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Devil
Doll
Queen of Pain
 Never
has a CD jacket served as such a perfect metaphor for
the artist
contained within. On the cover, Colleen Duffy—a.k.a.,
Devil doll—is dolled up in retro velvet, sporting
a '40s coif. Inside the jacket, however, Duffy is sprawled
across an unkempt bed, donning a CBGB's wife beater and
a cowboy hat. Musically, Devil Doll presents a glossy
sheen that never conceals a punk rock heart. The results
of this dichotomy are downright interesting listening,
and present a record that I like more than expected.
Duffy,
who is credited not only with the music, but also art
direction and executive production, has a feisty voice
and alluring delivery that are nicely supported by a variety
of instrumentations and tones. The songs on Queen of
Pain (Lucky Bluebird Records) bounce from edgy garage
bop to bluesy swing, Portishead-esque smokey swagger,
country-fried barroom laments. But, there is a surprising
coherency that carries over from tune to tune.
If
Duffy fails in one area, it¹s not knowing when to
stop. While there are few clunkers to be found on this
18-song behemoth, her energy and magnetism would have
stronger pull in smaller doses. It's always better to
leave the listener wanting more. Unfortunately, by the
time you reach the dramatic ending of "If I Died
in Your Arms," you¹re too exhausted to appreciate
its power. But, if a complaint has to be made, I suppose
"too much of a good thing" isn't the worst critique
to level. Next time, make it two albums instead of one.
—Gary
A. Miller
Visit
the band online at www.devil-doll.com
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