Post by stuporfly on Dec 8, 2010 15:21:59 GMT -5
www.citegay.fr/musique/257223@all-you-need-is-now-l-incroyable-nouvel-album-de-duran-duran.htm
Gimme a Wristband posted a link to a review of the album on a French site called CiteGAY. (The capitalization is theirs, not mine)
Below is the translation...
Formed in 1978 in Birmingham, the mythical band Duran Duran forever ceased reinventing its music, while filling the stages and the concert halls, influencing an impressing number of contemporary artists, of Kylie Minogue in Scissor Sisters, while passing by The Killers, No Doubt, Franz Ferdinand, Moby, Dido, David Guetta or even Marylin Manson (but the list is much longer.)
Today strong of a career marked out of more than 80 million discs sold throughout the world (18 individual in Billboard Hot 100 and 30 individual in Signal 40 of Charts the U.K. to date), the band signs an incredible 13th opus, produced by one of their biggest fans, one of the most influential personalities in the world of the current music: Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera, Kaiser Chiefs, Robbie Williams).
If the influence of the 4 brummies extends on a spectrum from musical styles so much large (of the rap to the hard rock, while passing by R'n B and electronica), it's probably because they are the only band in the world not to have never remade twice the same album of continuation (Seven and The ragged Tiger is new-wave, Notorious is Funk, Big Thing tries out the house music, Meddazaland industrial rock'n'roll ect.). What to destabilize a public which did not always answer present in the same way.
With this 13th opus the challenge was clear: To imagine what of "Rio" 2nd album unanimously greeted by the public and the critic would have been the continuation, 5th better sale of the year 1982 in England (classified during 2 years and half in US Billboard), a record referred to many times and whose the only visual one is with him only an emblem of the Eighties (tributed lately on the visual of the album "Record Collection" by Mark Ronson, and quoted in the film "Greenberg" out this year, with a title included in its soundtrack (The Chauffeur) carefully orchestrated by James Murphy of the LCD Soundsystem).
The ambition was large and risky : How to make a record whith a contemporary sound, but where the ingredients of which had pleased so much at the time of the birth of the new-romantic movement are alsou findable ? How to reconcile the refractories of the 12th opus "Red Carpet massacres" which had accused the band to have sold its soul to the infamous Co-producers Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, and those of the first hour, who awaited only one thing. refind the magic which they did consider lost?
4 years after, the four boys of Birmingham did not say their last word and return with "All You Need Is Now" which they have described as being their best LP for 20 years.
A traditional and systematic pride which one is wary, Duran Duran being sometimes able as much of worst than the best. The promise may find it beneficial to be with the height of the hopes!
And finally comes the day when I receive the famous 9 titles directly in hyper protected streaming link . Mark Ronson itself, at the time when I had interviewed it 6 months ago, had proudly made me listen to some incredible snippets of its work with the band, and he also diffused some of those extracts on its radio in New York. It was already very promising and catchy so that had truly made assemble my curiosity to its culminating point . Meanwhile of many effects of advertisement had been distilled on the web: Ana Matronic, of the Scissor Sisters lent its voice to one of the track of the album, one of the songs was co-written with Nick Hodgson of Kaiser Chiefs, the man in charge of arrangements of cords is not other than Owen Pallett, ex Arcade Fire, the album was mixed by mythical Mark "Spike" Stent (Depeche Mode, Bjork, U2) and than a mysterious guest-star took part in one of the tracks at the very last time.
I click feverishly on the link and as of the first track. an obviousness is essential, something totaly bluffant ! The so characteristic sound of the early years of the band is re-found with an incredible precision, but however enriched by a true key of contemporaneity. The perfect harmony between each instrument, which one had not intended any more to be supplemented also perfectly for a long time, sounds very timeless and thus completely hype !
