Duran Duran Appreciation Thread

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FitzChivalry said:
DD was MY :heart: before U2. I knew all the debut album singles, but I really fell hard when "Rio" came out. I can't tell you how many times I used to listen to 'Hold Back The Rain' and 'New Religion'.

corianderstem said:
The last time I was rehearsing with my half-assed "band" (a work thing, I don't really have a band), the bass player started noodling around with something that sounded really familiar.

It was New Religion! Ha. Then he and the drummer started talking about JT's awesome 80s bass riffs. I had no idea he liked them.

new religion is seriously possibly the best song ever. for real.
 
My god the new album is wonderful. Almost all of the tracks sound like they could have been long-lost unlreleased tracks from the first three albums.
 
My god the new album is wonderful. Almost all of the tracks sound like they could have been long-lost unlreleased tracks from the first three albums.

:up:

Honest to God i think i love every song on this album. That hasn't happened in a long long time with any band. There certainly was something magical in the production here. I hope these guys have a great year.
 
It's an awesome album. And I've been a big critic of the band for a long time. I liked Astronaut, but not nearly this much.

Going to see them again on Thursday, they are playing a show about an hour from LA. Is anyone going to see them at Coachella?
 
So I've never really been a huge fan of Duran Duran, mostly because they are so frustrating to listen to at times. I am obviously old enough to have first encountered them in the early 80's thanks to MTV. Loved the early stuff, and Rio is obviously the high watermark of their career.

Since then, there have been some incredible highs for me, such as A View To A Kill, Skin Trade, Ordinary World, and (Reach Up For The) Sunrise, and some truly awful showings (the Liberty album, most of Thank You, and seemingly at least half of several other discs).

But then I heard some good things about the latest album, which I didn't know was out as I really hadn't paid much attention to them lately. And when a place like Popmatters gives it a 9, well, your ears perk up and your eyebrows rise. I checked out a couple of the songs on youtube, liked what I heard, and picked up the CD the other week.

And holy shit, was I blown away. Fucking incredible album. And that's saying something coming from me, who thinks a lot of what they've done for the last 20 years has been somewhat mediocre (although I liked most of Astronaut). As a whole, it is right up there with Rio, as far as I'm concerned. It has great hooks, solid songwriting, and excellent production. And most important, they don't sound like they are trying so hard to be relevant, they are just doing what they are good at, and hell, it most definitely shows.

It's taken a long time, but they've proven they still have it in them. I hope this launches a new phase of their career, one that they can sustain. They had a chance to do that back in the 90's after the wedding album and promptly veered off course again. Here's hoping that doesn't happen again...
 
So I've never really been a huge fan of Duran Duran, mostly because they are so frustrating to listen to at times. I am obviously old enough to have first encountered them in the early 80's thanks to MTV. Loved the early stuff, and Rio is obviously the high watermark of their career.

Since then, there have been some incredible highs for me, such as A View To A Kill, Skin Trade, Ordinary World, and (Reach Up For The) Sunrise, and some truly awful showings (the Liberty album, most of Thank You, and seemingly at least half of several other discs).

But then I heard some good things about the latest album, which I didn't know was out as I really hadn't paid much attention to them lately. And when a place like Popmatters gives it a 9, well, your ears perk up and your eyebrows rise. I checked out a couple of the songs on youtube, liked what I heard, and picked up the CD the other week.

And holy shit, was I blown away. Fucking incredible album. And that's saying something coming from me, who thinks a lot of what they've done for the last 20 years has been somewhat mediocre (although I liked most of Astronaut). As a whole, it is right up there with Rio, as far as I'm concerned. It has great hooks, solid songwriting, and excellent production. And most important, they don't sound like they are trying so hard to be relevant, they are just doing what they are good at, and hell, it most definitely shows.

It's taken a long time, but they've proven they still have it in them. I hope this launches a new phase of their career, one that they can sustain. They had a chance to do that back in the 90's after the wedding album and promptly veered off course again. Here's hoping that doesn't happen again...

pleased you like it- I'm a 30 year fan of Duran and I agree their albums since Wedding Album have been patchy at best (and awful at worst- Thank You, Pop Trash)

this new album has re-connected me with their music in a way I didn't think was still possible after all these years- and it feels like getting to know an absent friend again- where have you been all this time? and I love having that feeling about a Duran album again
 
Yeah, I've been going back and listening to the older stuff lately, some of which I haven't listened to in years. They haven't changed much though.

For example, Seven And The Ragged Tiger is still a missed opportunity. Some great songs with horrendous filler. I don't care that it was released well in advance - Is There Something I Should Know? belongs on there. And the B-side Secret Oktober is superior to either (I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement or I Take The Dice. Insert those two songs over those bad ones, and you've got a much better album.

Unfortunately, you'd need a hell of a lot more songs to save Notorious. Just not a fan of that album at all, even though Skin Trade is on there. The sound and production is extremely dated.

I do think Big Thing is an improvement, especially the second half. Kind of wish they had done the entire album like that. Perhaps they could have and released I Don't Want Your Love/All She Wants Is as a standalone double-sided single. That would have been cool.

I'll probably zoom through the 90's at some point, even if I have to sit through Liberty and Thank You.
 
Man, I wish they were coming around my neck of the woods. :(

The Chauffer has become one of my favorite DD songs, along with The Seventh Stranger. Just love them both.
 
Yeah, I've been going back and listening to the older stuff lately, some of which I haven't listened to in years. They haven't changed much though.

For example, Seven And The Ragged Tiger is still a missed opportunity. Some great songs with horrendous filler. I don't care that it was released well in advance - Is There Something I Should Know? belongs on there. And the B-side Secret Oktober is superior to either (I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement or I Take The Dice. Insert those two songs over those bad ones, and you've got a much better album.

