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Post by kitaj on Jan 27, 2016 3:22:20 GMT -5
I had to dig real deep to find a thread on the new album, and finally managed to find this one on page 19 (!), which may say a lot.. or not.
I don't remember the last time I got tired of a Duran album so quickly. YKMWS is the only solid gold track worthy of a personal best-of. Pressure Off has a killer chorus, and the title track earns points for trying something a bit more interesting, but otherwise.. as un-DD, un-original and uninspired as any album this side of Liberty (which at least was a killer 'muso' album). still better than Astronaut I'd say, but way worse than AYNIN and RCM (which the latter I really like, and remains my fav post-reunion album).
and now, let's trudge through the next 3-year greatest-hits touring cycle etc.. all pretty boring by now. wouldn't you say so?
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Post by ttt on Jan 27, 2016 8:16:58 GMT -5
My answer is the same as it was previously in this thread.
I find myself listening to Paper Gods and Northern Lights quite a bit - with a little Valentine Stones and Face for Today. But not much else.
The whole thing does feel dead though...I almost wish they would just start on a new album.
Unless this is the tour where they really do offer up a mixed up setlist.
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redmumba
PAPER GOD
Nonabuser of ellipsis
Posts: 3,536
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Post by redmumba on Jan 27, 2016 8:51:43 GMT -5
I've not played the album since the December UK shows. What hasn't helped it's cause is the serious lack of physical releases and the just God awful artwork and presentation. I'm so glad I didn't copy the album's artwork when I got my ink done. I thankfully went for the retro logos as opposed to the modern versions! Lol I can't understand Warner's approach with it all. They spend fortunes on getting Duran on prime time TV everywhere and they are all over the press like a rash. Then suddenly nothing. It's like they ran out of gas on the highway. No more money. The CD packaging is just...shit, the vinyl packaging.. I haven't played this album since late November. I did have it on a USB stick in my car to listen to, but the USB was only like 2GB, so I deleted it to make room for other new tunes. For Christmas I did get this 1TB portable drive with a bonus 16GB USB stick, but haven't felt the need to put PG on the 16GB. Despite there having been promo CD singles of PO and WATC, no physical CD single with b-sides / remixes hasn't helped them either. As for them touring...ok...that's great. When they hit my area, the album will have been out for 7 months. How are Warners going to get people interested in seeing them in concert performing new tracks if there isn't a promotional push that's ongoing? Not only that, but playing these large venues in the U.S. with exorbitantly high prices isn't doing then any favors either. I dunno....it's all been a bit of a let down.
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Post by l0st1t2b0st1k on Jan 27, 2016 10:17:52 GMT -5
Ever since Bowie's death (and the band's subsequent responses to it), I've been wondering, does anyone else suspect that Duran Duran's next album might be somewhat of an homage to the Thin White Duke?
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Post by ghostjet on Jan 27, 2016 10:21:27 GMT -5
The big surprise for me is how attached I've become to The Universe Alone and why I even love Only In Dreams, but I do. I probably overplayed Butterfly Girl so not so much anymore, but we received our additional copies of the album in the mail last week as a part of the ticket package so it gave me an excuse to listen all over again.
This is no different than 95 percent of the albums released. The only artists that are releasing singles 7 months later are Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. I go through the new releases every few months and you never hear about these albums a month after they are released. The new RHCP might be an exception. Suede released a new album. and so? Prince has two albums out...and so? Even newer groups like Panic at the Disco! have albums out and where is all the press there? So, let us enjoy the beauty of bands like Duran Duran and The Cure still out there on the road, plugging away and say that these days an album rarely has a life like Michael Jackson's Thriller. The market is massive and if it wasn't for people my age that are in charge of television shows and music labels, etc. I doubt Duran would get any attention in the press. I think some of this is that we as fans have a chip on our shoulders for the grief we received for loving the band in the first place but the truth is brighter. Duran Duran has accomplished more than most famous bands and they are loved by a loyal following.
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Post by Xxxxxx on Jan 27, 2016 10:43:07 GMT -5
I like much of Paper Gods But my three real "keepers" are still. You Kill Me With Silence, Only in Dreams, and Butterfly Girl.
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Post by josefk on Jan 27, 2016 12:14:17 GMT -5
The saving grace for me was the bonus tracks (NL, VS, CR & PR) which stick closer to my idea of the band’s “sound” - equal parts guitar to synths, intriguing lyrics and killer vocals. With the addition of FFT, PO and BG, that makes seven core songs for my heavy in rotation DD playlist. Surprisingly that’s one more song than from AYNIN (Med, BF, TBYSB, RR, Leopard & BTR), but the latter group as a whole is of a slightly higher quality. Will my opinion of the PG songs change over time? Probably, since just a year or two ago I would have rated GP from AYNIN as an essential track but it just hasn’t stood the test of time.
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Post by ttt on Jan 27, 2016 13:18:53 GMT -5
The saving grace for me was the bonus tracks (NL, VS, CR & PR) which stick closer to my idea of the band’s “sound” - equal parts guitar to synths, intriguing lyrics and killer vocals. With the addition of FFT, PO and BG, that makes seven core songs for my heavy in rotation DD playlist. Surprisingly that’s one more song than from AYNIN (Med, BF, TBYSB, RR, Leopard & BTR), but the latter group as a whole is of a slightly higher quality. Will my opinion of the PG songs change over time? Probably, since just a year or two ago I would have rated GP from AYNIN as an essential track but it just hasn’t stood the test of time. I agree with a lot of this regarding AYNIN. I never skip Med or Leopard when they come up on shuffle...sometimes skip RR and BF...but usually not. But i agree on GP - something about it - just don't have the desire to hear it anymore. Maybe that will kick back in.
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Post by Xxxxxx on Jan 27, 2016 13:21:44 GMT -5
For me GP is now essential Duran Duran; it has a classic DD sound and should have been the lead single with a standard length video.
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Post by derekduran on Jan 27, 2016 13:56:06 GMT -5
I struggled with Paper Gods from the start- Pressure Off made no impression at all when it came out and the album just after the A- ha album ( which i really like) and as I started my trips around Europe following the U2 tour, so wasn't in a Duran space
That said I have given it a go and Face for today, What are the chances and especially The Universe Alone stand out for me, with Paper Gods, Last Night, Northern Lights and Silence all in the OK column that I'll listen to
The other half of the album just doesn't connect with me, I haven't played any of it for quite a while
I've been so disconnected from this era that I almost skipped the UK tour, as it was the show had the same affect as the album- ie just didn't connect with me- but again part of that was timing with the U2 tour so again I was not really in a Duran space
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