Soho Dukes deservedly raised their profile with the release of their third album, Nighthawks, Acrobats And Everything Under The Moon, and Don’t Spare the Horses feels like exactly the right way to keep that momentum galloping forward.
Soho Dukes – Don’t Spare The Horses
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Liz Medhurst
Recorded at Bedford Esquires on the final night of their support run with The Quireboys (a real match made in heaven putting those two bands together), this boisterous live set really hits the spot.
It is safe to describe the music as timeless, being simultaneously old-fashioned in all the right ways and thoroughly modern in its bite.
From the moment opener Home Sweet Camden Town sets out the stall, the album has the easy swagger of proper rhythm and blues welded to rock ‘n’ roll urgency.
As easy as it is to get swept away in the music, wonderfully embellished with lashings of proper piano, to stop there would be to miss some of the best bits.
Step forward frontman Johnny Barracuda, who is nothing short of a genius storyteller who pulls you into this vivid, colourful world. The lyrics are so witty and so London. There are more pop culture references than you can shake a stick at, each name-check beautifully placed.
The sound is full and lively, with thirteen tracks nicely representing all three albums. Overall, it has done the job in accurately capturing the vibrant atmosphere.
One advantage of being support to The Quireboys is that frontman Spike is on hand to reprise his guest appearance on record to add those familiar Geordie tones to A Stone’s Throw. It is the only slow number in the set, but there is still plenty of energy and drive to the track.
Soho Dukes let the music do the talking, and their personality comes through loud and clear. Very little between-song banter remains, but it is simply not needed.
Don’t Spare The Horses is a vivid document of a band and audience having an absolute blast together. This band know exactly who they are, and here they show it with gusto.
It is impossible not to enjoy an hour spent in Soho Dukes world. This is time well spent.
Soho Dukes released Don’t Spare The Horses on 4 September 2026 via Duchess Records. More details are available here.
