Artist: Duffy

Album: Rockferry

Label: Mercury/Rough Trade

Rating: *** out of *****

Standout Tracks: Rockferry, Stepping Stone, Mercy

Duffy is probably the best new artist for this year. She made a splash by winning the MOJO magazine award for song of the year and lending her song to Sex and The City soundtrack, all through her hit song Mercy.

Duffy, who hailed from Wales, is what happens when Dusty Springfield replaces Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes. Duffy takes an engaging approach that is less popular in pop music realm by opting to sound like a 1960s Motown singer.

Besides her singing method, which can haunt you night and day, her back up musicians played their instruments as if they could be recorded with the technology of three decades ago.

Rockferry, which is her debut album, starts out with the slow paced title song Rockferry and doesn't let go until almost to the end of this 37 minutes plus album.

Stepping Stone is a soulful heartbreaking song that might be just a little outlandish for radio playlist.

Mercy has Duffy singing at her best. If you love the track, chances are that you will dig most of the tunes in this album, which are full of heartful tunes wrapped in retro-soul bassline, catchy hooks and enticing strings orchestration.

In her MOJO interview, Duffy said that she did not expect Mercy to be the monster hit that it is. She reckoned that it's like an archer watching the arrow goes in flight after being released. "You can't do anything. You cannot change the wind, you cannot change its force, you cannot change the way it hits the target."

The album finishes off with Distant Dreamer, a far from playful ballad that is like a very sweet dessert. The theme of the lyrics is an essential concept of her album but there is almost nothing here musically that can hook the listeners long enough.

Make no mistake, the producer of the album is Bernard Butler, ex guitarist of UK rock group Suede. Rough Trade is also a highly respectable record company which leans more on the artistic rather than the commercial side of the music industry.

My only gripe is the possible 'longevity' of the album. I loved it the first time I listened to it, but cannot guarantee if it will still be engaging a few moment from now.

--Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo

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