The Michigan Daily - Friday, December 5, 1997 -11
Duran Duran strikes back on new CD
But in Duran Duran's case, the '8Os label album, is a bit pretentious with singer that arc more typical Duran Duran
R u is even more difficult to shed, given their Simon LeBon speaking the lyrics with a includin "Big 13 n7 Gcndron ' and
Continued frm Page 10 perception as "the MV band" bar none. distorted sound Rapplied to his voice. But "Buried InIn The Sand"which are sake
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"Childhood End,' and "I Will Be There.''
These two tracks showcase the sound
that one identifies with band. But they in
o way make the album.
Anyone who has heard Kiss's last two
studio albums "Revenge," and "Hot in
the Shade,' knows that the band has
been able to make solid music in the last
few years. It is for that reason that this
album is disturbing because it suggests
that one of America's greatest rock 'n'
roll bands has lost its ability to rock.
- Curtis Zimmermann
Duran Duran
Medazzaland .
Capitol Records
lt's tough being an '80s icon these
days. Just ask old hands like Depeche
Mode or Tears For Fears, to name a few.
Whether they like it or not, Duran Duran
is most notable for cruising on yachts
and hunting through jungles and deserts
in videos for hits such as "Rio" and
"Hungry Like the Wolf."
Thus, it's only too easy to dismiss new
material by a band who peaked some 14
years ago and has minimal music credi-
bility amongst the industry. Additionally,
now that .the band has lost much of its
worldwide popularity, as well as having
had its share of lineup changes, any new
album could be seen as a weak attempt to
recapture past success. Add this to the fact
that the band's last effort, 1995's "Thank
You," was a misguided, disastrous set of
cover tracks, and you can hardly fault a
person for burying Duran Duran.
Such a view would be shortsighted,
because "Medazzaland," the band's first.
original album since 1993's self-titled
work, hardly sounds like a deceased
band. As they did on that 1993 come-
back album, Duran Duran's mature pop
and electronic sensibilities flow through-
out. The title track, which opens the
: Ut -- 11.-
if you can forgive the group this one self-
indulgence, then you can easily fall into
the album from this point onward.
At its best, on tracks such as the first
single, "Electric Barbarella" (the
group's name is taken from the 1968
film Barbarella, where Jane Fonda's
character seeks out the evil Dr. Duran
Duran) and "Out of My Mind," which
featured on the excellent soundtrack for
"The Saint," the group shows that its
electronic innovations are still light
years ahead of the competition.
"Electric Barbarella" has an incredible
dance-hook and programed drum beat
that makes it one of Duran Duran's
most upbeat, danceable songs since
"The Reflex."
Duran Duran goes for a more
acoustic setting on tracks such as "Who
Do You Think You Are?" and the album
closer "Undergoing Treatment." In
these settings, which are new for Duran
Duran, Cuccurullo shows his tasteful, if
unspectacular, playing. Rhodes is more
at home in the more electronic songs
with synthesizers, programing and key-
boards by Rhodes. LeBon phlas off the
keyboards and his voice acts as another
instrument amid the atmospheres.
Still, most of the songs are very
ambiguous and many of the lyrics are
hard to decipher. The short of it is that
Duran Duran is far more enjoyable to
listen to as a lighthearted pop band.
Most of the public will probably
ignore Duran Duran altogether at this
point, but if one can drop any precon-
ceived notions, this album is thorough-
ly enjoyable and well-performed.
- Jason Hoyer
Wrecked
Wax Trax! Records
Pig is the dark pocket in the pool table
Duran Duran attempts another comeback, this time without the foxy Taylor boys.
that bites your hand off leaving a bloody
stump when you try to reach down it and
see what's inside. That'll happen when
you're an old KMFDM member.
"Wrecked" starts off with its title track
hammering away with two tons of indus-
trial goth to which the boys in Marilyn
Manson only hope to someday aspire.
What follows is the beautiful industrial
wasteland that has always been hoped for
in those doom-and-gloom circles. Pig
goes from over-the-top narrative love
songs (kinda). like "No One Gets Out of
1-1er A live' to over-the-top soliloquies
like "Everything."
The general mood of the disc is one
of colorful robotic insects crawling all
over your body and burrowing under
your skin. The whirs on "Contempt" are
modern, the strings on "Save Me" are
retro, but everything comes together
well.
Whether you're designing a lethal
plague that will annihilate mankind or
just wondering if you should flip off the
jerk who cut you off on I-94, you'll
enjoy it.
- Tedi Watts
HEY! Let me seeyour '..
resume buddy! '
Come to tNIVERSIT~
Dollar Bill Copying
when YOUR future Is on the aPflR T FI
NEW! Ship UPS with us.
The University of Michigan
School of Music
Friday, December 5
Opera Workshop
Students of Joshua Major and Timothy Cheek perform
extended scenes from operas by Donizetti, Rossini, Puccini,
Boito, Offenbach and Tchaikovsky
Mcintosh Theatre, E. V. Moore Bldg., 7 p.min.
Friday - Sunday, December 5 - 7
Theatre and Drama Production
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Directed by John Neville-Andrews
Power Center, Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m.
Tickets: $14; $7 students (313) 764-0450
Saturday, December 6
Contemporary Directions Ensemble
H. Robert Reynolds, director
* Music by Glenn Palmer, Hans Abrahamsen, Dan Welcher
Rackham Auditorium (1st floor), 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 7,
Percussion Ensemble
Michael Udow, director
" WORLD PREMIERES of works by Brian Bevelander
and John Polito
* AMERICAN PREMIERE of a work by Norgard
music by Westlake-Smith and Bauger
McIntosh Theatre, E.V. Moore Bldg., 4 p.m.
Michigan Chamber Players
Anthony Elliott, director
* Music by Schubert, Menotti, Dvorak
Britton Recital Hall, E.V. Moore Bldg., 4 p.m.
Cabaret Performance Presentation
Students of Joan Morris perform cabaret repertory
Kerrytown Concert House, 7:30 p.m.
Horn Studio Recital
Students of Prof. Bryan Kennedy perform horn repertory
Britton Recital Hall, E.V. Moore Bldg., 8 p.m.
Monday, December 8
University and Chamber Choirs
Jerry Blackstone and Sandra Snow, conductors
* Music by Giovannelli, Stoltzer, Lauridsen,
Mendelssohn, Tavener
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Power Repertory Showing
Students of the Dance Department perform repertory
Betty Pease Studio Theatre, 4:15 p.m.
Tuesday, December 9
Composition and Congolese Showings
Students of the Dance Department perform repertory
Betty Pease Studio Theatre, 3:30 p.m.
University Symphony and Philharmonia Orchestras
Kenneth Kiesler and Pier Calabria, conductors
* Music by Bellini, Puccini, Busoni, Harlap and Respighi
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, December 10
Faculty/Student Recital
Prof. Martin Katz, pianist, with sopranos Deborah Gover
and Caroline Helton; tenor Scott Piper; baritone Gary Moss;
haccartn,.A~tan .hrntt
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