Duran Duran revisits some of the darker songs in its catalog, conjures up some inspiring covers of other artists’ work, and adds three tantalizing original tracks on “Danse Macabre” (Tape Modern/BMG).
Twenty-eight years have passed since the band’s first covers effort, the ill-fated “Thank You,” and much has changed. Duran has had a late-career renaissance: After its rise back to the charts with “The Wedding Album,” the band began a commercial dip with “Thank You,” reunited its Fab Five lineup, and has now had a return to prominence—culminating in its induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. While “Thank You” had its moments (and was certified gold on the back of “The Wedding Album’s” success), the 1995 album was harshly panned by critics and is considered a mixed bag by fans.
In 2023, Duran has mostly cast aside the conventional classic rock of “Thank You” (aside from The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black”) and avoided hip-hop this time around (unless one counts Simon Le Bon’s “spoken-word” vocal on the band’s own “Danse Macabre”). The album features a confident-sounding Duran Duran, a band capable of turning around a full studio effort in under a year and mature enough to invite both former guitarists back into the fold—while finding space for its current guitarist as well as past collaborators Nile Rodgers and Mr Hudson.
“Danse Macabre” is an ambitious effort that manages to make a collection of covers and new songs sound surprisingly cohesive. From the moody “Nightboat” and the majestic “Secret Oktober 31st” (two of 10 songs to feature original guitarist Andy Taylor) to the funky “Love Voudou” featuring “comeback-era” axeman Warren Cuccurullo, the band rightfully owns the reboots of its classic songs here. Duran also dips into a diverse mix of covers, taking on disco (Cerrone’s “Supernature”), goth/post-punk (Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Spellbound”), new wave (Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”), and more. The latter song is delightful, featuring funky guitar from Taylor and Dom Brown, “Psycho”-esque keyboard stabs by Nick Rhodes, fantastic drumming by Roger Taylor, and dual bass from John Taylor and Måneskin’s Victoria De Angelis.
But the originals are the standout tracks, and perhaps as diverse as three different Duran songs can be. “Black Moonlight” is a would-be dance-floor smash featuring Rodgers and Taylor on guitar. “Danse Macabre”—aside from Le Bon’s dad-rap delivery—slaps musically, with Cuccurullo back on guitar (and additional guitar by John Taylor). And “Confession in the Afterlife” closes the album in that classic Duran fashion, harking back to Arcadia in its loveliness.
Much has been made of “Danse Macabre” being a Halloween album. But just as every day is Halloween for those of us who relish in the gothic side of life, “Danse Macabre” is a timeless effort for any season. It’s a joyful gift for Duranies that’s clearly made with love.