It beggins with "All You Need Is Now" chosen as a vibrant 1st single, available exclusively on Itunes on 8th December (free downloading this day ICI ).. It is a genuine UFO which starts with a dirty and disorting synthesizor sound, which seems thought to reinstall the group as a true rock band (the singer Simon Lebon let himself besides push the beard for the occasion). The song is not without pointing out certain experimental works of U2 Zooropa era ... and in fact seems to be the joining of two almost antagonistic melodies : A very rock'n'roll verse with a very pop chorus. The guitar sound, against any waiting, is much more present than on the preceding album. Dom Brown, seems in a right way to completely and officialy integrate the group. The drums of Roger Taylor seem as for it doped with the amphetamines and the voice of the singer forever be also powerful ! In background one recognizes perfectly the characteristic keys of Nick Rhodes' synthesizor which seem directly resulting from their 3rd album "Seven and The Ragged Tiger" (especially "Cracks in the Pavement"). "All You Need Is Now", perfect synthesis of rock'n'roll, pop electro and new-wave, it has a savour which appears a little more with each listening. The experimental side of synthesizor sound points out also one of the best albums of Duran Duran, namely the underrated "Medazzaland". a track which could be a perfect anti-crisis slogan, an anthem for the "release-catch", resolutely optimist and volunteer, that much are likely to adapt very quickly.
From the 2nd title "Blame The Machines" and until half of the album, the listener is then literally embarked on a horse with the gallop, unverifiable, an effect incredibly graying ! This track is in doubt that which sounds more Duran Duran of the album, in the line of the hits "Girls One Film" and "Electric Barbarella". A piece of perfect pop, with electro intonations, that one has desire for dancing, in total unconcern, like a devilish Jerk. I put whoever at demolished not to want to dandle himself on this completely festive and carefree piece! "Blame The Machines" sounds like a merry revolt against the omnipresence of the machines in our society, and to which one often tends to make too much confidence. The listener will also like the female voice which intervenes with the three quarters of the song, very arrogant, very british pop, but also very Kylie. a catchy devilish song whose drums seem sometimes copied on a heart palpitation which would slow down per moment to pack then more beautiful. A track which will inevitably also leave into a single to make a massive hit !
"Being Followed" is the 3rd song, and it is the song which very good fan would have liked to see leaving into very first single, so much it is effective. Very epic, with its very heady chorus "I' m not Alone, being Followed" , it is undoubtedly also a wink to the geek attitude, and even in Nolife attitude of those which spend their time on Twitter and Facebook, to create an artificial company. As of the intro with the guitar, which makes think of "A Forest" by The Cure, we are carried by an unanswerable melody. The rhythm makes think of "Atomic" by Blondie , or even more recently with some hits of Gossip, which themselves inevitably had to be marked by the so caractiristic Duran Duran Bass guitar line of . To the three quarters of the song, the tonality goes up of a notch and the tracks becomes almost of a Western soundtrack, with its whistles in Enio Morricone (or more recently Goldfrapp). The track becomes a true fantastic epic to which Simon Lebon puts an end with panache, with a Hispanic tenor chant of victory, in the middle of the flights of cords and sounds of alarm police cars.
"Leave a Light On" is one of the magic ballades whose only Duran Duran has the secrecy, a track which falls under the line of "Matter Of Feeling", which was reproduced on "Notorious", the funk LP of the band. the song full with emotion which profits from final which will make especially an incredible effect at the time of the next concerts which are announced. The text will take all its dimension in addition there, pointing out to it from now on traditional "Save a Prayer", and its imperishable chorus "Dont' t say a prayer for me now, save it till the morning after".
It is precisely with "Safe" (In the hit Of The Moment) that the four boys re-dive us (but allways with a modern touch) in the disco-funk music environment which had made the beautiful days of the "Notorious" album. Here, we clearly suspect them of having wanted gratifier their public of an improved version of "Cry Baby Cry" (An ignored funky, which was available on the Japanese bonus of the Red Carpet Massacre album, with the great incomprehension of the fans which mainly adored it and would have seen it well into a single). Environment swell with disco-balls, very "Chic" and seventies in which the rapped-sung interventions of Ana Matronic (Scissor Sisters) clearly make think of Madonna on "Vogue". Not obvious with the first listening because of a not immediately identifiable chorus, but this song will become probably an anthem of the discos, so much it appears at each listening session progressively.
