Duran Duran - song-by-song rate & discussion thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Blame The Machines, May 5, 2019.

  1. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus

    Rose Arcana is a 2.5/5 for me. I like it, and I like instrumentals in general but it doesn't really arrest me...Abstract is hard to pull off, when I hear it and it works it's great, here it's just kind of there.
     
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  2. AFOS

    AFOS Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brisbane,Australia
    For me although the albums post 1985 are patchy the singles are almost uniformly excellent. "Someone Else Not Me" from Pop Trash is one of my favourites. And speaking of the Wedding Album..patchy but the two singles rank in their all time top ten best songs. In fact I may have "Ordinary World" at numero uno
     
  3. Paul Rymer

    Paul Rymer Forum Resident

    I have to agree they put out some superb singles throughout their career, can not fault them on that at all. The songs I like more than the singles are often not single material at all. Someone Else Like Me is a good example; we will get there eventually. I'm looking forward to exploring those 1990s/2000s albums a lot.
     
  4. Guapito

    Guapito Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Rose Arcana - 4/5
     
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  5. Chris Bernhardt

    Chris Bernhardt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago IL
    It's a blatant Japan ripoff (lol)!
     
  6. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    Well.... I really like Japan but it's not as if they have invented that type of music either! :hide:
     
  7. Chris Bernhardt

    Chris Bernhardt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago IL
    There are homages and then there are ripoffs ( I'm not mad about it).
     
  8. Paul Rymer

    Paul Rymer Forum Resident

    Actually, rather than Japan, Rose Arcana has more in common with the instrumentals Masami and Akira Mitake wrote as interludes on the "Live & Zen" album (1984) as well as some material on the last Ippu-Do studio album, which makes sense as he was there working with Arcadia.
     
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  9. mr_spenalzo

    mr_spenalzo Forum Resident

    Oh that Power Station album was over quicker than I thought (not something I ever thought when listening ;)), I will have to catch up!
     
  10. Curveboy

    Curveboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Sorry, been super busy with work...

    Missing

    Just not for me. A song this super moody has to be outstanding, and this is far from outstanding.

    Rose Arcana

    The album "short" version was always more of a curiosity to me. I'd rather here the long one which as far as instrumentals go is pretty enjoyable.
     
  11. negative1

    negative1 80s retro fan

    Location:
    USA
    Duran Durans the Reflex is the first track on Now 3 CD reissue for 1984:

    Now 3 coming to CD next month | superdeluxeedition

    [​IMG]

    The 1984 compilation album Now That’s What I Call Music 3 will be issued on CD for the first time next month.

    The 30-track compilation was issued on 23 July 1984, slap bang in the middle of the best-ever year of pop. And unlike NOW 2, there’s hardly a duffer or a flop amongst the tracks, which include three classic number ones in ‘The Reflex’ (Duran Duran), ‘Two Tribes’ (Frankie Goes To Hollywood) and ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’ (Wham!). But the chart-toppers only tell half the story, because this collection includes many other eighties classics such as Bronski Beat‘s ‘Smalltown Boy’, Cyndi Lauper‘s ‘Time After Time’ and Nik Kershaw‘s ‘I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’.

    later
    -1
     
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  12. Blame The Machines

    Blame The Machines Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Swindon
    Rose Arcana

    I was never really too much of a fan of either versions of this instrumental. Possibly it coming after the eerie Missing did not help. Whilst it is perfectly nice whilst it plays I just felt it neither had enough to keep me interested, nor the quality of the atmospherics was hypnotic enough to keep me captivated.

    (LP excerpt 2.0; Full Length 2.5/5)
     
  13. Blame The Machines

    Blame The Machines Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Swindon
    (Apologies for going off on a tangent on this thread)

    My favourite Now album. I wonder how many will have the incorrect original mixes that befell the first 2 NOW reissues? I don't know what Bob Marley's estate are playing at not allowing One Love on this version; and whilst I can fully understand not selecting Gary Glitter; they could have selected two (or more) of the non double LP tracks that featured on the VHS Now 3 video collection to replace them?

    The tracks are:
    Simple Minds – Up On The Catwalk
    Farmers Boys – In The Country
    Helen Terry – Love Lies Lost
    Loose Ends – Emergency (999)
    Working Week – Venceremos
    Talk Talk – Dum Dum Girl
    Kajagoogoo – Turn Your Back On Me
    The Mighty Wah – Come Back
    I-Level – Our Song
    Limahl – Too Much Trouble
    Thomas Dolby – I Scare Myself
    Blue Nile – Tinseltown In The Rain
     
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  14. Blame The Machines

    Blame The Machines Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Swindon
    054 The Promise
    [​IMG]


    The song was written and performed by Arcadia, a pop group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, during a break in that band's schedule.

