The year was 1983. The setting: Catholic grade school. My
buddies and I were just getting into heavy metal, and I found
myself going to the little mom-and-pop record store each week to
get the latest chart lists. The girls, however, were all giddy over
five British men who were storming the U.S., thanks in part to MTV
(as well as some suggestive videos).
Of course, the guys were curious about this new phenomenon,
calling themselves Duran Duran. We gave it a listen, looked at each
other, and asked, “So?”
We’re nearing 20 years since their first self-titled album (the
one without “Ordinary World”) was released (or, in the case of the
album Americans are used to, re-released in 1983), and while I’ve
warmed up to the album more than I did when I was a lad of 10, a
lot of the music on this first disc just hasn’t held up well to the
test of time. Then again, I wonder if the material was seen as
being strong when it first came out.
The group – Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, and brothers John, Roger
and Andy Taylor – would be immortalized thanks to three hits on
this album: “Girls On Film,” “Is There Something I Should Know?”
and, to a lesser extent, “Planet Earth”. The vocal harmonies
combined well with the danceable beats, creating songs that had
both style and substance. Of course, having five pretty faces to
make the girls go wild didn’t hurt matters, either.
Today, these songs are still rather entertaining, even if it’s
just for kitsch value. Call it a guilty pleasure, call it someone
stuck in the ’80s, call it whatever you like. I still think these
songs are pretty solid.
For the most part, the whole first half of
Duran Duran is a pretty good effort. Two of the lesser-known
tracks, “Is There Anyone Out There” and “Careless Memories,”
actually contain some of the brightest moments on the disc. “Is
There Anyone Out There” is less in a dance vein, and more of a rock
style that is both intriguing and addictive. The only reason I can
think that this track wasn’t released as a single was because it
didn’t quite fit the mold with the other previously released
tracks.
It’s too bad that the entire second side of
Duran Duran is a mess. Tracks like “(Waiting For The) Night
Boat,” “Sound Of Thunder” and “Friends Of Mine” are lifeless and
stale – quite a letdown from the bright spots the first half of the
album featured. The closing instrumental, “Tel Aviv,” doesn’t help
matters any, sounding a bit bloated and self-serving – as if the
members of the band had to prove they knew how to play their
instruments.
There is enough material on
Duran Duran to draw me back on occasion, and there is proof
on this disc that LeBon and company were more than just pretty
faces in the right place at the right time. But this is an album
that has to be approached with caution, because the traps they set
on the second side are lethal.