The following track "Girl Panic" is probably the one which inspired the instrumental UFO "Circuit Breaker" , on the Mark Ronson album. In any case for the synthesizor sounds which are practically similar there. Mark Ronson claimed that its own album had been inspired mainly by its work with Duran Duran, and now we truely know why one. By the way we are here in a pretty different universe. The rythm is really festive: It acts a kind of brazilian salsa on which one would have stuck new-wave sounds album taken in the "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" LP. The track is always very catchy and made fun beetween friends, on which we can hear some tortured guitars in the background. Welcome to rhythm congas in the DD universe (Raphael Dejesus are you there ?).!
Back to a kind form of gravity with the next track called "The man who stole has Leopard", a true MONUMENT (and I weigh my words) on which figure the famous guest-star whose name had been kept secret until now : Kelis! The singer was not committed here for her R'nB, but well for the sensuality of her voice, perceptible more than never in her last own opus. The piece incredibly envoutant evokes neither more nor less splendid instrumental "Tel Aviv", a classic of the band which was available on the very first album of Duran Duran. the Kelis lines echoe with those of Simon Lebon, as if the singer were a kind of phantom, or an unreal muse. A song to be listened in loop for better appreciation of it subtle cords arrangements and its hyper planing aspect, nevertheless on a dancing rhythm which flirte with a very seventies disco music touch. At the end we could also hear some guitar solo in the line of "Seventh Stranger", another imperishable classic piece of the band. An incredibly beautiful track which finishes dantesque. But I leave you the surprise!
"Runaway Runway", as for it very modern pop brit, is many inspired by the "Rio" arrangements. An involving and catchy, resolutely optimist and festive track which we'll adore to stress the chorus. Where is the boat ? Where is the Sun ? We found It !
So if on "The Man who stole Leopard" the tears were ready to run, it is very probable that the Niagara Fall will fall down on "Before The Rain", without any doubt the most poignant track of the album. It is quite simple I do not dare to imagine what this very solemn song will give, rythmed by the sound of military drums in concert and I even wonder if the singer himself will succeed in retaining his tears when it will interpret it! There again the whole is built on a cords basis which really gives to the song a traditional classic baroque flavour almost new in the Duran Duran universe (if one off disregards some classic touch on titles like "Out my Mind", "Tel Aviv", "Tricked Out", or "Drive By"). Here one would hear almost also the harpsichords. To make short, "Before The Rain" is quite the "Russians" (Sting) of Duran Duran, in term of intensity (better in fact) and if it is thought that it can also mean "Before the end", we imagine the devastator effect which it can have at the end of the concerts... Almost a requiem, with in addition to the winks on the level of synthesisor arrangements, the classic "Chauffeur", regarded until now as one of the more beautiful songs of the band. An huge anthem!
With "All You Need Is Now" , Duran Duran succeeds in reinventing the neo-romanticism, by injecting a key of modernity to him, and by preserving the ingredients which already at their beginnings testified to an avant-gardism which were going thereafter to influence generations of musicians. This new album, more homogeneous than its precedents and drawing rather coloured the Seventies, at the same time epic, powerful and reinvigorating, could be a movie or a rock opera soundtrack with a very logical progression, with a point of traditional baroque, until there almost new in their universe. an album which as Simon Lebon claimed, has something of furiously hype, but in an almost fortuitous way.
Unquestionably Duran Duran has just signed a new cassic piec, in addition anti-moroseness, young and fresh, with catchy and effective melodies, sometimes festive sometimes poignant, which will reconcile at the same time the fans of the first hour, who at the time of the concerts are petitioning unceasingly renewed surprises, those which claim the traditional ones, and the young public which recently discovered them on the roads around the world.
An album which makes almost the synthesis of the 12 precedents, so that one could be satisfied some at the time of the next round (probable beginning in February 2011 in England, according to obscur claims of the bass player John Taylor.)
Icing on the cake, each song of "All You Need Is Now" will be declined out of video-clips, as in the early days (Duran Duran had been the first to launch the concept). It is as extremely probable as the band signs itself again its own remixes as at its beginnings, but there I advance myself personally.