Unfortunately, you'd need a hell of a lot more songs to save Notorious. Just not a fan of that album at all, even though Skin Trade is on there. The sound and production is extremely dated.

I do think Big Thing is an improvement, especially the second half. Kind of wish they had done the entire album like that. Perhaps they could have and released I Don't Want Your Love/All She Wants Is as a standalone double-sided single. That would have been cool.

I'll probably zoom through the 90's at some point, even if I have to sit through Liberty and Thank You.
:grumpy: i love both those songs off satrt, and notorious (well aside from proposition - it's like with october, the album could've ended just fine with winter marches on but they had to tack on another song). :wink: skin trade's awesome though. i never hated the song but i didn't care much for it when i first heard it. it's definitely grown on me a lot.

i hear you about big thing, though. the title track is very eh and pointless, i don't want your love was better as a single in remixed form, and i don't care much for drug in either form (the remixed version originally on big thing or the original version now on the remaster). but the second half is so awesome, it jumps a couple places on my album rankings.

and ha, can't wait to hear your thoughts on those two albums! (though i kinda prefer thank you over the wedding album :shh:)
 
:grumpy: i love both those songs off satrt, and notorious (well aside from proposition - it's like with october, the album could've ended just fine with winter marches on but they had to tack on another song). :wink: skin trade's awesome though. i never hated the song but i didn't care much for it when i first heard it. it's definitely grown on me a lot.

Huh, ok. I find those two songs to be particularly bad lyrically, and the music just doesn't really have any hooks. In fact, aside from The Seventh Stranger, nothing comes close to the singles on that album. Tiger Tiger is filler as well, but I like how it sounds before The Seventh Stranger, so I keep it. And Of Crime And Passion and Shadows On Your Side are decent enough within the context of the album.

Skin Trade is an all-time favorite for me. Perhaps that's why the rest of the album still feels like such a letdown. Nothing else comes close to it, except for possibly Winter Marches On.

i hear you about big thing, though. the title track is very eh and pointless, i don't want your love was better as a single in remixed form, and i don't care much for drug in either form (the remixed version originally on big thing or the original version now on the remaster). but the second half is so awesome, it jumps a couple places on my album rankings.

That second half is really excellent. If we were going by best DD album sides ever, that would be up there for me.

Agreed on the remixed version of I Don't Want Your Love. Normally I prefer album tracks, but for that one (as well as The Reflex) I actually prefer the remixed single version.

and ha, can't wait to hear your thoughts on those two albums! (though i kinda prefer thank you over the wedding album :shh:)

As a whole, the wedding album isn't that strong. It's just that half of it was probably the best thing they did that entire decade.
 
Just finished watching their Coachella set. It was really good. I loved all the airtime JT and his fingers got :)))))) Man, that boy can play that bass.

Solid, Solid Set.
 
They were fantastic at Coachella!!!! I got there during 'The Chauffer' and was right next to the soundboard. They looked and sounded amazing! I got all of AVTAK on video. So happy! That's one of my favorite DD songs! :D :panic: :hyper:

Awesome! One of my all time fave Duran songs :love:
 
Yeah, I've been going back and listening to the older stuff lately, some of which I haven't listened to in years. They haven't changed much though.

For example, Seven And The Ragged Tiger is still a missed opportunity. Some great songs with horrendous filler. I don't care that it was released well in advance - Is There Something I Should Know? belongs on there. And the B-side Secret Oktober is superior to either (I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement or I Take The Dice. Insert those two songs over those bad ones, and you've got a much better album.

Unfortunately, you'd need a hell of a lot more songs to save Notorious. Just not a fan of that album at all, even though Skin Trade is on there. The sound and production is extremely dated.

I do think Big Thing is an improvement, especially the second half. Kind of wish they had done the entire album like that. Perhaps they could have and released I Don't Want Your Love/All She Wants Is as a standalone double-sided single. That would have been cool.

I'll probably zoom through the 90's at some point, even if I have to sit through Liberty and Thank You.

I've always loved SATRT- I was 14 when it came out and was totally obsessed by Duran Duran. 30 years on I still love that record- ok the Reflex is a bit lumpy- but the rest is great- I really enjoy the nonsense lyrics

Post Big Thing it all gets a bit patchy- Liberty is mostly awful- aside from My Antarctica and Liberty, Wedding Album- couple of clunkers but great otherwise, Thank You- errrrr- there are some good moments on it, Medazzaland- errrr some good moments, some rubbish, Pop Trash- name says it all really
 
yeah! satrt is great. it was my favourite album of theirs when i really got into their shit and was buying everything. it isn't anymore (it varies between the debut and rio, depending on my mood) but it's still fun. it's definitely weaker than the first two albums for sure. i fucking love tiger tiger though, i was so happy to hear that one liveat one point.

and yeah, i agree with you too on liberty, though i don't mind violence of summer. not gonna lie though, i fucking hate wedding album. i'd be hard pressed to pick my favourites on there because idk. i loved ordinary world but i've just heard it too damn many times. it's their one. ugh.

i do like medazzaland, though it's not one of their best. i used to love pop trash though but it's definitely not aged well with me, too warren-heavy for me. i don't like warren, yeah he carried the band in the 90s and they would've broken up if not for him :blahblah: but he's an egomaniac and i don't like him.

red carpet massacre is one album that cops a lot more flak than it deserves. it's not their best effort, not even top five worthy, yes. but it's not their worst album or anything! shit like the valley is great. that bass solo is awesome, any of their songs with a bass solo is great. (as an aside i think that's why medazzaland and pop trash are so lacking, the former is mostly and the latter totally john-free. not good!) i even like skin divers, damnit. if it'd been an ep of just side a i woulud've loved rcm, the only thing off side b i really like is tempted.
 
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