At the centre of Duke Raoul is Alex Painter. The elfin songwriter spills melodies and hooks across waves of passion and sound. Veering between romantic, melancholy, optimistic and cynical his lyrics portray a world where realism meets escapism in a delicate equilibrium. Toward the end of 2005 the supporting members of the band decided to tale more of a back seat. Jack Cheshire and Karl Penney were and are an integral part of the Raoul sound but now explore their own paths more freely. Last year they kicked up a storm at the Glastonbury Unsigned competition finals, resulting in a set at the 2005 Glastonbury festival and a place on the subsequent compilation. They also appeared on Smalltown America’s highly credible Public Service Broadcast unsigned compilation series. With independent and major labels showing a very keen interest, and having played alongside many of the new breed of British acts, including The Futureheads, The Subways, Clor, and Martin Grech, things are on the up.