Zeke Duhon
Self-Titled
Reviewed by: Brianna Redding
Zeke Duhon seems like the kind of guy you’d see at a college bonfire, sitting on a log singing and playing guitar for a handful of starry-eyed freshman girls. With the October 23rd release of his self-titled debut EP, you’re about to start seeing a lot of the sensitive singer/songwriter.
Duhon, who cites Eric Clapton and Simon and Garfunkel as influences, recorded the six-track EP with the help of Grammy Award-winning producer Charlie Peacock. He signed a publishing deal with Big Deal Music, the same company that works with St. Vincent, FIDLAR, and My Morning Jacket.
Duhon’s vocals sound eerily similar to those of Ragnar þórhallsson from Of Monsters and Men, a comparison that may or may not be intentional on Duhon’s part. The album’s strongest track is probably “Gravity (Time to Run)”, which is also the most up-tempo. He keeps things light on the other five songs, singing in a warm, low register over acoustic indie melodies. “Faith and Hope”, the EP’s single, is sweet but doesn’t quite make a lasting impression. One might actually mistake it for a Lumineers song, which is unfortunately the case with most of the songs on Duhon’s album.
He manages to switch it up a little bit on “Hold Fast”, an odd song in which he seems to be giving someone (a friend? Lover? Family member?) a pep talk. Duhon pleads with the individual in question to “hold fast and carry on”, but alas, the track doesn’t make its mark.
Despite this underwhelming EP, Duhon does show some serious potential to grow as a musician. After all, it is only his first effort, and I’d love to see what he brings to the table on his next album.
Rating: Listenable
