Review: Duran Duran continues reign on new album 'Paper Gods'

On its ambitious new album "Paper Gods," Duran Duran adds a modern electronic sheen to its trademark new wave pop – a sound the band refers to as "Brand Duran" in an interview in Rolling Stone magazine Aug. 6.

After riding New Romanticism into a wave of hit albums in the early to mid-1980s, Duran has embraced everything from funk to electronica in its three-decade-plus career. The Birmingham, England, band isn't easily categorized, and neither is "Paper Gods." Duran's 14th studio album, due out Sept. 11 on Warner Bros., is its most keyboard-driven effort in years and has an eclectic energy reminiscent of the band's 1993 hit "The Wedding Album."

Duran comes out swinging on the lead-off title track with some rare social commentary, proclaiming "the fools in town / are ruling now." The song features background vocals from Mr. Hudson, who also capably handles much of the album's production. It's the first of many guest spots on "Paper Gods." Mew's Jonas Bjerre sings on "Change The Skyline," and three of the album's tracks boast guitarist and former Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante, who at times seems to be channeling ex-Duran guitarist Warren Cuccurullo.

In 2013, Duran pledged that the new album would be "likely to move you closer to the dance floor." The band delivers on that promise with songs such as "Last Night in the City" (featuring Kiesza) and "Face for Today," one of the standout tracks. Duran displays its funky side on lead single "Pressure Off" (featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers) and "Butterfly Girl," with its Daft Punk-esque refrain.

While Duran aims for clubland with the album's first half, the band also brings the ballads. "What Are the Chances?" has been likened to "Save A Prayer" and also reminds the listener of "Ordinary World" – and, yes, it deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. "Paper Gods" draws to a close with the hypnotic "Only In Dreams" (the album's other Mark Ronson/Rodgers collaboration) and "The Universe Alone," a fitting ballad for the apocalypse.

Much has been made in the media of Lindsay Lohan's spoken word contribution on "Danceophobia," but it's a mostly forgettable moment. Fans also might notice a lack of standout bass lines and noticeable guitar on certain tracks.

It's clear that "Paper Gods" is keyboardist Nick Rhodes' domain. Singer Simon Le Bon, having suffered vocal problems during Duran's last world tour, also is at his strongest. On "Only in Dreams," he sings, "There's a vampire in the limousine / The sun's going down like a symphony / She keeps her guard up while her nails are wet / I don't wanna wake up." It's a piece of new wave poetry.

"Paper Gods" manages to capture plenty of those "Brand Duran" moments, and that's what will appeal to longtime fans, pushing Duran Duran into its fourth decade and perhaps beyond.

Single review: Duran Duran comes roaring back with 'Pressure Off'

June 21, 2015

Duran Duran steps into the future with its new single, "Pressure Off," which was released June 19 and is available to listen to and download on several channels, including Google Play.

The song features Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers, who, along with co-producer Mark Ronson, can be heard all over the new single. Sure, the song is in the vein of Rodger's and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" and Ronson's "Uptown Funk." While featuring the vibrancy of the newer songs by longtime Duranies Rodgers and Ronson, it's classic Duran.

After all, the funk revival Daft Punk brought about by welcoming Rodgers into the fold was done much earlier by Duran, who had the Chic musician produce and play on the band's hit album "Notorious" in the 1980s (he also produced a remix of "The Reflex" and "Wild Boys"). Ronson produced Duran's last studio album, 2011's "All You Need Is Now."

Embracing nostalgia while keeping a foot in the future seems to be a theme of Duran's latest work. The band's forthcoming album, "Paper Gods," is sprinkled with references to Duran's past, at least as far as the artwork goes. A "cherry ice cream smile," a tiger, and now, a toothy, roaring maw. The latter image, now associated with "Pressure Off," is a nod to "Wild Boys." Again, Duran has all the makings of a hit on its hands.

"Pressure Off" is Duran's first effort off "Paper Gods," set to be released Sept. 18 in the United States. The band played audio of the song before its set June 20 at Sonar Festival, and the chance to hear the single live with all featured players is looming as Duran begins a round of U.S. shows Aug. 5 at Rodger’s FOLD Festival.

The track listing of "Paper Gods," as shown on Amazon: "Paper Gods" (feat. Mr Hudson); "Last Night In The City" (feat. Kiesza); "You Kill Me With Silence"; "Pressure Off"; "Face For Today"; "Danceophobia"; "What Are the Chances?"; "Sunset Garage"; "Change The Skyline"; "Butterfly Girl"; "Only In Dreams"; "The Universe Alone"; "Planet Roaring" (bonus track); "Valentine Stones" (bonus track); and "Northern Lights" (bonus track).

Duran Duran's top moments of 2014

December 21, 2014

As another year comes to a close, Duran Duran looked back at its last album, digitally released four years ago, on its Facebook page Dec. 21. But 2014 was all about the future for the British band, as fans eagerly await a new album, a tour, and more in 2015.

