Mr Rascal

Mr Rascal, from the band’s name through to its loose-roster of blow-ins, is a concept full of charm. Based around local muso Christian Duell (see: The Stanley Street End), the 10 songs, vocals and great deal of guitar on A Pocket Full Of Smoke are his, but during the nine months it took to self-fund the recording in stops and starts, around 16 other friends and friends-to-be blew through the studio, applying their skills to whatever instruments were around, whether drums, trombone and banjo or whistling and clapping. (If this sounds similar to another local country-rock inspired group, it’s no coincidence that there are Gin Clubbers amongst those featured.) The result is an old-time country-and-blues knees-up, a record that swings joyously from the wandering balladry of lead single Let It Roll, to the simple love plucking of Little Brown Bed, to The Shins when you’re not The Shins of Here Comes The Winter. Overall, the result is a collection of songs in the same vein of Tim Rogers’ solo debut What Rhymes With Cars And Girls – both more contemporary than ‘country music’ per se, but at the same time sounding like it could have originated from any decade in the last century. Except perhaps the ‘80s. We’re talking self-funded indie records here so only 500 copies have been pressed, but of those, you can bet the majority will still be conveniently on their owners’ shelves in 20 years time, perhaps by then an obscurity, but a much-loved one.

SIMON TOPPER - Rave Magazine

You can’t accuse Mr Rascal’s visionary Christian Duell of lacking ambition. Eager to avoid the typical CD-launch-in-a-bar scenario, Duell has booked QPAC’s thoroughly respectable Cremorne Theatre, with the surreal result that tousle haired indie kids are found among the white wine-guzzling Friday night theatre crowd.

Carry Nation starts the event with her spectacularly pure vocals and minimalist acoustic guitar (even she admits she generally sticks to around three chords). Her intimate songs are given extra resonance by the Cremorne’s marvellous acoustics, her shyness eventually overcome by a gift for anecdotes between tunes.

Up next, The Granite Lakes provide a more abstract performance, their grimy blues rock given experimental touches by occasional effects pedal freakouts and reverberating electronic bass. Singer/guitarist Alex Dunlop possesses a nervy, marble-mouthed voice, somewhere between Blood On The Tracks-era Dylan and Clinic’s Ade Blackburn. But unlike Clinic’s pacey, nightmarish R&B, the Lakes have a more spacious, unravelling approach to their song dynamics. It’s also a rare treat to hear bug-eyed garagey art-rock in a traditionally more “respectable” venue.

Finally, Christian Duell and his many pals are on hand to infuse Mr Rascal’s heartfelt indie folk rock with horns, opera harmonies, violin and whatever other talents are on hand. The result is an ambitious performance, taking in all the songs from superb new album A Pocketful Of Smoke, complete with field recordings of steam engines, Mr Whippy trucks and Salvation Army bands. Duell and friends perform a combination of rollicking folk with whimsical, melancholic balladry, fiery rock & roll and pre-pop influences. The result is a triumphant set (actually enhanced and humanised further by the occasional mistake), that is bursting with a warm familiarity – these are tunes that sound like old friends even when you’re hearing them for the first time. From the barnstorming single Let It Roll, to the McCartney-worthy slowie Little Brown Bed, this is a performance that takes in mournful Waitsian waltzes, near-rockabilly hoedowns and plaintive poppy love songs with spectacular ease. Duell reveals the venue’s initial misgivings about the evening, but the full house (admittedly heavily populated by friends and family) and rapturous applause should surely set such concerns aside.

MATT THROWER

- Rave Magazine

Let It Roll is the first release from Mr Rascal, the creative vehicle of Christian Duell, and the lead single and two demos on show are a good indication of the quality music Mr Rascal's forthcoming debut album is sure to provide.

'Let It Roll' is an uplifting folk-rock number, with a driving rhythm section, dueling guitars, banjoes, violin, and the prerequisite use of organ necessary to complete such a song. The attraction of 'Let It Roll' is not in the instrumental prowess of Mr Rascal, however, rather it's in the amazing use of melody and harmony, as well as Duell's touching lyrics. The combination of opposing high and low vocal harmonies, Duell's own vocals, and the ever present organ results in a song that sounds absolutely massive for the folk song that it is.

The two demo songs are a little more stripped back, but neither lack the impact of 'Let It Roll'. 'Hands Tied' is especially impressive, with the acoustic guitar and harmonica perfectly matching Duell's vocals. 'Hands Tied' also evokes the style of the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, but whereas Smith matched uplifting melodies with rather depressing lyricism, Duell goes the other way and combines melancholic music with lyrics that are brimming with positivity. 'The Schoolyard' follows in the same vein, cutting back the sonic side of things to a greater exten while maintaining the harmonies. In this case though the song is a little to bare, although in all fairness the song is billed as a demo and must be treated as a work in progress.

Indeed Let It Roll is a strong indication of what to expect from Mr. Rascal's forthcoming debut LP A Pocketful Of Smoke. The straightforward singer-songwriter harmonies grab the listener and refuse to let go until the song has run its course. Hopefully Duell can keep up the level of quality he has set for himself with this debut release.


- Before Hollywood

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

MR RASCAL – Let It Roll

(Independent)

The word ‘balladeer’ has picked up some horrible, bland connotations since some horrible, bland musicians like Blunt and Adams made a killing from conning suburban retirees out of their pokies dollars under the guise of dreary ballads. With their debut single, Brisbane’s Mr Rascal do their utmost to restore some nobility to the once great title. Or rather, he does his best. Mr Rascal is actually just local chap Christian Duell and whichever of his musically-inclined buddies he happens to be sinking a beverage with when the recording light comes on. That members of The Gin Club, At Sea and the Stanley Street End (Duell’s other band) make up this ramshackle group brandishing harmonica, violin, keys and banjo amongst the usual realm of guitars and drums gives you an idea of the sonic territory Mr Rascal has crawled from. While it does contain a strong element of Rascal croon, Let It Roll is kicked from ballad to pop-country status via a perfectly manly choir’s backing vocals, and is adorable in a chugging melodic fashion. The B-side demos Hands Tied and The Schoolyard release the throttle a touch, successfully revealing Duell’s acoustic minstrelic side. Keep your ears scanning for sounds of Mr Rascal’s forthcoming debut album A Pocket Full Of Smoke, because moments of quiet beauty like this need to be treasured. Winnah.

Simon Topper - Rave Magazine

The debut release for Brisbane’s Mr Rascal (aka Christian Duell), ‘Let it Roll’ is a surprising accomplished slice of slightly surreal singer-songwriter/pop-rock. Comprising a barreling rhythm, lilting mandolins, guitars and unobtrusive organ – in addition to Duell’s charming upper-register croon and notably well-constructed melodies – ‘Let it Roll’ is a rather remarkable introduction for a new artist and bodes very well for Mr Rascal’s impending full-length A Pocket Full of Smoke. The equally impressive B-sides (a pair of demos) only reinforce the notion that we could be witnessing the birth of something significant here.

Matt O'Neil, Time Off
- Time Off

For all its "confessional" aesthetic, American indie folk rarely seems to get as intimate as this material from Brisbane, Australia's, Christian Duell. Moving between clean acoustic guitars, melancholy lyricism, and shanty-style melodies (which count as rocking out), Duell's stuff truly resonates.

CNET.com Editor's review. - CNET.com Editor