Duff Thompson has released Shadow People II, a second installment of songs that were recorded during the summer of 2021. It is what Thompson describes as his first “all out rock record” and it delivers in this department.
It is difficult to pinpoint what makes the artist and his songs so captivating. Thompson has captured the ghosts of early rock and roll, doo-wop, jangly 60’s California, Velvet Underground’s New York, 50’s sock hop, bubble gum, garage rock, and folkways, and, the delicious and thick stew of New Orleans, but the end results sound refreshing and original. We are, after all, mimetic creatures, but what the artist manages to do is conjure up something really special.
I got better things than you and I found them in the garbage
Found them in the garbage can
Forget your obligations cause I'm hanging in the gutter
You'll be hanging in the gutter too
And it's good...
Shadow People II has hints of his tried and true formula that he has honed over the years with his own songs and the work he has done recording the albums and songs of others.
Duff Thompson is a Canadian based musician who lived in New Orleans before the pandemic, during what was to be a magical time. He has worked with and recorded tracks from the likes of Max Bien Kahn, The Lostines, Chris Acker, Twain, Sam Doores, and Dean Johnson just to name a few. Many of the recordings ended up on the Mashed Potato Records compilations. Other times, they became full length albums. Keep your eye out for releases from the label as they have really curated and cultivated some amazing artists.
His music is memorable even when his lyrics deal with the mundane; the everyday struggles of getting up, going out, staying in with his girl, picking it up, putting it down. He captures these arbitrary actions like staying at home and digging through the garbage for treasure with lines and quips that give us a glimpse of the artist’s day to day. Because let’s be honest, this is how we spend most of our lives. Right?
The album really is a lesson in the power of a well-crafted, yet simple, song. There isn’t a lot of extra fat on the record or the songs. They are lean but damn if they’re not tasty. He shows us the power of a catchy melody, a good chorus, and a memorable lick or two. While there might have been a bit more sprucing up on the first Shadow People album, we see him really stripped down and raw with most of these songs.
There is the chugging baritone guitar lead that’s all over Haywire (his debut album; definitely a favorite record of mine) and some of the other recordings he is responsible for. Haywire dips its toes into some bluesier, swampier numbers, even some elements of vaudeville. Shadow People II gives us more of a straight-forward rock-and-roll record. It’s a lovely pairing with the first album that we already discussed for our End of Year Review.
There is definitely DT’s signature sound that is pumped up on Shadow People II. There are some more short and raucous numbers, filled with infectious melodies and songs that will get stuck inside your head this summer. And Duff’s voice and songwriting is always a trip: sometimes playful and sweet; often poignant and heartfelt; other times devastating and gut-wrenching.
He seems to have an otherworldly knack for writing songs that cast a spell on you. I had a hard time writing about this record and the artist in general because there are no words that can explain the magic. So dig in to the record and see for yourself.
And catch Duff Thompson on tour now… with the inimitable Steph Green and a handful of west coast dates with Will Sprott!
Evan O’Neal is a writer and co-founder of High Horse Magazine.
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