In the 80's, the English band Duran Duran, ruled the radio and MTV with songs like Notorious, Hungry Like The Wolf, Girls On Film, and Union Of The Snake. Their perfect blend of pop, funk, and new wave seemed custom made for the times -- an excellent fit.
Fast forward several decades, and the band once dubbed the Fab Five, seems tragically stuck in the past.
Disappointingly, there are few bright spots on Duran Duran's new CD, All You Need Is Now; so I’ll take the high road and critique the songs that are worth mentioning.
Melodically and production-wise, Leave A Light On is a solid song and could have been a real stand-out. That is, if the lyrics were equally as robust.
Although the song's title (Leave A Light On) and its chorus suggest the singer is longing for permission to return to a particular place or person, the lyrics are too vague to make a real emotional connection with the listener. I knew I was listening to a quasi-reflective song... but I wasn't sure what the situation was.
Regardless, Leave A Light On is still one of the better songs on the CD.
Blame The Machines is the only track on the album that effectively captures the spirit of retro new wave funk -- without sounding 30-years-old and covered in dust. The music is familiar, but the arrangement of guitars and drums manage to retain a quality of freshness.
Overall, I am sure diehard Duran Duran fans will be pleased with All You Need Is Now. Everyone else? Probably not-so-much.
Leave A Light On:
Blame The Machines:
2 comments:
dead wrong. pull the wool outta your ears. try harder.
Tom, I am dead wrong about what?
The truth is, the new CD doesn't display any musical growth. Duran Duran primarily relied on outdated formulas to craft their latest album.
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