Gimme a Wristband posted a link to a review of the album on a French site called CiteGAY. (The capitalization is theirs, not mine)
Below is the translation...
Formed in 1978 in Birmingham, the mythical band Duran Duran forever ceased reinventing its music, while filling the stages and the concert halls, influencing an impressing number of contemporary artists, of Kylie Minogue in Scissor Sisters, while passing by The Killers, No Doubt, Franz Ferdinand, Moby, Dido, David Guetta or even Marylin Manson (but the list is much longer.)
Today strong of a career marked out of more than 80 million discs sold throughout the world (18 individual in Billboard Hot 100 and 30 individual in Signal 40 of Charts the U.K. to date), the band signs an incredible 13th opus, produced by one of their biggest fans, one of the most influential personalities in the world of the current music: Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera, Kaiser Chiefs, Robbie Williams).
If the influence of the 4 brummies extends on a spectrum from musical styles so much large (of the rap to the hard rock, while passing by R'n B and electronica), it's probably because they are the only band in the world not to have never remade twice the same album of continuation (Seven and The ragged Tiger is new-wave, Notorious is Funk, Big Thing tries out the house music, Meddazaland industrial rock'n'roll ect.). What to destabilize a public which did not always answer present in the same way.
With this 13th opus the challenge was clear: To imagine what of "Rio" 2nd album unanimously greeted by the public and the critic would have been the continuation, 5th better sale of the year 1982 in England (classified during 2 years and half in US Billboard), a record referred to many times and whose the only visual one is with him only an emblem of the Eighties (tributed lately on the visual of the album "Record Collection" by Mark Ronson, and quoted in the film "Greenberg" out this year, with a title included in its soundtrack (The Chauffeur) carefully orchestrated by James Murphy of the LCD Soundsystem).
The ambition was large and risky : How to make a record whith a contemporary sound, but where the ingredients of which had pleased so much at the time of the birth of the new-romantic movement are alsou findable ? How to reconcile the refractories of the 12th opus "Red Carpet massacres" which had accused the band to have sold its soul to the infamous Co-producers Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, and those of the first hour, who awaited only one thing. refind the magic which they did consider lost?
4 years after, the four boys of Birmingham did not say their last word and return with "All You Need Is Now" which they have described as being their best LP for 20 years.
A traditional and systematic pride which one is wary, Duran Duran being sometimes able as much of worst than the best. The promise may find it beneficial to be with the height of the hopes!
And finally comes the day when I receive the famous 9 titles directly in hyper protected streaming link . Mark Ronson itself, at the time when I had interviewed it 6 months ago, had proudly made me listen to some incredible snippets of its work with the band, and he also diffused some of those extracts on its radio in New York. It was already very promising and catchy so that had truly made assemble my curiosity to its culminating point . Meanwhile of many effects of advertisement had been distilled on the web: Ana Matronic, of the Scissor Sisters lent its voice to one of the track of the album, one of the songs was co-written with Nick Hodgson of Kaiser Chiefs, the man in charge of arrangements of cords is not other than Owen Pallett, ex Arcade Fire, the album was mixed by mythical Mark "Spike" Stent (Depeche Mode, Bjork, U2) and than a mysterious guest-star took part in one of the tracks at the very last time.
I click feverishly on the link and as of the first track. an obviousness is essential, something totaly bluffant ! The so characteristic sound of the early years of the band is re-found with an incredible precision, but however enriched by a true key of contemporaneity. The perfect harmony between each instrument, which one had not intended any more to be supplemented also perfectly for a long time, sounds very timeless and thus completely hype !
