Duran Duran: Faded Romanticism

By Beth Winegarner

As one of the few bands to survive the 1980s, Duran Duran comes across like the stone pillars of a lost generation -- a bit worn but with enough gilt left to remind us of the best moments of those years. On its latest release, Medazzaland, the band -- now down to two of its original members -- shows that although its bright New Romantic colors have faded, it's still capable of occasional brilliance.

Founding bassist John Taylor sidestepped Duran Duran during the production of Medazzaland. In his absence, former Missing Persons member Warren Cuccurullo stepped in to pull double duty on bass and guitars. Simon LeBon's voice is heavily treated at times, and his lyrics don't penetrate like they used to, but he's still capable. Nick Rhodes' layered keyboard work, combined with Cuccurullo's production, creates a richly faceted sound overflowing with clever samples, industrial touches, and enough hooks to (mostly) pull it off.

The album kicks off with a series of clinchers, from the ga-ga pop of "Big Bang Generation" and the modern rock radio hit "Electric Barbarella" to the plush balladry of "Out of My Mind." Songs like these introduce Duran Duran's recent romance with traditional Indian sounds, from the ragaesque riffs on "Generation" to the otherworldly tabla and santoor on "Mind."

Unfortunately, from there the album moves into a series of lackluster tracks such as "Who Do You Think You Are?" and "Silva Halo," a poor refrain compared with 1982's "sing blue silver" from "The Chauffeur." "Be My Icon" is probably the most unlistenable tune, with its pager samples, droning instrumentation and awkward vocals. Although "Michael, You've Got a Lot to Answer For" uplifts the record with its acoustic themes, "Midnight Sun" and "So Long Suicide" drag it down again.

Medazzaland is an album that has some gorgeous, fun moments but that, ultimately, suffers from its attempts to move beyond the confines of Duran Duran's traditional sound. Still, it's good to see this band refusing to give up the ghost.

This article was originally published in Addicted to Noise.