Duran Duran
Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)

THE REVIEW

The year is 1993 and music has since taken different paths. The good old days of new-wave are long gone (and certainly no one misses them, except for a few exceptions; variety is the spice of life) which has nonetheless left an important mark for the evolution of the musical era. Part of this great imprint (or family, it's the same) are the "masters" Duran Duran. A group often underestimated and frequently dismissed as mere fodder for the girls of the era. Before diving into this review, it’s important to remember that before criticizing a group that has made history in music (even if it's commercial, it's still history), you must know their every album. Because every DD-branded album presents different styles. It's enough to compare the debut album Duran Duran, very dark, with the sunnier Rio. Not to mention Notorious, an entirely funky album, and Big Thing, a true gem. The latter based more on electronic discovery.

But let's get to the point: after three years of absence and following their last album, Liberty (poorly received by fans. An album in which Duran Duran dedicated themselves more to rock but achieved poor results. However, sincerely, I like the album. I certainly wouldn’t go crazy for it but wouldn’t toss it away), the "group" from Birmingham, no longer "boys" at this point, releases their masterpiece called "Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)." Even the title itself is a whole statement. For many fans, choosing the true masterpiece of Duran is a tough decision because it's hard to choose between Rio and The Wedding Album, although not that difficult considering that in Wedding we had a more mature group, while in Rio we had five young guys who, despite their youth, produced a masterpiece. In Rio, they still had the original quintet consisting of Simon Le Bon (vocals), Nick Rhodes (keyboards), John Taylor (bass), Andy Taylor (guitar), and Roger Taylor (drums), while in Wedding, Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor are absent, and the latter is replaced since '86 by Warren Cuccurullo (from Frank Zappa’s school). I can affirm that the Wedding Album is a true masterpiece of world pop music, in fact, it was awarded platinum in the States for selling a million copies in no time.

An album honored by all the fans but set aside by much of the music critics. Yes, certainly it's an album that is, on paper, pop, but upon discovering its contents and listening carefully, many genres (from funky to synth, from tear-jerking slow ballads to rock, to attempts at rap, etc.) are revealed. In short, it’s an album à la Queen; they also used to include multiple genres in a single album. This is typical of those who wanted to experiment with music and typical of those who know how to play music. And Duran Duran, like Queen and other groups, can boast this (certainly not just a boyband...).

Let’s start diving into this album by analyzing the tracks that make up the list. The first song is "Too Much Information." A real bomb. According to the fans, it's the best rock song by Duran Duran. A well-crafted piece, where Cuccurullo’s imprint is felt, oh how it is felt, leaving Rhodes’ now-distant keyboards in the background. The song’s lyrics are well-structured, classic Le Bon, because he has always written the lyrics in albums, except for some rare cases. Generally, Duran Duran's song lyrics are often incomprehensible, but generally, they mean something. So those of "Too Much Information" are not hollow words. In fact, the song talks about information and TV ready to invade anyone (and it was still 1993...). Finally, after this pearl of wisdom, comes the absolute masterpiece signed Le Bon, Rhodes, Cuccurullo, Taylor: "Ordinary World." A piece of a song, accompanied by a beautiful video (I recommend watching it) and Le Bon’s falsetto voice, which has certainly gone down in history. Many fans still await the heir, in the Duran "field," to this beautiful song. There’s no need for a small review on "Ordinary World," just listen to it to feel how many emotions it evokes. And the lyrics aren't bad either. No one ever understood what Simon Le Bon meant by "Ordinary World"!!

...Leaving the masterpiece, here comes "Love Voodoo." One of the many gems on the album. This time it's more about true pop, setting aside the "guitar riffs" and Warren's solos. This is a sensual song, simple but quite nice. Moving on we find "Drowning Man." A truly sensational ballad. I personally dubbed it the "Sunrise of '93." And I can say it’s more beautiful than "Sunrise." You hear a nasty and aggressive Le Bon when singing that piece. That song is part of the Duranian experiments, and I recommend listening to it. It dips a bit towards the end, when it becomes unique and monotonous. However, Rhodes is the protagonist. Again here, the lyrics (very hermetic) are a whole program: drugs. But I never understood what drugs he was referring to. Now here’s a classic Duran Duran interlude; it’s time for "Shotgun." A piece lasting about a minute and a half, made of spoken phrases by Le Bon (…attempt by Simon to rap?…), guitar, and keyboards where a gunshot sound accompanies it all. Very beautiful.
And here we are at another masterpiece named "Come Undone." It would be an excellent piece to have a moment of intimacy with a loved one. Simon’s voice is very sweet in this song, as never heard before (not even during "Save A Prayer" days), and the rhythms and sounds are exceptional. Here too, in the initial part, Nick Rhodes prevails. The atmospheres are also very beautiful. When listening to that beautiful song, a soft atmosphere of lights and shadows comes to mind. The chorus sung by Tessa Niles is also beautiful... A nice pairing. Most likely Le Bon dedicated it to his wife Yasmine (but I'm not sure). I must add that this is also a song forgotten by critics but will remain a milestone in Duran history for fans.

