Duran Duran - Duran Duran
#242
By Michael Gaynor
June 15 1981
Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Genre: New Romantic
Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5
Michael’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Highlighteds:
Girls on Film
Planet Earth
Is There Something I Should Know
First, two disclaimers: 1. I’ve never actually seen Barbarella. 2. In 5th grade I HATED Duran Duran because (a) 10 year old girls LOVED Duran Duran, and (b) people kept saying they were the new Beatles.
Now, the review: Duran Duran peaked with their eponymous debut. It would have been much cooler to make one really pretty good album and call it quits. But there’s a reason besides make up and haircuts that they sold a gazillion records, they were good. And they sure nailed the New Romantic thing (Ferry + Bowie + 70s funky disco, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that these Birmingham boys were all into Northern Soul growing up) right out of the gate. Three undeniable hits (idk if there were any other singles): Girls on Film (John Taylor’s bass line is sick, listen to Blur’s Girls and Boys for a flat out homage), Planet Earth (unstoppable refrain, plus a new romantic reference), and Is There Something I Should Know (“you’re about as easy as a nuclear war” might be the best line ever written). The rest? Meh. Anyone Out There coulda been a sleeper but the ending is too abrupt. Night Boat is no Night Boat to Cairo (apples and oranges). Sound of Thunder just recycles the exact same synth effect from the start of Planet Earth intro (c’mon, Nick, not enough buttons?) but is otherwise ok. Friends of Mine is the darkest track. Tel Aviv is just a long, self-indulgent, almost-instrumental Klezmer thingy, again with the abrupt ending (somebody must have told them it was arty). Further the affiant sayeth not.
Wow. That was unexpectedly fast.
Did you enjoy this?
Sure, am a music nerd
Well, I’d love to have you do some more. If you’re interested, of course.
The way it works now is: anything that is “unassigned” you may request and for each you receive I will also assign you something else.
That way it’s not just the popular records that get reviewed
Got it
I think we have most of the first quarter covered so there’s puhlenty of time
Cool, let me know when.
Go ahead and look at the sheet. Make your requests and I will assign.
I’m pretty good at gentle reminders as well. Glad to have you on board!
I’ll gladly take Madness.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7rCjItVh49HVMaHqxFKPRZ?si=Ng-96Y63S_ygKBrLOcnjpw
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