To this day it is difficult to get casual music fans to take Duran Duran seriously. After nearly 30 years and 100 million records sold worldwide, they are still inextricably linked with 80's synth-pop. But Duran was always more than that. Heavy on the synths for sure, but in Andy Taylor they had a fantastic guitar player, in John Taylor one of the smoothest bass players of the 80's, and in Simon le Bon the perfect New Romantic vocalist. Their records have always been mixed affairs, even their best ones have some filler on them, and they have released some admittedly bad albums over the years. But they were also responsible for Rio, a dance-pop masterpiece of the 1980's that sounds as fresh and daring today as it did when it was released in 1982. Which brings us to 2010's All You Need Is Now.
The band and producer Mark Ronson have made no secret of the fact that they wanted to recapture that Rio-era magic. Not surprising, since it was their most successful period as a band and also their most critically acclaimed (if mostly in retrospect, as often happens). What is surprising is how they have completely succeeded. This is the best Duran Duran record in a long, long time. Actually, I will say that it is their best effort since Rio. At least it is their most consistent effort. There is not a bum track here, it is packed from start to finish with top notch dance-pop music that is spilling over with melody and groove. This record is ridiculously good. On their not so good previous effort, 2007's Red Carpet Massacre, they made the mistake of trying to fit in with the times, dueting with Justin Timberlake and pulling in Timbaland to produce some tracks. Here, Ronson wisely forces Duran to be Duran. Hell, they were one of the pioneers of modern dance pop music, why do they need to fit in with the times? They should help to define the times. Most of these tracks will get many butts on to the dance floor of any club.
ABOVE: Duran Duran may be a little old to still be pin-up boys, but they still have style
AYNIN is currently available exclusively on iTunes, they will release a CD version with additional tracks in February of next year. Four of the original members are present, with estranged guitarist Andy Taylor missing (which is a shame, because he is so good).
Comparisons to Rio? Absolutely. From Nick Rhodes's rhythmic synth stabs to John Taylor's silky bass lines to Roger Taylor's drum beats and programming, Rio is referenced all over the place. What is great is that this sounds like it is referencing Rio, but it also sounds quite modern at the same time. "Leave a Light On" is the anthemic ballad in place of "Save a Prayer," while gorgeous closer "Before the Rain" is an update (using the same drum programming, even) of Rio's icy closer "The Chauffeur" (and it equals the power of its storied predecessor.) Another similarity with Rio lies with Simon le Bon's vocals. I don't know what he has done, but his vocals are especially strong on this record, sounding like he was transported, vocal prowess intact, from the mid-80's to here.
If you appreciate masterful dance-pop music with some substance, you can't go wrong with All You Need Is Now.
Rating: **** out of *****
ABOVE: Check this tune out, "Girl Panic!" All of the songs are this catchy and this good. Classic Duran Duran sound, and how about John Taylor's bass!
ABOVE: Give a listen to closer "Before the Rain." Rio fans will note its close relation to "The Chauffeur."
7 comments:
New Record "All you need is now":
All You Need is Now -9/10
Blame the Machines - 9/10
Being Followed - 8/10
Leave a Light On - 10/10
Safe - 10/10
Girl Panic - 10/10
The Man Who Stole a Leopard - 10/10
Runway Runaway - 9/10
Before the Rain - 9/10
Mediterranea - 10/10
It's the Fab Five back to the top!!!
It's Amazing Album...
I don't know Dez, I'm arching one eyebrow to its anatomic limits.
"...completely succeeded."?
I'm just sayin' I sat through "Girl Panic!" which seemed like a sad attempt to copy their successful former selves and reclaim the good old days of the Rio.
I think they're always searching, never perching here.
Arch your eyebrow all you want, Johannes. "Girl Panic!" is great, as is the rest of the record. I'm not saying that they have equalled or bested 'Rio,' but they have successfully recaptured that vibe and have released a set of superior dance/pop tracks.
My eyebrow is quite arched. "Girl Panic" is kind of painful -- a paint-by-numbers attempt to recapture a sound that fit perfectly in 1983 but no longer fits perfectly. The times have passed these guys by, plain and simple. "Ordinary World" in the 90s was a nice attempt to do soaring alterna-rock, but this is just a pale retread that nobody needs.
But eager to listen to those Terry Reid clips later...
Both of you are wrong.
This album will not hold up if Girl Panic! is any indication. Not for a week, or even to the end of this sentence. There. There it went.
It's okay to like it, don't get me wrong, I'm just sayin': always searching, never perching...
Man....I was 18 in 1983, started listening to DD around 1981. Was a huge fan with my burgundy hair, eye liner and baggy suits! sawthem live twice in Toronto. Awesome!Stop listening to them after they broke up in 1985. DD will never be the same without Andy. This album, although good just doesn't capture the magic of Planet Earth, Rio, Tiger Tiger, etc etc....
Learned a long time ago that you can't go back. But good luck to the fellas, Roger, Nick, Simon, and John.
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