It was with suspicion - and a little surprise - that I learned of a new Duran Duran full lenght album that had secretly been released in late 2010. On the verge of my own 40th birthday, and living with the lack of energy that goes along with everyday life, I seriously doubted that Simon and friends could still provide entertainment, while pushing 50.
I was seriously wrong, the kind of wrong that is normally reserved for politicians, mostly governors.
Cinematically wrong then because All You Need Is Now is easily their best record in the last two decades. In the previous 5-6 albums they had tried to paint a slow, colorful canvas of indie rock, intermixed with several failed attempts at being mainstream and defining new fashion as they had done in the 1980s. This new effort brings forth their best abilities, all at once.
John Taylor's rhythmic bass is everywhere even in the surprisingly melodic - and rare - ballads.
Nick Rhodes is making us rediscover why he is legend; his arpeggios and soundscapes even in the most discoish of songs. Some of the more dramatic chord changes are pleasantly unexpected as in The Man Who Stole A Leopard, an ironic opus to the absurdity of American (and British) news.
Simon's voice is also pleasantly unlayered - although clearly autotuned - and his lyrics actually make (some) sense. The titlesong All You Need is Now (see video link above) defines exactly how a whole generation of 80s kids that are just about, or have just turned 40, feels. (like me)
Jesus, even the drums are good! In fact the only way to have made this album any better would have been to involve their ex-legendary guitarist Warren Cuccurullo.
I'm scoring it as an 8/10 accounting for Simon's beard.
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