DUNCAN BROWNE – Give Me, Take You
Fans of 70’s singer/songwriter Duncan Browne, and especially his great 1973 single ‘Journey’, might be surprised to learn that he released his first album way back in 1968. In those days he was a young singer/songwriter, who collaborated with lyricist David Bretton to record this album. It is full of gorgeous pop and soft psyche, but despite gaining much critical acclaim it died in the shops. The title track is a deceptively simple song, with Browne’s gentle vocal style suiting the material perfectly. ‘Ninepence Worth Of walking’ is similar in style, with a catchy guitar refrain holding it all together, while ‘Dwarf In A Tree (A Cautionary Tale)’ is taken at a slightly sprightlier pace, and is a good example of Bretton’s quirky lyrics. ‘The Ghost Walks’ starts with just Browne and his guitar, with flute and organ making a fleeting appearance towards the end, but is nonetheless a captivating song. Despite this album being critised by some for over-reliance on strings, they do not make an appearance until ‘Waking You (Part One)’, where they are used to enhance rather than overpower the song. It is another of Bretton’s odd lyrics – an obsessive love, perhaps – ‘Waking you, and not quite knowing quite why, except to ask if you’re sleeping’, but set to one of Browne’s loveliest melodies. ‘Chloe In The Garden’ is another lovely ballad performed mostly by Browne and his guitar, with the merest hint of backing on the chorus, and the strings not appearing until halfway through. ‘On The Bombsite’ is a pleasant pop ditty, and was released as a single, although it unfortunately fared no better than the album. ‘I Was, You Weren’t’ is a clever piece, done almost as a round and coming over very well. ‘Gabilan’ is another lovely ballad, and ‘Alfred Bell’ is a Kinksian story-song – not bad but as the only one on the album it sits a bit uncomfortably. ‘The Death Of Neil’ comes close to ‘Alfred Bell’ in style, but is a much better song, and the backwards passage at the end is an unusual touch. ‘Resurrection Joe’ is one of the few upbeat songs on here, although it is still taken at a fairly leisurely pace, and the string-laden ‘Final Asylum’ finishes off this superb album. When you hear it you do wonder why it was not successful at the time, as bands like the Bee Gees were doing this sort of classic pop at the same time and making a success of it. It seems that Browne was destined to be an also ran in the music biz, as even though he had the hit with ‘Journey’ in 1973, he could never capitalize on it, and died some years ago a cherished secret to those of us who loved his music.