“Let me send some hope!”
So sings Duff Ferguson on the head bobbing title track to his new record Good Things. And what a letter of hope we receive in these 10 tracks, bursting with joyous melodic pop that quickly dispels any doubt that the future can be shinier, happier, and better lit than today.
Leading the charge is Duff’s “confident, honey sweet tenor” voice that “resonates with a romantic, femme-friendly vibe” (Music Connection) as it dives into the melodies. The pairing of his distinctive tone with harmonies by Todd Herfindal of The Meadows, Heather Waters, Carmen Doane, and Jared Barkan provides a perfect front for a crack band that shifts quickly from quiet and sweet to a loud rocking growl. Femme friendly it may be, but there is plenty here for both boys and girls in the energetic choruses, meaty guitarchestras, danceable grooves, and taut solo leads.
The tight 35 minute record kicks off with a pure dose of soaring rock in “We Will Escape,” followed by a clap-along feel good chorus in “Good Things.” “The Things That Lovers Do” (a Todd Herfindal co-write) adds some Stonesy swagger alongside the quirky “One Day At A Time,” a mind bending boot stomper co-written with Simon Lynge. Of course, to every silver lining there must be a cloud or two, and the record’s soulful tunes “Never Enough” (a Rich McCulley co-write) and “Valentine’s Day” take us to the rainier side of love. But the record jumps back to its feet with “Make It Right” and a driving new California anthem, “Forever California,” which both capture the album’s themes of optimism and renewal. Rounding out the disc is a pair of unabashedly romantic tunes, “Marry Me” and “No Secrets To Hide.”
To bring the record to life, Duff once again enlisted the production assistance of Rich McCulley and Herfindal and stacked his band with friends old and new from around the Los Angeles pop and roots scene. Alongside Duff’s and Herfindal’s guitars, we hear guitarist Tony Gilkyson (Bob Dylan, Tom Waits), drummers Tommy Rickard and Mike Stinson, and strings by Amy Farris (Dave Alvin, Brian Wilson). Also included are bassists Rick Barrio Dill, Kevin Houlihan, and Rob Douglas, as well as keyboardist Dennis Hamm.
Good Things follows Duff’s 2005 EP 400 Miles (also produced with McCulley), which was named one of the top 25 releases in 2005 by an unsigned band in Music Connection Magazine. Duff’s solo touring has taken him up and down the West Coast and to Arizona several times, performing at colleges, clubs, festivals, coffeehouses, and house concerts as well as on network television and radio along the way. MTV licensed his song "Sigh" in 2007.
Duff was born in New York City to a musical family and grew up singing in church choirs and school musicals before discovering rock guitar in his teens. He performed as a solo artist, session musician, and nationally touring lead guitarist based in Manhattan and San Francisco, self-releasing four EPs before landing in Los Angeles in 2004.
Duff is currently performing up and down the West Coast and Arizona. He can also be heard as a lead guitar player with Sam Shaber's band The Bones, Kim Divincenzo, and Jared Barkan.
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS (See more here)
NASHVILLE CITY PAPER "[400 Miles] represents the latest in a string of independent label releases that have established him as both a first-rate vocalist and someone whose approach cuts across many genres."
SMOTHER -- Editor's Pick! "Quite possibly one of the most magnificent rock outfits this side of pop-rock's biggest chart-toppers. Duff boasts not just a beautiful tenor voice but can even strum the guitar and hit the skins. The music is catchy pop with nodes of blues-rock and indie. But what bridges it all together is the outrageously deceptively perfect vocals."
Folkworks Magazine "One of LA's best!"
Ear Candy Magazine "Delivers a polished combination of crafty pop and straight-forward rock that sounds like a mix between The Replacements and Wilco."
PopGoesLethal.com "Great, catchy songwriting. I'm a sucker for pop hooks, and Duff weaves them into layered songs and closes the deal with a very likable, earnest stage presence. He has talent."
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