Eve Duncan and Who Are These Guys
Wild Honie
self-released; 2023
4.0 out of 5
By My Nguyen
Eve Duncan is an award-winning Melbourne singer/songwriter. She makes the sort of cool jazz music that will draw you in right from the get-go. Duncan is backed by her band Who Are These Guys, which consists of Amos Roach (didjeridu), Tony Floyd (drums), Gianni Marinucci (flugelhorn), Craig Fermanis (guitar), Chris Pascoe (keys) and Ben Robertson (double bass). I was loving the warmth and energy of Duncan’s latest EP Wild Honie. It had some great sounds, so let’s get right into it.
Wild Honie opens up with the title track “Wild Honie,” where some acoustic guitar and lively percussion comes alongside the didjeridu. Once Duncan’s clear and crystalline vocals arrive, the warmth of this track spreads over you like a hug. I just loved how enchanting this music sounded to my ears. It definitely had a certain charm to it. I was also reminded of music from the ‘50s and ‘60s and immediately got some lounge, jazz and folk in the mix, which I thought was great. A flugelhorn sounds out on “Pulling Us Together” next to some jazzy percussion. It made for a very lively sound. Duncan’s lovely vocals light up the sounds here. The real smooth lounge vibe offered a nice appeal. It was really ear-pleasing. Some smooth keys bring a real cool blend to the sounds on “Unsuitable.” I was also getting some island flavors in the mix. It made for an interesting combination of sounds. I thought the refreshing tropical flavors offered a nice change of pace and overall great vibe. Some more smooth jazzy flavors come in at the start of “Throw Me A Rope.” Duncan’s classical vocals enter the sounds for a great vibe. I liked this whole wholesome approach. There are some lyrics in a foreign language. Though I can’t understand what she’s saying, it sounded very compelling at the same time. I thought this was a great way for the artist to send us off. Duncan’s great jazzy sound was a nice blend of cool grooves and energy. I definitely felt myself mellowing out to her laidback tunes. Overall, I really think Duncan has nailed it. She knows the sound she is going for and goes at it with aplomb. There are some great tunes here, so be sure you give this a spin
today!
Wild Honie
Pulling Us Together
Unsuitable
Throw Me a Rope
August 3, 2023
Eve Duncan, a talented singer/songwriter hailing from Melbourne, Australia, has received prestigious art music awards from various countries, including Australia, England, Vienna and Greece. Her mesmerizing compositions have resonated across the globe, with ensembles and orchestras from diverse places like Thailand to Transylvania, Manila to Manhattan, Seoul to Switzerland and Japan to Chile performing her music. Within her band, Duncan sheds the playful “plinky plonk” music and instead delves into heartfelt and profound themes centered around love. Her songs beautifully draw from her life experiences, interwoven with modal music to create a unique and captivating musical
journey. Presenting an extraordinary mix of Melbourne’s most exceptional jazz, rock and indie-pop talents, the ensemble known as Who Are These Guys boasts a diverse lineup of accomplished musicians. Among them are Amos Roach, who skillfully handles the didgeridoo, Tony Floyd, an expert on the drums, Eve Duncan, a captivating vocalist and guitarist, Gianni Marinucci, who mesmerizes with the flugelhorn, Craig Fermanis, an accomplished guitarist, Chris Pascoe, adding magic with his keyboard prowess and finally, Ben Robertson, masterfully playing the double bass. Together, they create a truly eclectic and unforgettable musical experience. The first song on their album Wilde Honie” is the title track “Wilde Honie” and I thought the sound was very original. It starts with the didgeridoo and guitar and is quickly followed by the rhythm section. The vibe here is very relaxed and jazzy. I felt like I was in an exotic location on a
beach somewhere. The lyrics are very poetic and sort of treated like spoken word but not quite. It felt a little between spoken word and singing. The horns, shaker and percussion come together on “Pulling Us Together” which is just wonderful. I felt so relaxed listening to this song. The vocals are very well ie just fantastic as well which takes the lead a number of times.
“Unsuitable” has a reggae vibe I wasn’t expecting. It works though. It felt like a slight pivot but the bandmmanages to keep their relaxed and jazzy signature sound.The percussion is really fantastic here.
“Throw Me a Rope” is the last song and is sung in two different languages. It works very well as the closer. This EP is such a pleasure to listen to. It’s inviting and so warm. I thought the mixing was very well done.
Bored City
Though you might mistake the title for a misspelling of a classic Beach Boys LP, Wilde Honie is actually the newest release by Melbourne-based singer songwriter Eve Duncan and her band.
Duncan has quite the decorated resume: she’s earned Art Music awards from Australia, England, Vienna and Greece, and her music has been played by ensembles from Thailand to Transylvania, Manila to Manhattan, Seoul to Switzerland and Japan to Chile. Her “guys” are a collective of top tier musicians from Melbourne from the jazz, rock and indie pop fields. The members are Amos
Roach (didjeridu), Tony Floyd (drums), Eve Duncan (vocals/guitar), Gianni Marinucci (flugelhorn), Craig Fermanis (guitar), Chris Pascoe (keyboards) and Ben Robertson (double bass).
Duncan’s songs are described as “cool love songs from the heart with a modal- indie feel, infused with plinky-plonk Art Music with expansive jazz harmonies.” The EP was produced by Duncan and drummer Tony Floyd at Bradshaw Music Productions in Melbourne.
“Wilde Honie” fades in with an unusual sound that I first thought was a bullroarer, but turned out to be a didjeridu, an indigenous Australian wind instrument with rich overtones. If you’ve never seen a picture of one, they look like incredibly long wood horns that stretch from the mouth to the floor and beyond. They make an eerie, kind of growling sound and it’s played here by Amos Roach. Duncan builds her song around this strange tonality with gentle acoustics and simple percussion. Duncan has a classic folk voice similar to Joan Baez or her contemporaries, and her songs are simple, accessible backdrops for her vocals and poetic lyrics. She’s describing (I think) a new love, but with a rich
palette of imagery giving the story a mythic scope. Ben Robertson plays standup bass which adds a smooth jazz feel, and there’s also an uncredited stringed instrument which might also be Robertson playing with a bow.
“Pulling Us Together” features Gianni Marinucci on flugelhorn, which immediately gives the song a Burt Bacharach feel. The double bass and samba-like percussion adds to the smooth jazz aura. Duncan calls this “a cool, romantic love song about the questions of love: what’s pulling us together? Is love blind, or just fuzzy?” Her singing her doesn’t always hit every note precisely which adds another level of intimacy to the tune. It’s got great lyrics that begin with: “Waiting for a phone call / a text, a psychic revelation... Who’s pulling us together?”
“Unsuitable” surprises with a reggae beat. The structure here is mostly a loop, with no clear chorus or bridge (the better for Duncan to get all her thoughts out!). This is another love song but the framing is about how “unsuitable” the singer’s boyfriend can be, and those traits are listed alongside the aspects that draw you in: “Everything about you is unsuitable / You’re beautiful / I am in love with you.” Chris Pascoe’s jaunty electric keyboards create most of the melodies here, in lockstep with the bass and acoustic guitar.
“Throw Me a Rope” returns to Duncan’s lush jazz sound as the rich tones of Pascoe’s keys interplay with the bass and drums. Yet another love song, this one travels the world with references to sushi and one section sung in French (I think!). Musically I really like the bed Duncan’s created and the lyrics are sweet and evocative, though some of her rhymes are a bit on the nose (“Throw me a kiss / You never miss / Throw me a rope / Let’s call it hope”). Overall this is an engaging collection of four excellent songs that actually makes you feel good. How often can you say that?
The Lost Nordics