Devil Doll
Queen of Pain
Lucky Bluebird Records

Collen Duffy, also known as Devil Doll is a very gifted singer. Her music mixes ska with jazz and punk. She is a brilliant songwriter and her voice has plenty of sass.

Queen of Pain is a long album, but it never lets the listener down, offering plenty of thrills along the way. "You are the best thing and the worst thing" is a nice piece of latin influenced music with sultry crooning from Duffy. "Bourbon in your eyes" is a laidback torch song. "Driven to distraction" is a speedy and tough ska number that will make No Doubt green with envy.

A few of Duffy's songs sound like they've been influenced by Henry Mancini's Pink Panther theme. "You Put a Spell on me" is one of them, its mood is that of a film noir an Duffy's lovelorn lyrics are lovely.

Queen of Pain is a rare thing, a record that contiunes to amaze with each play.

Devil Doll, c/o Lucky Bluebird Records, PO Box 46066, Los Angeles, CA 90046, USA.

Copyright © 2002 Anna Maria Stjärnell