And now "Breath After Breath." Another masterpiece of this album. We are in an area of the album where the beauties of the songs flow one after the other. Once again, it is a duo singing; we are facing the pairing of Le Bon/Milton Nascimento. A song with an ethnic fragrance: indeed, the lyrics are partially in English and partially in Portuguese. This is one of those songs you would never expect in a Duran Duran album. I have to admit that it was the surprise of the album. When I heard it for the first time, I jumped out of my chair incredulously. It's a song ready to make you cry at certain points, but also to make you smile. Bravo!! They were able to concentrate in about four minutes the emotions a person might have. And the video says it all too. It was even shot in Argentina.
Here is one of the (according to fans) most stupid songs of the album: "UMF." In my opinion, it's quite intriguing as a title, because the true meaning has never been known. Many say it is a code used on the vehicle license plates of a US State, others claim they are the initials of some of Le Bon's perverse dreams. I don't know what to say. One thing is certain: it is a whole funky song!! I like it a lot. Musically, it gives that feeling that sooner or later it will have to explode, but it ends in a completely different way (you remain incredulous). Listen to believe. And after "UMF" comes the time for a cover. Yes people, this album contains a cover!! The song is "Femme Fatale." The most passionate and connoisseurs of music might remember it. It’s a song taken from the Velvet Underground & Nico album (the legendary Lou Reed...). Dear Duran did an excellent job. They perfected that song, modernized it. It is also tear-jerking. Let me open a parenthesis: when you hear it, it closely resembles "Imagine," and many have told me it’s nothing but plagiarism. But you should know that "Femme Fatale" is from '67, whereas "Imagine" is from '72. Poor John...
But here we have arrived (finished "Femme Fatale") in the funkiest, rockiest, and sunniest part of the album. It is a thrill to hear "None Of The Above," "Shelter," and "To Whom It May Concern" one after the other. Starting with the first mentioned, which is a lovely piece (many wonder why it wasn’t used as a single). Meanwhile, "Shelter" evokes much of the late 80s style mixed with funky. A true gem. "To Whom It May Concern" instead recalls the dry, arid, and desolate roads of the western States, giving it an almost rocking stamp.

The album ends with a song that seems never-ending: "Sin Of The City." It lasts about seven minutes. But it's a real bomb. Here Duran Duran closes the album, showing they know how to seriously make music. In this song, there is everything: pop, rock, synth, electronic drums, rap. A true well-seasoned "fruit salad." I wrote rap because in this song Simon mostly "speaks." He only sings during the chorus. In fact, not everyone knows that Simon is a supporter of rap. The piece ends with a guitar solo by Cuccurullo. It's not the peak of solos, but with those notes, he wraps up a masterpiece album. I almost forgot to talk about the lyrics of "Sin Of The City"; the lyrics refer to an actual event in a nightclub in New York when a "fool" jealous of his girlfriend, a staff member of the club, to spite her, spread gasoline around the venue, setting it on fire. The casualties were many (89 to be exact), and the emergency and security exits didn't function. The song's lyrics are based on this topic: it is a denunciation of the corruption in keeping certain venues open due to recommendations and without adequate standard measures. In short, it is a hymn to shame. Many of us wondered that this could be a good single and why it was placed as the last track on the album. Providing an answer, it is certain that Duran Duran are not U2. They would have risked a lot, personality-wise, to launch a single containing such words.
Dear readers. My review of this splendid album is over. I hope I have been clear with some comments. And I thank some fans (Sir Alex and Mimgitrash from MB) for providing me with more information regarding the songs "Come Undone" and "Breath After Breath." Bye to everyone and thanks.