trevgreg
PAPER GOD
[Mo0:17]
Posts: 2,613
|
Post by trevgreg on Feb 21, 2014 16:09:06 GMT -5
But the one thing you can be for certain is that U2's new album will sound like U2. They haven't strayed from the same sound since they started. If you hear one U2 song, you've heard them all. My best friend would KILL me for writing that as U2 is to her what Duran is to me. Granted, U2 has had some great songs over the years but they all song the same. It's very distinctive... and boring. I like Duran Duran so much more because they aren't afraid to stray from their original "sound" and explore and experiment. I've said this a million times and I stand by it. I respect the guys for trying new things. I don't know if I'd still be a Duranie if everything sounded like it came from Rio. And as a Duranie of 33 years, that's a very strong statement. Don't know if others feel the same but I'm not looking for a "part 2" of any past album. I got into a similar conversation recently over on the LK board about this, since I have my foot in both the DD and U2 camps. But that's a pretty general statement to make in terms of their general output over the years (imo). I don't think there's any way that stuff off of, say, War or Boy, resembles some of the songs they come up with in the 90's. Maybe to the extent that you can recognize certain stylings in the musicians themselves, but DD is very much that same way too (or any other band that's been around for a long time). I certainly wouldn't accuse DD of sounding the same on every album, but that's also because I know just about every song too. In your defense though, if you did go on the U2 forums, there's often talk about how their past few albums sound "safe" or accusations on them aiming for public relevancy more than actual songs. But I encounter that same argument with all sorts of veteran fan bases and their newer material though (like DD or even ones like the Pixies, for example). The funny thing with U2 fans though is how some of them seem to despise anything with a straight guitar line or a vocal hook. If anything remotely resembles a rock or pop song, it's automatically seen as 'bad' and 'a piece of ****'. Many of those guys actually seem to prefer the more 'experimental' stuff they've done over the years. A lot of those types of songs were ambient or electronica-based, with very little guitar or rock influences with it. Their last album had a few of those types of songs, and two of them I just despised the heck out of. Not that I'm above liking songs like that, but you need to have an actual "song" in the end, you know? And those sure as heck sounded nothing like the singles they're known for...
|
|
|
Post by madoldlu on Feb 24, 2014 15:58:51 GMT -5
I think there is somewhere in between the two extremes. Okay, I can see why some people and the band would not want to keep doing the same sound album after album. But the way they change their sound is way too extreme, IMO, and they tend to choose the trendiest sounds that go out of style before they manage to get their album out! What I would want from Duran is a sound that naturally evolves from one album to the next. I feel the first three and Arcadia showed that natural progression and maturing. Whatever you may think of Coldplay, I feel that they do this well. Their sound changes naturally from one album to the next, and manages to still sound like "Coldplay". That makes Coldplay fans very happy. They got into the band because they liked their sound. If Coldplay changes their sound dramatically in their following album, why bother continuing to like Coldplay if they sound that different? Same with Arcade Fire. Their albums are all different, and it has alienated some of their fans. But to me, they still sound like themselves in every album. It's just a gradual evolution that I can accept. Duran Duran are incredibly talented in that they are able to create such diverse music. But at my age and after following them for almost 30 years, I'm a little tired of indulging them in their exploring the latest trendy sounds. However, I wouldn't mind if they started exploring the latest alternative sounds. I never really thought of Duran as a mainstream band in the first place. I always felt they were always on the fringes, but (at least initially) getting mainstream notoriety. If they would try and emulate bands like Arcade Fire instead of Justin Timberlake, I think they would meet with much more success, both professionally and personally. Them constantly trying to do dance club music is tiresome and frankly a little embarrassing, like watching your grandfather try and dance hip hop at a wedding. I'm sure you can tell I am singling out RCM because that is the most extreme case of them following the latest trend, but they try and do this with at least a few of their tracks in every album. One more thing about AYNIN: I know it's touted as "Rio Part 2", but I feel it is much more than that. The songs are inspired by the Rio sound, but I think they managed to infuse them with a very contemporary feel. You can really see 30 years of maturity in the songwriting. They are approaching the songwriting and songs in a very seasoned and sophisticated way and ends up creating its own sound. Songs like MWSAL, Mediterranea and Runway Runaway are about as close as you can get to the Rio album, but they have much more in them that push those songs (and the rest of the album) to a whole new place. So Duran Duran, to sum up, yes change your sound from album to album, just do it in a more natural evolution. Try not to jump from one extreme sound to another, and for the love of Pete, don't try and emulate the latest trendy hip hop sounds. It just isn't you.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2014 5:40:59 GMT -5
So Duran have released 13 albums since 1981 plus Arcadia and the Power Station projects...not too bad. The Cure have released 13 studio albums since 1979, however they have many more b-sides and singles not from albums to equal up to the better part of 20 albums. The Cure have been on the same path as Duran since 1992. Usually 4 years in-between albums. The cure have not released an album since 2008 called "4:13 Dream" It was supposed to be a double album but they shelved the second disc and are releasing it this year and calling it "4:14 Scream" Cool for Cure fans to finally hear it but it is not new Cure material...it is all 6+ years old now. I hope it does well and makes Duran realize they should finally release Reportage. I know Duran are big on releasing "ALBUMS" but even they have said sadly the album is a dying animal, nobody buys albums anymore, they just cherry-pick songs they want from I-tunes. I wish they would just release a single once in a while to tied us all over and keep their name out there. Imagine if "Nite Runner" and "Skin Divers" were singles rather than tracks on Rec Carpet Massacre? They would have done much better because by the time RCM was released those songs already sounded dated. Another example, they should have released "Beautiful Colours" as a single to go along with the reunion period. It would have done much better than "Sunrise".
