Duran Duran
Medazzaland

THE REVIEW

With this review, I want to focus on the Duran Duran historical period from 1995 to 2000, and specifically I would like to do justice to the much-maligned and misunderstood, in its intentions, trilogy:

Thank You - Medazzaland - Pop Trash.

After the unexpected success of the singles Ordinary World and Come Undone from the 1993 self-titled album, Duran Duran decided to release a cover album as a tribute to their musical inspirations.

Misunderstandings with the record label EMI were the reason for the delayed release, and the band's intentions lost that initial genuineness in the eyes of critics.

Thank You was (and still is) considered the worst album of all time.

Now, I don't know about you, but when Lou Reed and Bob Dylan, when interviewed, stated that the covers of Perfect Day and Lay Lady Lay were sublime, I wonder how these so-called reviewers chose that definition for the record.

Reduced to a trio, Le Bon with Rhodes and Cuccurullo composed what I consider their most daring work: Medazzaland.

Electronic experimentation in full nineties style with nods to the past (Electric Barbarella is essentially a Planet Earth in a slightly more ironic and sensual way).
Out Of My Mind, also included in the soundtrack of the film The Saint, showcases a quest for sound perhaps never exploited to such a level in their production, and the "Perfecto Mix" makes it seem like a track taken from Ultra by Depeche Mode (listen to believe).

Pieces like Be My Icon and So Long Suicide find a right balance between force and elegance.

But the real gem, Michael You've Got A Lot To Answer For, dedicated to the leader of INXS, suppresses any doubt about Mr. Le Bon's ability to move. He sang it only once, bursting into tears following the friend's passing.

The evolution that Warren Cuccurullo brought to the band unfortunately was not well received by the usual ones, and Capitol decided to sell the album only in Japan, Argentina, and North America.

My personal and understandable opinion is unnecessary.

All of this led to a misstep: signing with Hollywood Records.

Pop Trash, which featured a more rock and guitar-driven style similar to its predecessor, was ignored by the music circuit also due to the lack of publicity and the label's lack of interest in promoting it.
Even though I consider Someone Else Not Me a track of absolute beauty.

In the new millennium, Duran reformed with their old members, returning to the classic lineup, and since then, the revival of their style has brought them to new generations and a new chapter in their history.