Exclusive Artist Review: Nick Duane – “Broken Promises” Album

Posted in Album, Alternative, Careers, Electronic, Indie, Music Review, Press Release, Rock by

Emerging from the Providence, RI and prominent surrounding New England scene, rising Indie artist Nick Duane has been building an insatiable buzz throughout the landscape since his inception into the music realm with his debut album Confessions in 2011 and hasn’t slowed down in the slightest. Encapsulating a signature sound that diligently blends an ambient 80s/90s Indie Rock sensibility with today’s more modern approach, Nick Duane’s uniquely captivating songwriting and lyrical concepts have truly manifested into something that is both original and versatile in its execution; drawing in fans from many different musical backgrounds and tastes.

With a slew of releases under his belt since his debut record, the recently released fourth album Broken Promises is a true pinnacle of Nick Duane’s craft and really showcases his dynamic ability to put together a collection of songs that captivate your attention with his classic yet futuristic Indie Rock sensibility. Completely self produced and written, this 12-track record sets a tone that is both anthemic and atmospheric. Each track compliments the next and Nick proves that he truly knows how to write/tell a cohesive story both lyrically and instrumentally. Comprised of rhythmic grooves, crunchy guitar progressions, ambient key textures and anthemic vocal melodies, Nick delivers a solid execution on this record equally between the factors of performance and production value. His mid-range Bowie-style vocals fit his Indie style diligently and his thought provoking lyrics offer up a futuristic flow that is both interesting and original.

One of the notable tracks on this record is opening track “Anything”, a rhythmic song with a smooth bass line, crisp guitars and a catchy vocal progression that really sets the tone for the rest of the album. This song especially delivers very cleverly crafted keyboard riffs and smooth guitar leads, so Nick’s musicianship factors are very apparent as this track plays out. Another standout on this album is “The Old World”, an atmospheric tune with beautiful synth swells and guitar textures. This song especially shines a light on Nick’s versatile songwriting approach and really adds several new layers of depth. This song has hints of The Cure and Pink Floyd in it, which compliments Nick’s overall approach on this record and really explores a fresh angle of his musicianship factors.

One other notable track on this record is the album single “Birthday Greetings”, an acoustically driven anthem with several atmospheric layers and textures that brings Nick Duane’s signature sound to the forefront. This soothing track has very rhythmic progressions and leads that compliment each other throughout the song, and with Nick Duane’s story-telling vocals at the helm partnered with effective vocal melodies, this song truly hits it out of the park and brings every element of this record into one tasty flavor. Fans of the Dark Side of the Moon album will especially love this track, but even with nods to some of the original Rock greats throughout the record, Nick’s style is completely versatile, original and insatiably catchy. Any fan of the Indie Rock genre, no matter the era, will appreciate this record in full. It brilliantly brings together the essence of old school flavors and today’s more futuristic and modern musical realms, all stirred into one solidly anthemic tasty stew that is Broken Promises.

The album is currently available on Nick Duane’s official website along with Spotify and BandCamp. You’ll be more than glad you gave it a listen. You will also be enticed to do a deep dive into Nick’s discography and history.

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