On Friday, September 27, uber-talented singer John Duff, who we just lately had a chance to chat with, is releasing his extremely anticipated idea album, Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition, a physique of labor that redefines what it means to create a traditional in as we speak’s music panorama.
The album presents a set of “hits” from an artist who by no means existed, weaving collectively parts of American widespread music from the Nineteen Fifties by way of the Seventies. Whereas the themes and language are trendy, the soul of the album pays tribute to the golden eras of music.
For John, the album represents a artistic breakthrough. Having gained consideration lately with provocative music movies and overtly gay-themed songs, he started to really feel that his model was overshadowing his true abilities as a songwriter, director, and vocalist. “I used to be beginning to really feel boxed in,” he acknowledges, “and I’ve at all times hated containers. I discovered it tough to get producers to comply with my lead in LA. They wished to push me in a path they thought was ‘cool,’ however I’ve by no means been concerned about being cool. My major curiosity is in being artistic.”
John and producers Eren Cannata and Koil PreAmple took a deep dive into the music that formed the singer-songwriter John is as we speak. The ensuing album has been influenced by artists wo impressed John, together with Janis Joplin, The Temptations, The Seaside Boys, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and so many others.
The top result’s a sound that defies straightforward categorization. Whereas it nods to the good pop writers of the previous, akin to Burt Bacharach, Phil Spector, and Berry Gordy, it refuses to be pigeonholed into anyone style. Some may label it “theatrical,” however Duff contends that’s a product of as we speak’s music panorama, the place Broadway is dominated by jukebox musicals. He challenges listeners to ask themselves: “If Tina Turner launched ‘Proud Mary’ as we speak, what style would it not be?”
In the end, Best Hits Deluxe Version is a tribute to Duff’s dad and mom, his youthful self, and the artist he may need turn out to be had he adopted their recommendation extra intently. Its title carries a way of playful irony, feeling each audacious and becoming for the mission’s retro inspirations and its lead single, “Show Me Improper,” serves as its thesis assertion, reflecting Duff’s eager for romance and complexity whereas critiquing the present state of the music business.
The already launched singles “Be Your Woman,” “Forgotten Easy methods to F*ck,” “Hoe is Life” in addition to Duff’s subsequent chart topper, “Clothes Back On,” discover themes of longing, need, motion, failure, and give up, whereas additionally incorporating Duff’s signature tongue-in-cheek model.
John has a historical past of embracing personas in his music as they permit him to discover varied aspects of his identification and experiment with totally different elements of his character. He thought-about releasing Best Hits Deluxe Version beneath a pseudonym impressed by his grandfather’s boxing persona, Younger Bobby Burns, however determined to maintain his personal title for the album as a result of Best Hits Deluxe Version is not only a milestone in his profession; it marks a major evolution in his artistry. The arrogance he’s gained by way of this course of has been transformative. “If I can write songs like this, I can do something,” he says.
John Duff’s “Best Hits Deluxe Version” releases Friday, September 27. It’s being distributed by Vydia and can be obtainable on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Observe John Duff on Facebook and Instagram @ iamjohnduff
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