Duncan Lloyd – Outside Notion (2019)
Maximo Park guitarist Duncan Lloyd is releasing a solo album Outside Notion on May 24th – that’s today! Duncan is the engine behind Maximo Park but he’s making a very different move from the familiar indie-rock we’re used to with this one, and it’s going to be very unique.
The first track ‘Historic Elements’ has an eerie sound of guitar riffs at the start and then the vocals kick in. The vocals sound amazing; his voice sounds very similar to that of Damon Albarn. It’s got a soft rock sound and also has beautiful backing vocals throughout. The track ‘ 5 am Eyes’ starts with gentle guitar riffs and the vocals sound really great. He sings about thinking of things that he never used to and how plans have changed. The guitar riffs are great, and the violins in the background sound beautiful.
The track ‘Planetarium’ starts with a bit of a heavier rock sound. The vocals are very soft and soothing, the drumbeat is great, the bass guitar riffs are catchy, and the backing vocals are great. It has some guitar riffs that sound very Southern rock. The track ‘Young Dreams’ has lovely guitar riffs and extremely eerie keyboard sounds. The vocals sound very soothing, the backing vocals sound great; it’s about not wanting to fall under someone’s spell and how everyone is running from something.
The track ‘Outside Notion’ has a great drumbeat and guitar riffs. The vocals sound good, the bass line is quite heavy in this track and it sounds brilliant. The song has female backing vocals which sound great. The track ‘Journey B’ starts with soft guitar riffs and beautiful violin sounds. It’s very soft and soothing like a beautiful classical piece and is relaxing to listen to if you want to chill.
‘Til The Fear Breaks’ has high-pitched guitar riffs at the start, then they turn into more of a rock sound riff. The drumbeat is quite catchy and has a very Blur sound to it. It has some soft rock parts and some slightly heavier parts, but it all meshes together well. The track ‘Guess And Wonder’ starts with a gentle drumbeat and soft vocals. It has gentle acoustic guitar riffs and is, again, a very soothing sound. The track has lovely backing vocals, some great electric guitar riffs and it all goes well together.
The final track on the album is ‘First, Monday’. It begins with a drum beat and guitar riffs, then the vocals kick in and it has a great rock sound. The bass line is great, the lead vocals and backing vocals sound amazing, and it has soft violin sounds throughout.
Outside Notion is a great soft indie-rock album that has some soothing sounds and some heavy sounds that go together well. It’s definitely a great album and worth listening to.
For more from Duncan Lloyd, check out his Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
