens Head

Again (and again, and again, and again) long time since I wrote last time. My life changed, and I moved to London for six months, which is being a wonderful experience. Didn't have any particular reason not to write on Strange Sound, but it doesn't mean that the blog is dead. As I am running it since 2006 it would be a real pity just to finish it so, even if I keep a lot of months or years without writing, the blog will not close, I will just write when I feel to, and today I feel so. Why?

Last Tuesday was one of the most amazing evenings of my life, and all of it because of music!

I went to see, for the first time Patrick Duff live in a concert! The gig was in a traditional British pub, The Old Queens Head in a very beautiful room.

But, the experience started for me even before the concert. When I was walking to the place I found Patrick Duff in the street and he recognized me! Amazing really, he called my name and we were walking together to the pub talking about daily normal things. He was the nicest person on Earth and he was very happy for having me there. I was feeling like a kid who had just met his hero.

Than the concert began with Evergreen, perfect song to get a connection with the audience. Then, the already classic, Dead Man Singing, the song I was listening everyday when I made my trip by car to the south of Portugal some months ago in my happiest period of my life.

Then, another magical moment, on the first time Patrick talks with the audience he dedicates a song for "my great friend Miguel from Portugal who is here tonight". Can you believe this? Your favourite ever musician dedicating a song to you! Just like in dreams. The song was Henry James form his new album Visions of the Underworld.  

The concert continued with a magnificent setlist that included songs like Ed's Not Dead, Maria, Hail Holy Queen, Midnight Garden among others. The last song before the encore was the classic In My Junkie Clothes from his debut album Luxury Problems. I recorded the entire performance of this song and you can see it down here. Great interaction with the public and really funny moment. For the encore, Patrick came with 3 cover versions of The Beatles, Johnny Cash and The Doors. The gig ended with a big and long silence that created a great vibe in the room. You really could feel something there floating.

More than amazing, it was perfect really.

After the show I  waited for Patrick and he singed me Visions of the Underworld and Seven Sermons to the Dead. We took a photograph, talked a little bit and then I went home smiling, completely amazed and happy for this great experience.

What a day!

Take a look on the video of In My Junkie Clothes: