The monumental embarrassment of their covers album, Thank You, derailed Duran Duran's impressive early-'90s comeback and its successor, the clumsily named Medazzaland, finds the group trying regain lost territory. John Taylor left the group early in the recording of Medazzaland, leaving Simon LeBon and Nick Rhodes as the only surviving original members. With former Missing Persons member Warren Cuccurullo assisting on guitar, bass, and production, LeBon and Rhodes decide to update their basic new romantic dance-pop to include industrial, Brit-pop, and ambient flourishes. Ironically, all this window dressing merely emphasizes that Duran Duran are at their best when they concentrate on straight-ahead dance-pop and balladry, not when they try to be hip. Unfortunately, for most of Medazzaland, the group tries to stay hip and contemporary, and ultimately that's what prevents the album from offering enough pleasure.
Tracklist
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
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2 COMMENTS:
Oh, but "Electric Barbarella" is such a great pop song. :)
I am willing to agree to disagree with you concerning Medazzaland, but I am grateful you at least take Duran Duran seriously, something I think only a handful of people do (sadly enough). I'm going to be wrapping up a four-part series on my own blog about Duran Duran that I will be publicizing in hopes of attracting some attention about this issue and the impassioned argument I am positing about why the band needs to be taken seriously. Any feedback would be appreciated.
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