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Though Rio will always remain the
quintessential Duran Duran album (and given this band's history
as a singles machine, that's a rarity), the first and third albums
shouldn't be overlooked. These two albums, now reissued, represent
glorious '80s decadence complete with hooks, makeup, and an arty
side.
Recent converts to Duran Duran after Rio
might be surprised upon listening to the debut album. Aside from
the classic tracks "Girls on Film" and "Planet
Earth, " Duran Duran sounds more like a post-punk
album a la Joy Division and the Cure, with a little Chic/disco
funk thrown in there. There was a serious, almost rocking side
to most of Duran Duran's tracks like on "Careless Memories"
and "Friends of Mine." This reissue reflects the original
British version so you won't find the excellent 1983 single "Is
There Something I Should Know" that was tacked on the American
version of the record.
By 1983's Seven and the Ragged Tiger,
Duran Duran already hit their stride as the Fab Five. There is
a moody, atmospheric tension surrounding the record (i.e. "The
Seventh Stranger," the instrumental "Tiger Tiger")
that is only enlivened by the damn best singles "The Reflex
"(the original, not the remixed single version), "New
Moon on Monday", and "Union of the Snake"; "Shadows
on Your Side" is an underrated gem that should have been
a hit. To compare this to the first album, Seven sounds
certainly commercial but on an artistic level, this was the New
Romantic sound at its height. Both these albums and Rio captured
the Fab Five at their zenith, making their subsequent albums
mixed affairs.
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