|
|
|
Post by Sir rogerlejohn jr. on Feb 25, 2014 12:57:53 GMT -5
I think there is somewhere in between the two extremes. Okay, I can see why some people and the band would not want to keep doing the same sound album after album. But the way they change their sound is way too extreme, IMO, and they tend to choose the trendiest sounds that go out of style before they manage to get their album out! What I would want from Duran is a sound that naturally evolves from one album to the next. I feel the first three and Arcadia showed that natural progression and maturing. Whatever you may think of Coldplay, I feel that they do this well. Their sound changes naturally from one album to the next, and manages to still sound like "Coldplay". That makes Coldplay fans very happy. They got into the band because they liked their sound. If Coldplay changes their sound dramatically in their following album, why bother continuing to like Coldplay if they sound that different? Same with Arcade Fire. Their albums are all different, and it has alienated some of their fans. But to me, they still sound like themselves in every album. It's just a gradual evolution that I can accept. Duran Duran are incredibly talented in that they are able to create such diverse music. But at my age and after following them for almost 30 years, I'm a little tired of indulging them in their exploring the latest trendy sounds. However, I wouldn't mind if they started exploring the latest alternative sounds. I never really thought of Duran as a mainstream band in the first place. I always felt they were always on the fringes, but (at least initially) getting mainstream notoriety. If they would try and emulate bands like Arcade Fire instead of Justin Timberlake, I think they would meet with much more success, both professionally and personally. Them constantly trying to do dance club music is tiresome and frankly a little embarrassing, like watching your grandfather try and dance hip hop at a wedding. I'm sure you can tell I am singling out RCM because that is the most extreme case of them following the latest trend, but they try and do this with at least a few of their tracks in every album. One more thing about AYNIN: I know it's touted as "Rio Part 2", but I feel it is much more than that. The songs are inspired by the Rio sound, but I think they managed to infuse them with a very contemporary feel. You can really see 30 years of maturity in the songwriting. They are approaching the songwriting and songs in a very seasoned and sophisticated way and ends up creating its own sound. Songs like MWSAL, Mediterranea and Runway Runaway are about as close as you can get to the Rio album, but they have much more in them that push those songs (and the rest of the album) to a whole new place. So Duran Duran, to sum up, yes change your sound from album to album, just do it in a more natural evolution. Try not to jump from one extreme sound to another, and for the love of Pete, don't try and emulate the latest trendy hip hop sounds. It just isn't you. Well Written, i agree With you . But rcm have many good songs on it. Like The Valley, Falling down, Box full of honey, she's too much. But i felt a bit embarresed When i heard Tempted and zoom in, zoom out. Bout melody and lyrics. Medazzaland is the album with most integrety, it sounds natural, They are not trying so hard to get in comtemperary direction..
|
|
|
Post by stopdead on Feb 25, 2014 13:02:13 GMT -5
I'm trying to remain optimistic that DD learned a lot from their time w/ Ronson and will apply those skills to DD14. AYNIN was the closest thing to DD perfection we've had in ages. It would be hard to top even w/ Ronson on board. But without him, I'm nervous. Here's hoping they prove me wrong! At the very least I hope they get Spike to mix...
|
|
|
Post by Sir rogerlejohn jr. on Feb 25, 2014 13:14:18 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by madoldlu on Feb 25, 2014 14:16:59 GMT -5
I agree, sir rogerlejohn jr., that there are a few good songs in RCM. Definitely the ones you pointed out, and I actually like Tempted and Zoom In. And thanks for posting that new Coldplay song. See, I think despite it being a fairly big step away from the normal Coldplay sound, I think it's still in keeping with them and not totally out of character. I wouldn't mind if Duran took inspiration from Radiohead, another band which I feel shares some Duran DNA. theskoog, Nick was quoted recently saying this: "I think the important thing is that we make a great album an album, something that impress people, because I don’t think we all feel that way about the recent album, we all got reservations about it..." Read more: duranduranboard.proboards.com/thread/32447/another-stellar-update-duranasty?page=2&scrollTo=342090#ixzz2uMYqCJSTHopefully he was misquoted and was actually talking about RCM and not AYNIN like the article implies. But if he was talking about AYNIN, then you can say goodbye to them ever sounding like that again!
|
|
|
Post by coolbarn on Feb 26, 2014 1:39:38 GMT -5
Yeah we were discussing that on the Lizardking forums. We came to the conclusion that the quote was lost in translation, and that John didn't mean such a thing. I think either that, or the quote was taken after RCM and before AYNIN, because then it would make perfect sense.
Afterall what sane person could say such a thing - AYNIN is the best album they have done in 30 years, and I'm sure the band know how popular it is on these and other Duran Duran related boards. If they knew that not everyone loved RCM, then by the same token they knew that most fans loved AYNIN.
|
|
|
Post by secondalibi on Feb 26, 2014 5:11:27 GMT -5
I am gutted to hear that Mark Ronson isn't producing the new album. I have just lowered my expectations.
DD can't produce their own albums, it just doesn't work. The production on "Medazzaland" is very poor. In fact I remember when John Jones (Wedding Album producer) was asked about his opinion of "Medazzaland" after listening to it, he suggested that having a producer would have helped.
- G.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2014 5:11:28 GMT -5
I would love to see Andy Taylor produce the new album. He wouldn't be a band member, but would add something short term that has been missing from the Duran sound. It could bring an army of 'fab five' fans back and generate a lot of press. He is producer in this own right doing countless projects for other artists since the mid 1980s.
Astronaut had several good Andy Taylor guitar driven tracks taken out such as Virus and the early version of What Happens Tomorrow. Such a waste. It even doesn't have to be produced in London, spend the summer in Ibiza and make another classic album.
|
|