Duran Duran surprisingly launched a successful reunion a couple of years ago featuring all their original members. Perhaps even more shocking is the fact that the album that came from it, “Astronaut,” was every bit as good, if not better, than the band’s best works (which for me include the wedding album, “Notorious,” and “Seven and the Ragged Tiger”).
After the dust settled from the reunion, guitarist Andy Taylor once again exited the band, leaving them a four piece on the experimental “Red Carpet Massacre.”
This album will certainly evoke mixed reactions from the band’s longtime fans and it makes no bones about the fact that the band are working to get back on the pop chart radar. Partially produced by beatcentirc artists Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, their heavy hands are felt in regards to the new music but, thankfully, even they can’t stifle the unique pop sound that is Duran Duran.
Vocalist Simon LeBon is one of the most recognizable voices in pop music, and his vocals are mixed front and center on these songs, leading you into Duranland even when the signs aren’t easy to read.
“The Valley” kicks off the album and immediately puts you on guard. The first minute or so is dominated by what sounds like a Super Nintendo game with Simon LeBon singing overtop of it. It’s downright awful but after things get in full swing the band manages to, rather convincingly, change your mind.
The title track hits next, blasting Andre 3000-style beats that, again, manage to win you over by about the halfway point. After you get past the first couple of tracks you’re kind of adjusted to the new sound, and once you pass that point, the album becomes downright spectacular.
Now that’s not to say that there aren’t any “classic” sounding songs here, because there are a few of them. “Box Full of Honey” and “Last Man Standing” have the same haunting feel that made “The Chauffeur” great, and “Skin Divers” ranks right up there with “Notorious” or “I Don’t Want Your Love.”
The fact is, though, that the band step into the here-and-now quite nicely, shedding any hint of nostalgia that “Astronaut” may have brought out.
You really have to go into this album with an open mind. Personally, I love the albums in which the band tried something different. Whereas “Astronaut” fell clearly in line with albums like “Rio” and “Duran Duran” (Wedding Album), “Red Carpet Massacre” is more along the lines of “Notorious,” “Big Thing” and “Liberty.”
The main difference here is that while the other experimental albums managed to offer up only three or four solid songs, this one is nearly solid from start to finish. The band sound relaxed and classy on “Red Carpet Massacre” and, much like U2’s “Zooropa,” once you get some quality alone time with this album, it will reveal itself as one of the band’s unexpectedly brilliant works.
“Red Carpet Massacre” is available everywhere now courtesy of Epic Records.
Entertainment Today
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January 9, 2008
Duran Duran eyes the pop charts
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