    Recorded at the Studio de la Grande Armée in Paris, France, the 7:28 album track features lead guitar by David Gilmour; backing vocals by Sting; and keyboards by Herbie Hancock.

    The UK #37, Ireland #24, Australia #94 single mix for "The Promise" was heavily edited down from the album's hefty 7:28 to a leaner, more radio friendly 4:45 Arcadia - The Promise (7'' Mix)

    In fact, even Alex Sadkin and Ron Saint Germain's "Extended Remix" clocked in at only 7:05 almost 25 seconds shy of the album cut.

    "The song is about the western world's betrayal of the third world" - Simon Le Bon, Ask Katy January 2001.
     
  15. Curveboy

    Curveboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    The Promise

    It's a decent song...too long and I don't recall the 7" mix off the top of my head.
    And I'm not a big fan of the fretless bass. And Stink..err...Sting doesn't add much with his little vocal.
    Some nice guitar work and a good vocal from Simon.
     
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  16. negative1

    negative1 80s retro fan

    Location:
    USA
    Arcadia - The Promise

    To me, this is the masterpiece of the album - 5/5

    I love this song, and all the versions, the lyrics, the music,
    the sounds of it, the textures. It all just clicks. To me this
    is the saving grace of the album, and is in fact the only song
    that I still listen to this from this project.

    Is it a Duran Duran song proper, probably not. It was too forward
    for its time.

    There was an unreleased instrumental that came out on the Deluxe:


    There was a gold sleeve version with a poster:
    [​IMG]

    The original cover:
    [​IMG]

    The japanese 7 inch:
    [​IMG]

    I think it was brilliant bringing Sting in for the backup vocals, and the
    saxophone, and other touches just makes it an epic song.

    later
    -1
     
  17. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    The Promise:

    Having Sting on backing vocals in 1985 (Hello, Dire Straits!) seems a tiny little bit cheesy, I might have preferred Peter Gabriel (who guested that very year on "No Jacket Required" btw) but "The Promise" is fantastic. And, no, I don't think it's too long. Great atmosphere and amazing to hear Simon sing that high.

    5/5
     
  18. Guapito

    Guapito Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Not sure if you’ve noticed but much of the Arcadia artwork has “Taylor/Rhodes/Le Bon” on it. During the recording of the album this was what they were called as a band but ultimately settled for Arcadia just prior to release.
     
  19. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    Reading that just reminds me that - apparently - current Paul Young shows start off with "No Parlez". The album. In it's foking entirety! :sweating:
     
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  20. Scott Davies

    Scott Davies Forum Resident

    Catch up time:

    Goodbye Is Forever - Not bad, not stunning. I don't mind it in any of the various mixes. Great video! - 4
    The Flame -
    Same as above, I do think the remix benefits it. Another great video! - 4
    Missing
    - Very pleasant, artsy and enjoyable - 4.5
    Rose Arcana
    - In its album version, it's little more than an intro to side 2. But when I heard the full length version from The Promise 12", I was in love. Absolutely gorgeous piece in full form. Album version - 3, full length version - 5!
    The Promise
    - It's ok, maybe my least favorite track. I hate Sting's old dog voice so I find his appearance intrusive. Simon's also hitting those whiny notes pretty hard on this - 3
     
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  21. Colocally

    Colocally One Of The New Wave Boys

    Location:
    Surrey BC.
    I have actually been playing this album a lot this week and it has really grown on me.
     
  22. AFOS

    AFOS Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brisbane,Australia
    One small quibble with this - 1982 is the best ever year for pop music!

    The first and last songs would have made great additions. The Blue Nile song is an underrated classic
     
  23. GLUDFSSR

    GLUDFSSR Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Rose Arcana - 2/5

    The Promise - 6/5 Yes I like it that much.
     
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  24. RobRoyF

    RobRoyF Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southland
    I'm not into the 2nd side or later part of So Red the Rose. Overall the highlights for me are Side 1. "Rose Arcana" and "The Promise" both get a 3/5, just all right.
     
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  25. Rob9874

    Rob9874 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    The Promise - 5/5. "Masterpiece of the album" is correct. Genius songwriting as the instrumental section goes on a bit too long, then they bring you back with the chorus "Heaven hide your eyes..." And Sting singing background? So great!
     

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