Play 90 second soundbite of 'Your House' @ 'CD quality'
Large reminds me a little of a mellow-sided James Taylor in his ability to perform mature acoustic biased music in a very simplistic but captivating way. Large's vocal delivery is bright but gentle and he sets his voice superbly against whatever accompaniment he uses, always at the fore, always precise, always impassioned but never overly dynamic. Large writes with a certain believability that allows the listener to appreciate and feel his emotions - whether sad, whether gleeful - it matters not, Large has an honesty that's all-too-often missing nowadays, he wears his heart on his sleeve and his songs become 'alive' through his guy-next-door, no-nonsense approach.
'Stories In The Last Year' isn't an album that instantly comes out and hits you in the face though, it's a creeper, a slow-grower, it takes a little while to come to you - but, it's worth the effort and the wait! What Large lacks in big dynamics he more than makes up for in gritty honesty - there's nothing here that's over-elaborate or remotely cluttered, everything's 'just-so' but no less tantalising for its simplicity. 'Stories In The Last Year' is gently persuasive but nicely rewarding - perhaps not truly commercial but certainly one that is well worth having a go at.
'Stories In The Last Year' by Duane Large is a songwriters album, a lesson in creativity through words rather than through composition. In saying that, Large knows what he wants and makes sure that his words are treated with respect and allowed to make their mark on the listener without being forced by over-complication either instrumentally or through over-production. 'Stories In The Last Year' is one for the nu-folk purist, one to enjoy for its simplistic but honest approach, it's Duane Large up-close and personal - it's real and it's pretty damn good. I don't actually see 'Stories In The Last Year' by Duane Large being a run-away commercial success but I can see Duane Large selling this album extremely well when gigging - it's very much a 'what you see is what you get' work, no complications, no egotistical trip, just Duane Large pure and simple!
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