Duke Special - Oh Pioneer

Oh Pioneer, which is released in Ireland on June 22, comes jam-packed with Duke Special’s idiosyncratic worldviews and some of the most inherently melodic pop music you’ll hear this or any other year.

You’ll know Duke Special, of course, from catchy, radio-friendly songs such as Freewheel and Last Night I Nearly Died.

You’ll know him also, from his Choice Music Prize nominations (2005’s Adventures in Gramophone, 2006’s Songs From The Deep Forest) and his three Meteor Music Award nominations. What you may not be aware of, however, is the vast array of other work he has been up to since his 2008 album, I Never Thought This Day Would Come.

“Some people have been asking me where have I been and what have I been doing,” says Duke Special, “but I’ve actually been very busy.”

He’s right about that. In the past three years, the Duke has put his singular artistic imprint on five albums: Little Revolutions Volume 1 & 2, The Stage, A Book & The Silver Screen and Under The Dark Cloth. It is clear that Duke Special is someone who finds creative nourishment in all aspects of the art and literary world.

Without any compromises, Oh Pioneer charts its own steady course. Duke Special wouldn’t want it any other way. “I would much rather keep on doing what I’m doing like this - and be skint - until the day I die,” he states. “Absolutely, and without hesitation - I’ve no genuine interest in chasing commercial success. I’d love what I do to be successful on its own merit, of course, but I’m in it for the long haul. If there are no hit singles on the album, then so be it.” The new album sees Duke Special very much his own man and own artist.