It beggins with "All You Need Is Now" chosen as a vibrant 1st single, available exclusively on Itunes on 8th December (free downloading this day ICI ).. It is a genuine UFO which starts with a dirty and disorting synthesizor sound, which seems thought to reinstall the group as a true rock band (the singer Simon Lebon let himself besides push the beard for the occasion). The song is not without pointing out certain experimental works of U2 Zooropa era ... and in fact seems to be the joining of two almost antagonistic melodies : A very rock'n'roll verse with a very pop chorus. The guitar sound, against any waiting, is much more present than on the preceding album. Dom Brown, seems in a right way to completely and officialy integrate the group. The drums of Roger Taylor seem as for it doped with the amphetamines and the voice of the singer forever be also powerful ! In background one recognizes perfectly the characteristic keys of Nick Rhodes' synthesizor which seem directly resulting from their 3rd album "Seven and The Ragged Tiger" (especially "Cracks in the Pavement"). "All You Need Is Now", perfect synthesis of rock'n'roll, pop electro and new-wave, it has a savour which appears a little more with each listening. The experimental side of synthesizor sound points out also one of the best albums of Duran Duran, namely the underrated "Medazzaland". a track which could be a perfect anti-crisis slogan, an anthem for the "release-catch", resolutely optimist and volunteer, that much are likely to adapt very quickly.
From the 2nd title "Blame The Machines" and until half of the album, the listener is then literally embarked on a horse with the gallop, unverifiable, an effect incredibly graying ! This track is in doubt that which sounds more Duran Duran of the album, in the line of the hits "Girls One Film" and "Electric Barbarella". A piece of perfect pop, with electro intonations, that one has desire for dancing, in total unconcern, like a devilish Jerk. I put whoever at demolished not to want to dandle himself on this completely festive and carefree piece! "Blame The Machines" sounds like a merry revolt against the omnipresence of the machines in our society, and to which one often tends to make too much confidence. The listener will also like the female voice which intervenes with the three quarters of the song, very arrogant, very british pop, but also very Kylie. a catchy devilish song whose drums seem sometimes copied on a heart palpitation which would slow down per moment to pack then more beautiful. A track which will inevitably also leave into a single to make a massive hit !
"Being Followed" is the 3rd song, and it is the song which very good fan would have liked to see leaving into very first single, so much it is effective. Very epic, with its very heady chorus "I' m not Alone, being Followed" , it is undoubtedly also a wink to the geek attitude, and even in Nolife attitude of those which spend their time on Twitter and Facebook, to create an artificial company. As of the intro with the guitar, which makes think of "A Forest" by The Cure, we are carried by an unanswerable melody. The rhythm makes think of "Atomic" by Blondie , or even more recently with some hits of Gossip, which themselves inevitably had to be marked by the so caractiristic Duran Duran Bass guitar line of . To the three quarters of the song, the tonality goes up of a notch and the tracks becomes almost of a Western soundtrack, with its whistles in Enio Morricone (or more recently Goldfrapp). The track becomes a true fantastic epic to which Simon Lebon puts an end with panache, with a Hispanic tenor chant of victory, in the middle of the flights of cords and sounds of alarm police cars.
"Leave a Light On" is one of the magic ballades whose only Duran Duran has the secrecy, a track which falls under the line of "Matter Of Feeling", which was reproduced on "Notorious", the funk LP of the band. the song full with emotion which profits from final which will make especially an incredible effect at the time of the next concerts which are announced. The text will take all its dimension in addition there, pointing out to it from now on traditional "Save a Prayer", and its imperishable chorus "Dont' t say a prayer for me now, save it till the morning after".
It is precisely with "Safe" (In the hit Of The Moment) that the four boys re-dive us (but allways with a modern touch) in the disco-funk music environment which had made the beautiful days of the "Notorious" album. Here, we clearly suspect them of having wanted gratifier their public of an improved version of "Cry Baby Cry" (An ignored funky, which was available on the Japanese bonus of the Red Carpet Massacre album, with the great incomprehension of the fans which mainly adored it and would have seen it well into a single). Environment swell with disco-balls, very "Chic" and seventies in which the rapped-sung interventions of Ana Matronic (Scissor Sisters) clearly make think of Madonna on "Vogue". Not obvious with the first listening because of a not immediately identifiable chorus, but this song will become probably an anthem of the discos, so much it appears at each listening session progressively.
