The Duchess and The Duke: Mercury Lounge 1/9/10

Sporting silly fur hats The Duchess and The Duke took the stage at Mercury Lounge in New York City Friday night with only their whiskey soaked voices and a pair of acoustic guitars.  While the large noggin adornments may have been needed in the single digit night air, they certainly weren’t necessary in the full house for the early show which the group headed lined.  Selling out the venue is a good sign for the twosome.  The packed house was incredibly respectful to the duo quietly awaiting each song and thoroughly appreciating the effort put fourth which at times was spotty. 

When Kimberly Morrison (The Duchess) and Jessie Lortz (The Duke) started off their performance they were linked in their harmonies and flashed the flair that makes their new album Sunset/Sunrise such an enchanting listen.  Unfortunately as the set progressed and as mentioned by Lortz “the whiskey flowed” (or took effect) the harmonies wobbled off key and with little else holding them up, the songs tumbled out of control.  Tunes like “Reservoir Park”, whose studio version produces a dynamic layered serpentine-like effect with maraca’s and slithering electric guitar were, simply put, a train wreck live with a rough strummed acoustic off putting vocals.  Hopefully the group will swing back through town soon and give it a better full set effort.