Duran Duran's "Red Carpet Massacre"- First Listen

[djcraig]

Remember when gritty, roadhouse rocker, Rod Stewart, put out a disco album and you could never see him the same way since?

History may be repeating.

Duran Duran's "Red Carpet Massacre" is full of heavy dance floor beats and hip hop production thanks to Timbaland and Timberlake. Many of the songs, like "Nite-Runner", which looks to be the most popular download from the album on iTunes, are barely recognizable as Duran Duran. The songs seem indistinct from other current dance floor faves from artists like Rihanna, Ciara and Nelly Furtado.

"Falling Down" looks to be the standout track with others like "Box Full o' Honey", "She's Too Much" and "Last Man Standing" sounding Duranish but limping along without making much impact.

A disappointing effort as I had hoped for better.









<a href="http://www.djcraig.net/los_angeles_dj">DJ Craig</a>

[Berserker]

I'm actually digging it. Way more than any of the last few DD albums. It has a synth instrumental, for crying out loud. If that isn't classic New Wave, I don't know what is.

[TragicMagic]

I am hearng 2 starkly different opiions all around the traps.

I think this album will be, as I originally expected, a true love or hate album.

if it does it's job of brining the kiddies to DD to prolong their careers for the record company, then I guess it's worth it.

Interesting to see what happens in coming weeks chart-wise. Specifically with Timberland and Timberlake both being on top of their games world-wide right now.

TM

[birdmadgirl]

I've got to listen to it more. I'm on the fence right now--I like about half of it and am not so sure about the other half. And, I'm not sure if it's one of those albums that will eventually grow on me.

[tikibars]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Berserker[/i]
<br>I'm actually digging it. Way more than any of the last few DD albums. It has a synth instrumental, for crying out loud. If that isn't classic New Wave, I don't know what is.
[/quote

Wendy Carlos' Switched on Bach is 45 minutes of synth instrumental, and it is not New Wave.

Most modern club music is synth instrumental, and it is not new wave.

The whole 1980s New Age movement is mostly synth instrumental. and it is not new wave.

Should I continue...?

[Berserker]

Sorry, but your analogies are very weak. The New Wave era, particularly in the New Romantic and Synthpop arenas, was marked by such instrumentals (see Numan, Ultravox, Visage, YMO, etc.). They pretty much fell by the wayside around '83 or so. Hearing a synth-based instrumental track on a new album of vocal tracks really does take me back.

[djcraig]

DD Performance from today on Good Morning America...

Girls On Film
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex ... affil=kabc

Falling Down
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex ... affil=kabc

<a href="http://www.djcraig.net/los_angeles_dj">DJ Craig</a>

[birdmadgirl]

The performance of "Skin Divers" is pretty good, too.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex ... affil=ktnv

[KYYX4ever]

thanks for posting that bmg & djcraig,
I might otherwise have never come across it.
Mmmm, liking "Skin Divers". It should be their 1st single. It's modern-sounding, yet got an unmistakeable old-school Duran vibe. IMO, it captures that old NewRo slinky sweaty club vibe, all bassy and poseurish. I love it !
Hope when they announce their tour dates that they come to my neck of the woods.[:X]

[TheMunDial]

I got the deluxe edition, and after watching the DVD today, I appreciate the album more. Granted, I only heard it last night, but with songs like "Nite Rider" and "Red Carpet Massacre" already stuck in my head, it's a good sign.

And "Falling Down" is just awesome.

---

It's THRILLING! It's GLORIFICENT! It's the best thing to happen to the Internet since the New Wave Outpost! Click away and taste unbridled euphoria!

http://blog.myspace.com/alfredeus

[latebar]

the BUZZ around RCM was just amazing(ie broadway shows, crystal clear quality concert leak, electro set, radio shows, Youtube), i was in 7th heaven the past 2 weeks. the buzz, i felt, was even bigger than pre-Astronaut.

this is the 3rd coming of DD, i really love the 2nd half of RCM starting from Skin Divers(minus rapping) till Last Man Standing. bonus track Cry Baby Cry is amazing too so try to hunt down this track if u guys could

& Andy, stop being an ass & let DD to release Reportage, for God's sake!!!!!


Simon made a boo-boo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czT-19FdzVU

[DJ Phoenix]

I bought the "Special Edition" set, and didn't come away unhappy at all. Infact, on the contrary, I was VERYhappy w/the record, and think this will definately put them back on the charts. Great record all around.

Falling Down and Night Moves are my two favorites.

http://djphenix.proboards55.com/

[korova1]

The wife picked this up at Tar-get last week and has had it in our baby car for a week now. I can honestly say it isn't bad for what it is... pop music in 2007.

I wouldn't go out and buy it for myself but it is ten times better than that Astronaut CD. I got that thing for free at work and have never made it through more than 2 songs in a row at a time. My wife sorta likes that one, but behind her back I must say Astronaut was truly awful. DD picked themselves up in my opinion. This is probably their best since way back. Better than all of the late 80's crap and as a whole, and better sounding than the Wedding album as a whole...although nothing on this album is outwardly better than "Come Undone" or "Ordinary World". There, you have it. My opinion.

Sure they are trying hard to be hip and relevant to the times... after Rio they were always very hyper-aware of using the big producers of their time, from Nile Rogers, Alex Sadkin, Jon Elias, Chris Kimsey in the 80's... kinda interesting to hear what a former rap only producer Timbaland did with 'em since he switched over to pop artists. I really don't know how "Nite Runner" is unrecognizable as DD. That track sounds like "Wild Boys" little lost brother. Duran Duran have always been current pop artists ever since Rio made it big... I guess they never looked back.

I wish them success, in the world of today's shitty pop music Tim and Nate seem like the only ones whose truly have got it going on.

I agree some day it would be interesting to hear their "Reportage" album if they ever decide to release it. Andy Taylor reportedly left the band over that album because he didn't like the direction they were going with the pop stuff. He wanted "electric" and "new wave" - they wanted "pop". Some things don't change.

[Blitz Boy]

I haven't listened the album at the moment, but when, a couple of years ago, I interviewed Duran Duran, both Simon LeBon and Nick Rhodes told me that the one and only original music that were being made now is... ¡hip-hop!... and that they were digging into it. Maybe this helps to get less shocked by the contents of the record.

Fortunately, Simon signed me my old copies of first and second album with "New Romantics rule!". Finally, I could leave the room believing in the human race... [:D]

[TheMunDial]

Are you cereal? He wanted "New Wave"? Regardless, Reportage sounds like a lost gem for now...

And I love Astronaut. Red Carpet Massacre is sheer greatness, but Astronaut has been in rotation for three years in my car. Both are great albums for very different reasons.

I really hope they manage to capitalize on "Nite-Runner." With a cool video and a couple of JT-DD performances on TV, they can shoot up the charts. Follow that up with "Skin Divers" and they'll have that "comeback" people's been talking about since "Is There Something I Should Know"...

Heh.

By the by, have any of you guys heard Nick Rhodes' side project, The Devils with the original lead singer of Duran Duran? They released an "electronic circa 1979" album, Dark Circles, a couple of years ago. I only became aware it now and was wondering if it was any good. Know someplace where I can find it? Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devils_%28band%29

---

It's THRILLING! It's GLORIFICENT! It's the best thing to happen to the Internet since the New Wave Outpost! Click away and taste unbridled euphoria!

http://blog.myspace.com/alfredeus