Even as Duran spent most of the year in the studio, 2014 was still filled with top moments for the band.

Superproducers in the studio: Duran Duran spent 2014 working with a variety of musicians on the band's 14th studio album, including new and familiar faces. Joining the band were Nile Rodgers, who produced 1986's "Notorious" album, as well as Mark Ronson, who helmed "All You Need Is Now," the album that is celebrating its four-year anniversary. Duran also spent time with producer Mr. Hudson and musician John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

A return to the stage: Over the summer and into the fall, Duran Duran played a handful of live shows. Duran performed at the White Nights of St. Petersburg Festival in Russia, the Fashion Rocks televised special, and a couple of shows in Austin, Texas: one celebrating Grand Prix weekend and another at the DellWorld Convention. The band played a variety of its hit songs, but no new music.

Stars pay tribute: Manimal Vinyl offered Duranies new music despite the wait fans were enduring for the new album. "Making Patterns Rhyme" was released in 2014, boasting cover versions of Duran classics by the likes of Moby, Warpaint, and others.

Lynch film has legs: Duran's 2011 collaboration with director David Lynch loomed large in 2014, as the concert film played in movie theaters across North America. "Duran Duran Unstaged" also was available live on demand on cable television.

Hungry Like A... Singer Simon LeBon offered music fans a treat in the form of a high-profile performance on the soundtrack to the newest "Hunger Games" film. LeBon appeared on a Lorde-curated track with British singer Charlie XCX. Like the Lynch film, the song received rave reviews, including from Rolling Stone magazine, which called the tune one of the soundtrack's best songs.

Duran Duran's top moments of 2013

December 18, 2013

Duran Duran's year will be marked by what lies ahead in 2014: a new album and the band's first tour dates in more than a year and a half. "If only you could hear the music we're making," bassist John Taylor tweeted Dec. 16, "You would be dancing."

DD 2014: It's the hashtag the band used for updates on its 14th studio album, and photos and tidbits of information the band members released on social media created the buzz. In March, Duran returned to the studio with producer Mark Ronson, who helmed the band's 2011 album, "All You Need Is Now." A few months later, Duran mentioned the album promised to move the band "closer to the dance floor." Fans can look forward to hearing the music Taylor speaks of next year; the record is due as early as next spring.

Wedding 20: 2013 was a year of milestones for Duran and many of the 13 albums that preceded its next effort. In February, the band's hit 1993 "The Wedding Album" turned 20 to much fanfare. Later in the year, on Black Friday, the band chose to mark the occasion for Record Store Day, releasing a limited edition white vinyl version of "No Ordinary EP." Among the other albums to celebrate big birthdays was 1983's "Seven and the Ragged Tiger."

One night only: The band laid low during 2013, as in mostly in the studio. There were appearances and individual performances, to be sure. But Duran chose the bright spotlight of the Cannes Film Festival for its only live performance together in 2013. In May, the band was on hand at Cannes as the rights to its David Lynch-directed "Unstaged" were being snatched up. The film had its theatrical premiere in New York City in November, and the band promises more showings to come next year.

TV Mania: 2013 also saw the release of the long-awaited Nick Rhodes/Warren Cuccurullo side project TV Mania. "Bored With Prozac and the Internet?" dropped in March. Rhodes marked the avant garde project's release by staging an exhibition of his photography, a longtime passion of the keyboardist and Duran founder.

Le Bon chimes in: Singer Simon Le Bon took to the stage in 2013 in a solo capacity, performing with former Duran collaborators Timbaland and Nile Rodgers during the summer. Le Bon joined Timba at the Chime for Change concert, while he performed with Rodgers at Hyde Park.

Books, books, books: Taylor stayed busy continuing to promote his memoir, "In the Pleasure Groove," which was released in paperback. Taylor chatted with fans on Twitter and in person at major book festivals. Also out in time for the holidays is archivist Andrew Golub's "Beautiful Colors: The Poster's of Duran Duran," with a forward by Rhodes.

Duran Duran's singles stand the test of time

April 5, 2013

Twenty-one Billboard Hot 100 singles, two official greatest hits albums, and more than a hundred million record sales later, Duran Duran is back in the studio. And the band is sure to come up with some gems that live up to the glory of singles past.

"Good couple of days with Duran and Mark Ronson getting songs together for the new album," guitarist Dom Brown wrote Thursday on Twitter. "I think it's gonna be a great one!"

Here's a look back at Duran Duran's top 10 singles, not based solely on their performance on the charts, but on their resonance in the band's career and in pop culture:

"Ordinary World": The first single from the band's 1990s reboot marks Duran's finest hour to date. The song is anything but ordinary: It's a ballad without a hint of sappiness, and a chance for all four members to shine without showboating. Nick Rhodes' orchestral synths, John Taylor's soothing bass line, Warren Cuccurullo's soaring guitar solos, and Simon Le Bon's vocal and lyrical performance meld to make this album track pure perfection.

