On their latest release, ‘The Duke’, 14 Flamingos lean into their offbeat brilliance with a track that feels like a fever dream on vinyl- equal parts redemption tale, retro noir, and smoky back-alley funk.
The track wastes no time dragging you into its warped world: a woozy mix of Hammond swells, gritty horns, and an irresistible rhythm section that grooves like a busted Cadillac rolling through neon fog. Frontman Steve Craik’s vocals strut and stumble through the verses, sounding like a man reckoning with his demons but too stylish to beg for mercy.
There’s an unhinged theatricality here, the kind that feels lovingly stitched from the pages of outlaw poets. You can hear the fingerprints of their influences- Lou Reed’s sardonic cool, Tom Waits’ raspy sermonising- but the result is something else entirely: a seedy, cinematic spiral that’s uniquely their own.
The production, courtesy of Neil Cooke-Dallin at Burning Rainbow Studio, adds another layer of grit and warmth. Tape-saturated reverb, analogue textures, and vintage gear give the track a tactile feel, like flipping through a dog-eared paperback in a dim bar. It’s a beautifully unvarnished sound that complements the song’s emotional rawness.
This is not a song that plays to the middle. It’s unafraid to be strange, to get under your skin. As horns flare and the story unfolds, you’re not just listening- you’re fully immersed in it. Whether it’s your walk of shame or your midnight epiphany, ‘The Duke’ could be your soundtrack.
If this is just the opening track from the upcoming ‘Fine Art’ EP, it’s safe to say we’re in for something that breaks the mould and leaves a mark. If you get the chance to see them live, take it. Like the band itself, their shows are anything but ordinary.