Written by Samantha Evans
With a U.S and U.K tour running through the end of the year, multiple talk show appearances, and a debut of their new album at number 10 on the charts, Duran Duran has a lot on their plate since their last time in the spotlight.
Known for their new wave/pop fusion, Duran Duran invaded the charts in the ’80s and have held on since. Creating controversial videos and being one of the firsts for many things, the band created a blueprint for many others to follow. With their new release, Paper Gods, which took two years to create, the guys took their weird, funky tones and made them even more dramatic with this album. Anticipated by some? Probably. Worth the wait and hype? Maybe not so much. Paper Gods is an attempt to be in the new age and the artist tries too hard to make that happen.
Duran Duran has always marketed themselves as an artsy pop group, playing with different sounds and melodies, being creative. The album seems to be all over the place especially with the seven minute title song introducing the album which starts off promising but turns to an eclectic mess of noise. Songs like “Change the Skyline” and “Danceophobia” have obnoxious tweaks of the synthesizer and simplistic lyrics that have no meaning behind them. With a sudden surprise and a touch of decency, “You Kill Me with Silence” and “Last Night in the City” save the album a bit with their whimsical beats and catchy hooks and chorus. Also promising, “Sunset Garage” has a message of “won’t back down” with a cheery undertone. “Whatever happens, we’re okay. Hey, we’re still alive…We’re gunna make it on our own.”
They tried. Their music may not be for everyone however even if it isn’t the listener can still tell that the artist tried too hard. Despite wanting to be up and coming and fitting in with modern music, Paper Gods takes the band a huge step back
Album rating: 4 of 10
Click here to purchase Paper Gods (Deluxe Version) by Duran Duran on iTunes
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