British blues revivalists the Duke Spirit have never managed to really top that critical plateau and achieve the widespread success that many of their countrymen achieved around the mid-2000s, but that hasn’t stopped the group from soldiering on with third album Bruiser, another successful collection of blues indie rock. The obvious trump card is vocalist Liela Moss, whose smoky croon sets the mood and gives life to the band’s occasionally humdrum garage rock melodies. It’s when Moss really puts her voice in the forefront, like on “Villain” and another choice cut, “Sweet Bitter Sweet,” that the Duke Spirit show the potential to finally break away from the pack. RIYL: the Kills, Heartless Bastards, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The Duke Spirit – “Villain”