ADVANCE REVIEW: Duran Duran, Medazzaland (Capitol)
- Michele Morabito
Duran Duran have finally returned back to their roots - great pop dance music - on their latest album, Medazzaland. This new CD adds a little electronica and other wizardry alongside beautiful lyrics.
The first CD to come out of the newly slimmer Duran (with the departure of founding member and bassist John Taylor last January), Medazzaland immediately captures the listener's interest with the title track. It includes the electronically enhanced voice of Nick Rhodes, a first time on vocals for the keyboardist. It also introduces the production team of Nick and its guitarist Warren Cuccurullo as TV Mania (who recently produced two songs for the upcoming Blondie reunion album).
Medazzaland also has the honor of being the first album to have its first single being sold, previewed and downloaded (legally!) over the Internet before it hits retail distribution. The first single is "Electric Barbarella", an upbeat pop song tribute to the film in which the named themselves after - it remains to be seen whether they will run into legal problems, a la Aqua and "Barbie Girl".
One new song, "Out Of My Mind", appeared on The Saint soundtrack last April. The other songs include "Big Bang Generation", a wonderfully poppy song that can easily be sung along to. "Who Do You Think You Are?" is a beautifully written classic ballad. "Silva Halo" is a departure from the album as it is a bit gloomy and dark. "Be My Icon" is about fan obsession, which takes on an eerie aura with Princess Diana's death a few weeks ago. "Buried in the Sand" is rumored to be written about Taylor, the founding bassist who left earlier this year; it is a short, soft song. "Michael" is another soft ballad song that ends with powerful keynotes. "Midnight Sun" is a perfect in between rockish-and-ballad-song with a little acapella and some violins.
"So Long Suicide" is the most surprising song on the album, with a beginning soft like a lullaby to a powerful booming line of 'Hello, I'm alive' and alternates between a rocker and gentle closing. Duran's contemporary for this type of song would be Oasis - or is it Oasis like Duran?. The final track, "Undergoing Treatment", has a slight funky beat and whistle to it - and ends definitively with a door slamming.
The Duran Duran website, located at http://hollywoodandvine.com/duranduran can fill you in on the 'official' news of the band - but a wide variety of fan sites, such as one at http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/2578/dduran.html can help fans stay one step ahead with the latest unoffical news and rumours.
Medazzaland will be released in stores on October 14.
