"Nothing Gold Can Stay" -- The Duke and the King
New Music From Simone Felice of the Felice Brothers
Aug 22, 2009
Nothing Gold Can Stay, the debut CD from the Felice Brothers’ Simone Felice, is a fine, literate release that harkens back to the singer-songwriters of the early 1970s.
That Nothing Gold Can Stay is very accomplished lyrically is no surprise-- Simone Felice has already published two novels, and both the name of the band and the album title are references to two great American works of literature (The Duke and the King are characters from Huckleberry Finn, "Nothing Gold Can Stay" is a famous poem by Robert Frost).
Nothing Gold Can Stay Reminiscent of 1970’s Singer-Songwriters
The first thing the listener notices when turning on Nothing Gold Can Stay is Simone Felice’s high, clear voice. Unlike his brother Ian’s --lead singer of the Felice Brothers-- which sounds like it has been dragged down a gravel road, Simone’s voice stays gold, reminding the listener of Cat Stevens or perhaps Tim Buckley.
Simone Felice’s gentle voice sets the tone for Nothing Gold Can Stay. The music is relaxing, and generally a platform for Felice’s lyrics. In many ways Simone’s voice is too relaxing, and the listener is in danger of trancing out and ignoring some lyrics that are quite raw and eye opening.
The Duke and the King Feature Mellow Music, Dark, Literate Lyrics
This debut from the Duke and the King is music where the words are what matter. The easy melodies and rhythms, along with clever embellishments like the bells on “If You Ever Get Famous,” support the lyrics without getting in the way of them.
There are a few standout songs here, notably “Union Street” and the closing track “One More American Song.” Both songs explore the ordinary, and sometimes the awful, lives of everyday people. Felice has a good eye for banal tragedy. When he is saying how a local homeless vet as referred to as “the king of bottle tops” or singing to “the prettiest girl in town,” whose home life is a horror, the listener sees these people in his mind’s eye. Some may even know these people, whether they realize it or not.
Simone Felice is accompanied on Nothing Gold Can Stay by longtime friend Robert “Chicken“ Burke, who has played with George Clinton, Toshi Reagon, and Sweet Honey and the Rock (http://www.toshireagon.com/biglovely.shtml). Nowell Haskins contributes as well.
Is Simone Felice Leaving the Felice Brothers?
Fans of the Felice Brothers have probably noticed that Simone has not been touring with his brothers this year. There are several reasons for this, none of them indicating that there has been any familial fallout, but none indicating when, or if, he will return.
According to an open letter from Simone posted to his Myspace page, Simone underwent a serious tragedy in his home life. In Late January, he and girlfriend suffered a miscarriage, losing their baby girl (Felice, Simone. “An Open Letter From Simone Felice”).
At the time, Simone was already working on recording some songs with Chicken Burke and was finishing up his next novel (Simone Felice is also a novelist whose published works include Goodbye, Amelia and Hail Mary, Full of Holes).
After the miscarriage, Simone Felice threw himself into his music. Since he felt that his work with the Felice Brothers “was always more of a supportive one (“Open Letter”),” Simone has struck out on his own with The Duke and The King. He still plans to appear with the Felice Brothers on occasion while he pursues his own muse with The Duke and the King.
The Duke and The King: Acquired Taste for Some, Meaty Brain Food for All
The sensitive singer-songwriter seems to have passed our time by. Simone Felice is a throwback to those days of Cat Stevens, Harry Chapin, and Gordon Lightfoot. To those who have discovered him by way of the Felice Brothers, his easy going charm may be an acquired taste. However, his stark, raw, and incredibly well-written lyrics are worth the listen. Nothing Gold Can Stay is a CD for the mind as well as the ears.
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