"Careless Memories": It was a bit of a chart dud for the fledgling band from Birmingham, but the song has stood the test of time musically. It's now a live staple, and the studio track is every bit as good.

"Save a Prayer": Still a touchstone for the band and its "Rio" heyday. Live, Le Bon never fails to make fans swoon when he strums his guitar.

"Rio": The video of Duran's voyage via yacht is one of the band's most memorable moments among the public at large, and the song has become expected during the band's live encores.

"The Relex": The Nile Rodgers-remixed track was the band's first single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts, and it never fails to get people on the dance floor.

"A View to a Kill": Still the only James Bond theme to hit No. 1 on Billboard, the song is perhaps the highlight of the film of the same name.

"Notorious": It was a hit in 1986, and it continued to pay off for the band over the years with its references by rapper Notorious B.I.G. and the cult movie "Donnie Darko."

"I Don't Want Your Love": The top five single was a highlight of the band's late '80s output. The video introduced Cuccurullo to casual fans, and he soon became an official member.

"Serious": A dud on arrival, the band revived the song for its live shows during its "Wedding Album"-era comeback. This seriously underrated track even made the cut for Duran's "Greatest" album.

"What Happens Tomorrow": Although the single didn't perform spectacularly on the charts, it was a highlight of the Fab Five's reunion, performed memorably for the "Live From London" concert DVD.

Honorable mentions: "Planet Earth," "Girls On Film," "Is There Something I Should Know," "Hungry Like the Wolf," "Wild Boys," "Come Undone," "(Reach Up for the) Sunrise."

TV Mania provides soundtrack to reality-TV world with new album

March 12, 2013

"Bored With Prozac And The Internet?"

Then Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes has something for you.

TV Mania, made up of prolific keyboardist Rhodes and former Duran guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, released the long-awaited album via iTunes and Amazon.com in the United States on Tuesday.

For Rhodes, the journey to becoming TV Mania has taken him from "Planet Earth" to "Planet Fashion," the television show from which the new album samples heavily.

With its spoken-word "vocals," Rhodes' synths, and Cuccurullo's equally experimental guitars, TV Mania's effort is more art project than pop album. It's a line long straddled by Rhodes, the driving force behind Duran Duran for about 35 years.

The pop-friendly elements here can be heard on the band's 1997 album, "Medazzaland," also produced by TV Mania. And songs such as "Paramount" have hints of Rhodes' and Stephen Duffy's The Devils.

Among the other standout tracks are "Euphoria," with its other-worldly vocals, and "People Know Your Name," as well as "Beautiful Clothes."

Rhodes and Cuccurullo have said TV Mania envisions a family allowing its existence to be televised. 

"Bored With Prozac And The Internet?" encapsulates a vision of the "banality of life" in a world that has been taken over by reality TV.

And TV Mania provides the perfect soundtrack.

Duran Duran's top moments of 2012

December 21, 2012

In 2012, Duran Duran toured the world, celebrating anniversaries and hitting career highlights along the way.

Nearly 35 years after Duran's formation, the band shows few signs of slowing down in the new year. Duran will be back in the studio with producer Mark Ronson in the spring, and John Taylor has mentioned the possibility of more shows in the summer.

In the meantime, here's a look back at some of Duran's top moments of 2012:

"A Diamond in the Mind": In 2011, Duran captured its concert in Manchester on film during a holiday season tour of the United Kingdom. The result was a concert DVD as well as Duran's first Blu-ray of its innovative live show. The film had a digital premiere on Facebook and also is available in CD form.

Keyboardist Nick Rhodes described the band's live approach in the documentary accompanying the disc: "It's funny to think that three decades into the band's career that you can actually reinvigorate the music, the live show to the point where you wonder why you hadn't done certain things before."

Tour of Europe, Asia: Duran continued to make good on dates canceled during singer Simon Le Bon's vocal scare of 2011. Stops also included the Altitude Festival in Switzerland and the Exit Festival in Serbia, as well as shows in Australia and South America.

"Rio" turns 30: As Duran's summer of touring stretched on, the band's landmark 1982 album had its 30th anniversary. The band marked the occasion by setting sail on the refurbished yacht featured in the video for the song "Rio."

Olympic gold: The band capped its summer string of European tour dates with a performance at London's Hyde Park to celebrate the opening of the Olympic Games. In year-end holiday greetings from the band posted Friday, drummer Roger Taylor called the concert a career highlight.

Triumphs, tribulations on U.S. tour: Duran pushed itself by adding a third leg to its "All You Need Is Now" tour, this time in the states, some of which the band had visited before on the tour. Duran garnered rave reviews in places such as Tulsa, Okla. But with just a few tour dates left, Rhodes fell ill, forcing the band to cancel the remaining shows.

John Taylor, bestselling author: Duran's bassist, who also has dabbled in singing and acting, added autobiographical writing to his repertoire with "In The Pleasure Groove: Love, Death & Duran Duran." The book turned out to be an international bestseller in the fall, and Taylor visited the U.K., North America and Italy to promote it.