Disco de Duran Duran: “Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)”

Warren Cuccurullo, formerly of Duran Duran once said the best thing about the band is that there are no Stylistic boundaries. This is true and I think this makes Duran Duran one hell of a great band. They don't try and stay on one kind of musical genre, which is why I resent anyone saying they are a pop group. There is just so much Guitar, so much drums, so much layering that the music is not just about Simon Lebon's voice, it's about the music. That was why Notorious was so refreshing. Not that I'm saying there was anything wrong with the first LP, Rio or SATRT, They were all INCREDIBLE albums, but change also brings something good too. The Wedding album is a huge difference from DD's 5 prior albums. The songs are so rock oriented and some are just funky and beautiful and some of them border on hip-hop. Ordinary world, the uncut version with two beautiful guitar solos stands out as one of DD's very best songs. I think Love Voodoo, Come Undone, Breath after breath share the same honor. They are all beautiful songs that are all 90's sound yet they are unmistakably Duran Duran. And on the mysterious and even aggressive but beautiful side is "Shelter" and the based on real events song "Sin of the city". All great stuff, even if you don't like it at first, I assure you, it'll grow on you in a good way after a while.

It is so sad that Duran Duran is being overlooked by popular culture. Any mention of their name brings to mind the flash-in-the-pan excesses of their early 80's singles and video hits. But Duran Duran has moved on to far greater territory than teeny-bop sensationalism, as evidenced by their three releases in the 90's. This, Duran Duran 2, or "The Wedding Album" as it has been dubbed, is their finest moment. Combining lush melodies with shimmery guitars, low-key synths, and thumping rhythms, "The Wedding Album" is a testament to pop music. A statement of intelligence, depth, and beauty. Just listen to the four hit singles from this album to get a feel for just how much this band had grown since the early 80's. There has not been a ballad released within the last 7 years that comes close to surpassing the fragile beauty of "Ordinary World." The guitar lick and steady beat of "Come Undone" perfectly accentuate LeBon's seductive lyric and melody... one of the moodiest songs to hit radio in years. "Too Much Information" is an engaging socio-political statement wrapped in pop music that seems to be the new Duran flag waving anthem (they have held true to the sentiments expressed in this song ever since - destroyed by MTV indeed)... it opens the album with a funkiness and swagger rarely seen in the band before or since. And finally, "UMF" comes in with a sexy yelp and stutter from LeBon and a slinkier-than-slinky bass and guitar riff courtesy of Warren Cucurrillo and John Taylor. This is just the surface. Peer farther into the album to peel away the layers of song... the world-influenced beauty of "Breath After Breath." The self-affirming upbeat charm of "None Of The Above." The mysteriously haunting "Love Voodoo." In all the years I have owned "The Wedding Album," it has never failed to be a continuing source of musical entertainment. This is the finest album "Duran Duran" has ever produced. And that is saying quite a bit, given classics like "Rio" and "Seven and The Ragged Tiger" and overlooked gems such as "Medazzland" and this year's own wonderful "Pop Trash." Duran Duran may be overlooked within the overall scheme of music, but with "The Wedding Album" they have indelibly left the world a perfect testament as to the value of their career.

"The Wedding Album" signifies a listenable return for Duran Duran, with the ensemble being (at that point, 1993) Simon, Nick, John, and Warren. "Too Much Information" begins the album, which is fast, and begins to show the senior DD members' political side, i.e. "Destroyed by MTV, I hate to bite the hand that feeds me." Next up is the romantic ballad (but not too slow) "Ordinary World". Then "Love Voodoo", a mysterious song. "Drowning Man" isn't very good, to me at least. Ditto with "Shotgun". "Come Undone" is up next, a moody song, but is addictive. "Breath After Breath" is interesting, in that some of the song is sung in Portugese. Next, my personal favorite, "UMF", which is the sexiest thing I've ever heard! Fellow female Simon LeBon fans, this is worth the album alone. Lyrics like "Put it to me baby, you can feel love tumblin' down," and "I just wanna wrap myself in ya baby, we can tell the world we're foolin' around" really prove that Simon is totally irresistible. A cover of "Femme Fatale" follows up next, which is pretty good. "None of the Above" is all right, and "Shelter" is good, another sweet wanting song. "To Whom it May Concern" and "Sin of the City" are strange, the former being almost completely awful. The latter is alright, but I don't particularly prefer listening to it. Another political song, about a New York nightclub going up in flames. BUY THIS ALBUM, if you're a long-time DD fan, or even if you aren't. Even if you just got into them, as I did, this album is a MUST! *By the way, to set you straight (DD haters) Duran Duran were the second most popular "Teeny bop" group (besides the Beatles). And besides, "Teeny bop" is an okay phrase to use with them, though not accurate. It better describes a singer/group who COULDN'T play an instrument, a.k.a. Debbie Gibson, Menudo (Ricky Martin when he was a teen; awful, just like he is now), and of course, the unforgiveable Osmonds in the '70's. At least most of DD could play an instrument. And the "Boy Band" title for them makes a bit more sense, mostly attributed to their looks. (Come on, would YOU say that Justin Timberlake is hotter than Simon LeBon?!)...Not to mention that Simon can sing one hell of a lot better. But I don't know why people call N'Sync and BSB "Boy Bands" when none of them can play an instrument. Sure they can sing...just not that well, and like girls. Simon has a sexy, MASCULINE voice. Unlike Justin...but I'll stop comparing now, though I've gone on a rant. Anyway, just keep in mind that Duran Duran set the stage for classic music videos on MTV, and awesome fast pop songs.

Duran Duran 1993 (aka The Wedding Album-not to be confused with their 1981 and 1983 releases of the same name) is a stunning achievement. The opening track "Too Much Information" bites the hand of the media which has historically both blessed and cursed Duran Duran. "Ordinary World" in not an ordinary ballad, and Simon is simply excellent. Although Simon has been harshly bashed by critics who have called his voice "whiny," this ballad should prove once and for all time that Simon *can* sing (I'd love to see even one critic hit those stunning notes at the end of the song!). "Come Undone" had me totally undone! Simon's lyrics, Nick's haunting keyboards, and a golden-throated back-up singer make this an unforgettable song. "Breath After Breath" is captivating and exquisite and makes me want to learn Portuguese! When Simon sings "you are my kind, you are my tribe" I understand what it means to be a Durannie. "None of the Above" is simply shattering, and remains one of the best Duran songs ever. On the other hand,and quite contrary to other reviewers, I found "Shelter" and "To Whom It May Concern" to be boring, forced, and insipid (face it, the lyric line containing the words "a dickey bird" is laughable and damages this song beyond repair or redemption). Still, this CD remains one of the all-time best album of the 1990s. I strongly encourage fans, old and new, to obtain this CD through any means necessary!!

April Garwin

duran duran really blew the roof with this one!i mean every track is so cleverly written and sang! they truly have grown as a group and you can tell by this it's for the better!when i first heard ordinary world i thought wow who's singing that? then i found out it was duran and i ran to the store and got this i must've listend to it a million times by now! my personal fav song is femme fatale(ive always loved that song since i heard it by the velvet underground years ago)! i also like too much info,come undone,umf,and shelter. GET IT NOW!