The following track "Girl Panic" is probably the one which inspired the instrumental UFO "Circuit Breaker" , on the Mark Ronson album. In any case for the synthesizor sounds which are practically similar there. Mark Ronson claimed that its own album had been inspired mainly by its work with Duran Duran, and now we truely know why one. By the way we are here in a pretty different universe. The rythm is really festive: It acts a kind of brazilian salsa on which one would have stuck new-wave sounds album taken in the "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" LP. The track is always very catchy and made fun beetween friends, on which we can hear some tortured guitars in the background. Welcome to rhythm congas in the DD universe (Raphael Dejesus are you there ?).!
Back to a kind form of gravity with the next track called "The man who stole has Leopard", a true MONUMENT (and I weigh my words) on which figure the famous guest-star whose name had been kept secret until now : Kelis! The singer was not committed here for her R'nB, but well for the sensuality of her voice, perceptible more than never in her last own opus. The piece incredibly envoutant evokes neither more nor less splendid instrumental "Tel Aviv", a classic of the band which was available on the very first album of Duran Duran. the Kelis lines echoe with those of Simon Lebon, as if the singer were a kind of phantom, or an unreal muse. A song to be listened in loop for better appreciation of it subtle cords arrangements and its hyper planing aspect, nevertheless on a dancing rhythm which flirte with a very seventies disco music touch. At the end we could also hear some guitar solo in the line of "Seventh Stranger", another imperishable classic piece of the band. An incredibly beautiful track which finishes dantesque. But I leave you the surprise!
"Runaway Runway", as for it very modern pop brit, is many inspired by the "Rio" arrangements. An involving and catchy, resolutely optimist and festive track which we'll adore to stress the chorus. Where is the boat ? Where is the Sun ? We found It !
So if on "The Man who stole Leopard" the tears were ready to run, it is very probable that the Niagara Fall will fall down on "Before The Rain", without any doubt the most poignant track of the album. It is quite simple I do not dare to imagine what this very solemn song will give, rythmed by the sound of military drums in concert and I even wonder if the singer himself will succeed in retaining his tears when it will interpret it! There again the whole is built on a cords basis which really gives to the song a traditional classic baroque flavour almost new in the Duran Duran universe (if one off disregards some classic touch on titles like "Out my Mind", "Tel Aviv", "Tricked Out", or "Drive By"). Here one would hear almost also the harpsichords. To make short, "Before The Rain" is quite the "Russians" (Sting) of Duran Duran, in term of intensity (better in fact) and if it is thought that it can also mean "Before the end", we imagine the devastator effect which it can have at the end of the concerts... Almost a requiem, with in addition to the winks on the level of synthesisor arrangements, the classic "Chauffeur", regarded until now as one of the more beautiful songs of the band. An huge anthem!
With "All You Need Is Now" , Duran Duran succeeds in reinventing the neo-romanticism, by injecting a key of modernity to him, and by preserving the ingredients which already at their beginnings testified to an avant-gardism which were going thereafter to influence generations of musicians. This new album, more homogeneous than its precedents and drawing rather coloured the Seventies, at the same time epic, powerful and reinvigorating, could be a movie or a rock opera soundtrack with a very logical progression, with a point of traditional baroque, until there almost new in their universe. an album which as Simon Lebon claimed, has something of furiously hype, but in an almost fortuitous way.
Unquestionably Duran Duran has just signed a new cassic piec, in addition anti-moroseness, young and fresh, with catchy and effective melodies, sometimes festive sometimes poignant, which will reconcile at the same time the fans of the first hour, who at the time of the concerts are petitioning unceasingly renewed surprises, those which claim the traditional ones, and the young public which recently discovered them on the roads around the world.
An album which makes almost the synthesis of the 12 precedents, so that one could be satisfied some at the time of the next round (probable beginning in February 2011 in England, according to obscur claims of the bass player John Taylor.)
Icing on the cake, each song of "All You Need Is Now" will be declined out of video-clips, as in the early days (Duran Duran had been the first to launch the concept). It is as extremely probable as the band signs itself again its own remixes as at its beginnings, but there I advance myself personally.