"The Dukes" by The Dukes

     Hi Everyone! Sorry if I am a little late with this, Thursday is always crazy busy. Today's Youtube adventure features a 70s band called The Dukes! They were Miller Anderson,  (vocals, guitar) Jimmy McCulloch, (vocals, guitar) Ronnie Leahy (keyboards) and Charles Tumahai (bass, vocals
     Their first self titled album was their last. This record was put out in 1979, I've always looked for it, but never found it! The only song I know by The Dukes is "HeartBreaker." Let us remedy that fact!
  1: "Hearts In Trouble": The album takes off like a plane, fueled by a really powerful number, that would fit in any arena! You know for sure, this could have fit in really well on the radio here in the States. Right in there with Boston and REO Speedwagon, The music was perfect for it's time and it is excellently catchy! A great way to start.
    2:" Leaving It All Behind": This has sort of a funky disco type feeling to it. The keyboards are fantastic, love some of those 70s keyboard settings, makes me want to learn to play piano! There is a great Jimmy solo in here, any song with a Jimmy McCulloch guitar solo deserves two thumbs up and both of your big toes as well!
   3: "All In A Game": More rock and roll goodness, each song equally as catchy as the first, sign of a great album, I think!  " But I have had some good times and that's what keeps me here, on this rock and roll railroad,leading on to who knows where", that is a great line!
  4: "Billy Niles": This is a cool jam about a talk show host ("Big Talker With A Well Known Face") who gets in trouble on the air. The effects on "Billy Niles" remind me of one of those fantastic old arcade games. Billy Niles is a pretty good name for a talk show fella.
  5: "Crazy Fool": I dare you not to feel something when you hear this, it is a perfect power ballad, and it has a lot of power and feeling put into it. It might make you misty, or maybe it's just me, it doesn't take much to make me get all misty!
   6: "Who's Gonna Tell You": A really bouncy number with wicked keyboards and some grooving bass. Every thing on this album could have been fantastic on the radio.
   7: "Time On Your Side": Charles Tumahai is an amazing bass player! I can't believe that I had never heard of him before today. Some wicked guitar parts by the one and only Jimmy McCulloch. This song Is kind of like something the Edgar Winter Group might do, somebody should tell Edgar that he should consider ressurecting this gem!
   8: "I'll Try To Help": Parts of this song have a bits of a Motown feel, but as they say, the rest is rock and roll, and very good at that.
   9: "Heartbreaker": Oh. My. Gosh. I am looking down at my feet, they used to have socks. They are gone. If you listen to this, you will see, your socks will disappear too! It's the best on the album, and I am not just saying that because Jimmy sings it.
    The first time I heard "Heartbreaker", I was ten years old, after Dad introduced me to Wings. Now, this song by the Dukes was by far the heaviest thing I had ever heard, and liked before! "What is this greatness?" I must've thought! It was way heavy for me at ten, it still is!
   This is a great album, for sure. Go check it out on YouTube, tell me what you think, comment below!