Search - Stephen Duffy & Lilac Time :: Keep Going

Probably the best album - EVER!

G. Daines | Orem, UT United States | 08/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For fans of Stephen Duffy and The Lilac Time, each new album comes as a precious, and highly anticipated, gift. Stephen's music has been my favorite since I was a young American transplant in 1988 Surrey grazing in the local music shop where the shopkeeper told me Mr. Duffy had "abandoned Duran Duran", and I had to know why. The Lilac Time was as good a reason as I could possibly have imagined. Much time has passed and not without a great deal of maturation on the part of Stephen Duffy. Each successive offering (including a stint as a solo artist in the 90's) has explored new musical and lyrical territory, and expertly gleaned the most succulent morsels for his melodic recipes. Fortunate for us lucky enough to have discovered this rich musical trove, his obscurity has ultimately led to a musical career untainted by the need to prove anything."Keep Going" delivers the goods in spades. This album is chock-full of the elegant, delicious, and sensitive musical moments we have come to expect from this masterful songsmith. Not only that, but this album appears to have been a work that is completely faithful to his muse, without the imposition of the usual pop imperatives. The arrangements are brilliantly spare and beautiful. Stephen's unforced singing delicately delivers his brutally honest, agonic, and witty lyrics without a hint of self-consciousness. Today it's my birthday (33) and my most cherished gift is the imported "Keep Going". I'm listening right now and thanking the gods of music that Mr. Duffy shares this planet with us."

He's back!

James Lick | Taipei, Taiwan | 04/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stephen Duffy could have been one of those "I wonder what happened to..." people after helping form Duran Duran, but dropping out before they hit it big. But he kept at it, with a variety of bands and solo efforts. He finally hit on success with his mid-80s synthpop classic track "Kiss Me" and his album "The Ups and Downs". He went out to form the band The Lilac Time and recorded a string of popular records.Now Stephen Duffy and The Lilac Time are back with a brand new album, showing a great amount of lyrical and musical maturity, but still keeping that very approachable sound that helped his 80s popularity. My favorite track is "Don't Feed The Rats" which is an emotionally touching song about the plight of missing women. If you liked any of Stephen Duffy's previous efforts, you should give this one a listen."

Stephen Duffy Keeps Going Strong

jason foster | vancouver, british columbia Canada | 01/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a fan of Stephen Duffy's work since his "Tin Tin" days, I've noticed a steady progression in his work that, contrary to some reviewers, does indicate both risk-taking and experimentation. In his latest outing with the Lilac Time, Duffy has produced a true masterpiece. Don't be fooled by the faux 70s cover art; this album may have borrowed from the Nick Drake/Fairport Convention folk standards of that era, but it is just as firmly rooted in contemporary music as well. Incorporating a soulful, poetic and sometimes melancholic tone, Duffy evokes moods and images that reflect an ever-growing sense of maturity and poignancy. Take the worldliness of "So Far Away", or the sheer beauty of "I Wasn't Scared of Flying" as examples of how he evades the predictably introspective lyrical trappings that often accompany this style of folk pop. Or there's the quintessentially Duffyesque "Don't Feed the Rats" ("The world is full of missing girls/ Geraldine, Janes and Ophelias"). Also of note is the excellent hidden 13th track, which unlike many end-of-album songs actually finishes off the cd quite nicely. From the Lilac Time's self-titled debut to 2001's "Lilac 6", this band has made extraordinarily original, intelligent and catchy pop-folk music. "Keep Going" is an exception only in that it improves upon the earlier albums and exceeds all expectations. My vote for album of 2003. Keep going indeed!"