Duran Duran: All You Need Is Now – review

(Tape Modern)

Duran superfan Mark Ronson's goal when producing their 13th album was to make the imaginary followup to 1982's Rio, when they wrote enormo-hits and hung out on expensive yachts. Given that the Brummies are now in their 50s and have made some very clunky albums, this seems absurd. However, they have unearthed their missing mojo. Ronson has sprinkled guests like Kelis and Ana Matronic over his postmodern sheen, but the surprise is the quality of the songwriting. The title track and groove-thrusting Too Bad You're So Beautiful are once-heard, sing-the-chorus pop stonkers. Déjà vu almost overwhelms The Man Who Stole a Leopard and Leave a Light On's echoes of The Chauffeur and Save a Prayer respectively, but this is Duran sounding as good as people remember. Is it too late to become a Durannie?

Contributor

Dave Simpson

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Duran Duran, Live from London

(Coming Home Studios)

Steve Lowe

04, Nov, 2005 @1:32 AM

Article image
CD: Duran Duran, Red Carpet Massacre

(RCA)

Caroline Sullivan

09, Nov, 2007 @11:49 PM

Article image
Duran Duran – review
On the strength of the new songs premiered here to an indulgent crowd, Duran Duran's new album will not add to their legacy as one of the great singles bands, writes Ian Gittins

Ian Gittins

08, Mar, 2011 @6:29 PM

Article image
Duran Duran review – magnificently preposterous, sublimely poignant
From a tribute to those killed at Paris’ Bataclan to a sendup of their Grandmaster Flash cover, the Wild Boys deliver both gravitas and good cheer

Dave Simpson

29, Nov, 2015 @12:13 PM

Article image
Bestival review – Duran Duran crank up the kitsch
Simon Le Bon and gang offer guilty musical pleasures, but it’s rapper Missy Elliott and the Chemical Brothers who triumph at this end-of-season, fancy-dress mind-bender

Mark Beaumont

14, Sep, 2015 @12:40 PM

Article image
CD: Duran Duran, Astronaut

(Epic )

Dorian Lynskey

01, Oct, 2004 @12:45 AM

Article image
DVD: Duran Duran, Greatest

(EMI)

James Griffiths

17, Oct, 2003 @2:23 AM

Article image
Duran Duran, Forum, London

Forum, London

Alexis Petridis

16, Oct, 2003 @11:43 AM

Article image
Duran Duran review – still Wild Boys even in middle age
At this intimate hometown date, bravura stagecraft is received with such enthusiasm that almost resurrects the band’s heyday

Dave Simpson

16, Sep, 2021 @11:03 AM

Article image
Duran Duran: Paper Gods review – synth-pop survivors still bouncing
Simon Le Bon and co make a decent bid for continued relevance on their 14th album

Dave Simpson

10, Sep, 2015 @8:45 PM