After hearing She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke, last year's debut album by Seattle-dwellers Jesse Lortz and Kimberly Morrison, aka The Dutchess & the Duke, I'll admit I was a bit worried. Not for me, no, but for singer, songwriter, and guitarist Lortz. The songs he crafted for She's the Dutchess were so unrepentantly bleak, bitter, and nihilistic... (The Dutchess & the Duke play Sunday, December 13th, at Walter's on Washington, along with Greg Ashley & Passengers.) [more] || [Jeremy Hart] || [12/12/09]