Duke Special

Duke Special is the project of Northern Irish singer-songwriter Peter Wilson, who started putting out music in the early 2000s. The sound leans on folk and blues but isn't afraid of some experimental touches, with Wilson's writing often compared to the more poetic, direct styles of Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen.

Their 2005 album 'Songs from the Deep Forest' got a fair bit of attention, and the track 'As Good As It Gets' from it became one of their better-known songs. Other pieces like 'Ballad Of A Broken Man' and 'Brixton Leaves' show a consistent interest in character sketches and slightly surreal storytelling.

Wilson has kept at it with a fairly steady output, sticking to his own approach rather than chasing trends. The music doesn't fit neatly into one genre, which has meant it finds its audience without ever becoming a mainstream fixture.