Duran Duran

Duran Duran came back out of nowhere in early 1993 with a new album and a huge hit, "Ordinary World." The group sounds more relaxed and mature than it did during their glory days, but not all that much has changed; instead of personifying the days of early-'80s synthesized dance-pop, the music is smooth dance pop for the '90s. Taken on its own terms, Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) works every bit as well as Duran Duran, Rio, or Seven and the Ragged Tiger. "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" are wonderful pop singles that sit between some passable album tracks and the occasional embarrassment, namely the wretched cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale." In other words, Duran Duran are back and as good as they ever were.

Twenty years since their pop music debut, Duran Duran issued another greatest-hits collection. As if 1989's Decade weren't stellar enough, this select package was much more solid. Greatest showcased the band's early days of glam rock décor and new romanticism to the alluring sophistication Duran Duran exuded throughout the '90s. The typical synth-powered pop hits are included – "Girls on Film," "Rio," "A View to a Kill" – as well as the signature ballads – "Save a Prayer" – but it might also receive criticism due to its chronological disarray. Still, that gives no reason to fret, for other goodies can be found throughout. The much-neglected "New Moon on Monday" is featured, as well as the band's mature eclecticism of such songs from the self-titled Wedding Album – "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone." The band's experimentation with new millennium electronica found on "Electric Barbarella" again refocuses on Simon LeBon as the center of the band.

Duran Duran personified new wave for much of the mainstream audience. And for good reason. Duran Duran's reputation was built through music videos, which accentuated their fashion-model looks and glamorous sense of style. Without music videos, it's likely that their pop-funk – described by the group as the Sex Pistols-meet-Chic – would never have made them international pop stars…

This is a very FUN tribute album. If you are a serious, die hard Duran Duranie, you probably won't like this (or any other tribute album dedicated to Duran Duran). However, for the rest of us, this has a bunch of creative interpretations of these great songs. I bought the CD for Goldfinger's version of Rio (which includes a hilarious 30 second break into Dio's `Rainbow in the Dark'). Other very good renditions come from Jimmy Eat World (New Religon), the Deftones (the Chauffeur), and Less than Jake (The Reflex).

From its Nagel cover to the haircuts and overall design – and first and foremost the music – Rio is as representative of the '80s at its best as it gets. The original Duran Duran's high point, and just as likely the band's as a whole, its fusion of style and substance ensures that even two decades after its release it remains as listenable and danceable as ever. The quintet integrates its sound near-perfectly throughout, the John and Roger Taylor rhythm section providing both driving propulsion and subtle pacing.

In this concert/motion picture starring the New Romantic Pop stars, Doctor Duran (actor Milo O'Shea) the evil character in the cult film 'Barbarella' returns to earth, crash landing his time machine directly underneath a giant stadium in Oakland, California. He is bent upon doing battle with the five imposters above him (the band) who have stolen his name. The evil doctor sends out his henchmen to destroy them as they perform to a packed stadium. Duran Duran continues to perform throughout, as much chaos ensues around them. Duran Duran are captured at their musical best in Arena by award winning director, Russell Mulcahy, who was to hone his skills working on music promos through the 80's. Also includes the Making Of Arena documentary which opens the lid on the creative processes involved with making Arena.