（The Chinese version of this article was published in Hit Music, Issue 254）
It was on a normal night several years ago when I first heard of Duncan James. Through a music magazine called Hit Music, I recognized the boy-band Blue and their album Guilty. Later on, I found this album in a CD store and bought it without hesitation, then I put it on my CD player and listened to it thoroughly on that normal night. Guilty is the hit single of this album, so I tasted this song very careful and repeatedly, then I was suddenly fascinated by a lazy voice and the touching words: “I found everything I need/I never wanted anymore than I can see/I only want you to believe”. I stared at the cover of the album while I was listening and tried to figure out who was the host of such an appealing voice… that was the first time I heard the sound from Duncan, furthermore, that was the first time I was completely captivated by a voice. Perhaps I just had heard so many voices that had been shaped sharply, too shrill, and Duncan’s voice was opposite, a mature male voice, magnetically.
After that, I knew the boys’ names: Lee Ryan, a handsome boy with high-pitched vocals; Simon Webbe, a gorgeous man with chocolate skin who is skilled in rap vocals, and I also, or finally, knew that the magnetic and lazy voice came from Duncan James, a fair-haired boy. Afterwards, I bought their former albums, All Rise and One Love, and treated them like there were no other copies anymore. Besides Lee’s unparalleled high-pitched vocals, Duncan’s voice could still unchangeably attach my heart. No matter in Best in Me, where the lyrical chorus was, or in Right Here Waiting, where the passionate beat came from, Duncan could both display his lazy voice appropriately and beautifully. This not only made me be more and more addicted to Duncan’s charisma, but also made me want only Duncan’s voice in one song—because his magnetic and lazy voice always makes me feel warm and comfortable. I began to selfishly wish Blue could disband, and Duncan could develop his solo career successfully, though I love Blue.
Perhaps it was the destiny of boy bands, or perhaps it was my selfish thought admitted by God. In 2004, the members of Blue began their solo careers separately. As Lee being watched broadly, I was already anticipating Duncan's, who used to be named Duncan Blue by magazines, solo album. Especially after having heard his single I Believe My Heart, I gained confidence on his album. Right after Lee and Simon, Duncan finally released his solo album in June this year (2006). Waiting was doubtlessly suffering, even though Duncan's new album was released at Taiwan first, it was not until September that I saw the album Future Past in music store in mainland China. As a fan of Duncan, however, I still feel lucky because even Lee's album hasn't been recommended to China.
I had seen the cover of Future Past on the Internet before I brought it, but I still felt excited while I was really holding it on my hand—Duncan could finally be displayed on an album cover all on his own! Different from Lee's and Simon's, Duncan showed great amiable appearance on the cover—only by watching the cover of the album could I feel intimacy. I listened to this album briefly as soon as I got back home, and I found that this album was completely over the R&B style from Blue, instead, it was filled by a number of slow-beat dulcet songs. But because of that, the perfect bass tone from Duncan could be adequately expressed, which made Duncan more mature. Maybe it was always Lee and Anthony that sang the high-pitched part when Duncan was in Blue, his ability in singing in high pitch used to be ignored by me until this album in which Duncan showed his capability in singing high note smoothly in several songs. Compared to Lee's, Duncan's voice sounded more dramatic. The first single Sooner or Later gives summer a fresh breeze. Brisk melody expresses the feeling of walking out of the pain from a broken-heart: “Welcome to the club of broken hearts/where a thousand lonely souls have passed”. At this moment, Duncan sings the lyrics affectionately as if he is to console those who have been hurt from love, making people feel touched. “Sooner or later/you're gonna wake up/and find what you're looking for/like a diamond/wished up on the shore…” these are the inspiring words which teach people to get rid of the pain and keep searching for new love. Particularly, this song reminds me the pain I have suffered, and perhaps if I had heard this song at that time, I could recover from depression faster.
Coming to the second song Suffer, Duncan uses his symbolic hoarse and lazy sound telling us a mistaken love which two people still sincerely keep the belief of love. Boy and girl both say that they will overcome the difficulties together: “Though it's love we both want/it's a love we don't need/let's sit here in silence/let our hearts bleed/it's hard to be strong/when you’re feeling so weak/don't suffer alone/suffer with me”. After receiving the last note of this song to my ears, I suddenly feel the power of love. Meanwhile, I already turn my anticipation of this album to a dolorous journey inside my heart.
I Come Alive is one of the few fast songs on this album. The dramatic high pitch and exciting melody boost the quality of the album a lot and, importantly, it mitigate my sorrowful feeling. However, the following songs like Can't Stop a River and What Are We Waiting For? pull me to the pool of sadness once again. This time, Duncan's lazy tone is gone, instead, a firm and persistent attitude is delivered. Maybe singing for a whole album all by himself raises his responsibility so that he has to make himself sound stronger. Especially the song What Are We Waiting For?, Duncan's resolute voice and the weepy lyrics he is singing with rare high pitch make me fall in love again to him. Comparing to the active style from Blue, Duncan provides a journey full of tears. Letter to God makes me cry: a touching ballad of asking lover for forgiveness. The use of falsetto from Duncan expresses this song in a more painful way.
When the last song from this album was finished, I thought a lot. Trying to consider what Duncan wanted to express, it was just like the title of the album “Future Past”—anticipating the future and memorizing the past. No matter it was Blue or solo career where Duncan is in, what he gave is always the same old warmness. I could imagine that in the future whenever I feel down, I will recover soon after listening Duncan's amiable voice. I believed Duncan's songs could make me stronger and more mature, maybe because when I meet Duncan, I see the future.
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