So let’s not dwell on the late 80’s when it comes to Duran Duran. Music had started to shift and the band’s audience started to explore new genres. Nineteen eighty six brought us the great album Notorious, minus two members of the band – Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor (no relation to each other or the Queen drummer). I am not exploring Notorious further because I think the singles “Notorious” and “Skin Trade” are great and represent a fairly significant shift in the band’s sound. These songs are much funkier than their previous pop offerings. No need for a deep dive on that album.
We skip ahead 10 years to 1993. Here we have an album of the quality and raw pop power that rival’s 1982’s Rio. The album is formally titled Duran Duran – the band’s 2nd eponymous album. But most fans call it The Wedding Album, as the cover shows photos of each band member’s parents’ wedding. We are rejoined at this point by drummer Roger Taylor.
This album produced hits “Ordinary World” and “Come Undone”. We’ll explore a little deeper. Does this album feature the most libertarian pop song ever?
“Breath After Breath“. This song is…a departure from where we left off. It’s nothing like any of the songs I have previously showcased. It features the incredible Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento with the Portuguese verses. We also hear Warren Cuccurullo on Spanish-style guitar. What a new experience for Duranies that have matured from 12-something to 20-something!
Beating on my heart like a feather
beating of a moment ’til I disappear
“None of the Above“. Most libertarian pop song ever? The song is pretty clearly referring to religion, but I’ve always listened to it with a more philosophical and ideological mindset:
I am I, myself alone
Realize I never need to use no one
When it comes down to my soul
Freedom puts my faith in none of the above
Since my familiarity with the deeper cuts on Duran Duran’s albums ends in 1993, we’ll skip the rest and go back to 1983 for the final article in this series.
Some songs to check out from more recent times are “Reach Up for the Sunrise”, “All You Need is Now” and the creeptastic “The Man Who Stole a Leopard” (one of my top 5 favorite songs of the band).
Next up we will look at my favorite all time Duran Duran song, and see if Tundra guessed it correctly.
Warren!, of course I’ll introduce you to Warren!
Never knew he had anything to do with DD, I either lost some respect for him or gained some for DD, still not sure which.
I’ve thought about it for a long time and have decided to declare war on the Union.
Of the Snake?
employee?
He was DD’s guitarist for many years after Andy Taylor left. Like, 15 years. I think he is way more talented than AT.
Agreed. IMO he is a very important reason this album is so good.
First song is great, the second sounds a bit too much like chasing trends of that time period (very Jesus Jones)
Amusingly, I was going to say that I’ve always enjoyed the wedding album because of its borrowing from alt rock, indie and shoegaze. Which, to be fair, most certainly was trend-chasing, I’m just a fan of those genres.
This.
Esp. shoegaze.
Second song gives me strong Madchester vibes. Baggy jeans ‘n’ shit. Not my scene.
But I’m happy to have an excuse to link my favorite J.J. song.
(PS. How amazing is it that Youtube has every song ever now? I remember when it was hard to find stuff.)
It could definitely have come off a Happy Mondays album. I like Madchester the genre, generally (the scene was before my time), although the only Madchester band in my library is The Stone Roses. Noel Gallagher wrote most of the material that became Oasis’ first 2 albums while working as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets, and the influence is obvious.
My definition of Madchester is probably more restricted than most.
See… I am a huge fan of Stone Roses – until they went Madchester. Everything before “Fools Gold” was straight-up Britpop in my book. Everything after had that druggie, hippie sound that I hate.
I did not know about Noel’s association with Inspiral Carpets. I adore them – one of my nineties favorites. I do not consider them Madchester even if everyone else does. They’re just pop music.
Teasing out precisely where jangle pop or Britpop ends and Madchester begins with any measure of objectivity would probably be an exercise in futility, as is the case with a lot of sub-genres/micro-genres and scenes (see also: “Were the Pixies grunge? Were Nirvana alt-rock?”). There were bands doing a similar sound, but because they weren’t local to Manchester wouldn’t qualify as part of the Madchester clique – Chapterhouse comes to mind. The designations are ultimately of little value, except to historians.
Agree. Which is why I go by my personal, subjective impression of “sound” over whatever the music press claims.
I have Chapterhouse under “Dream Pop” lol. Gawd they were good, especially the first album.
(I recently went through my entire iTunes library and genre’d every single album. I used to have very broad genres but I went micro-genre this time around. Not an easy exercise, and of course very much splitting hairs when it comes to favorites.)
Most of my music library has no genre tags – I never use them anyway. If I’m being OCD about having completed tags I’ll just use the genre from Discogs (which they differentiate from “style”; using their system, The Stone Roses s/t, for example, is filed under the “Rock” genre and the “Indie Rock” style). I gave up on genre designations 20 odd years ago when I first discovered file sharing and everything with electric guitars that wasn’t top 40 pop or jazz was all labeled “alternative.” If Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool, Dave Matthews Band and Modest Mouse all fit under the same genre heading then it’s fucking worthless.
When uploaded my library to my new computer the media player decided that Tom Waits was Contemporary Pop.
I am a huge fan of Stone Roses – until they went Madchester
How about after?
Love Spreads is a total jam
Breaking Into Heaven is one of my favorite opening tracks of all time, although I suspect it’s the exact definition of what rhywun meant by “that druggie, hippie sound that I hate.”
Breaking into Heaven is fucking brilliant.
LOL not really into “jams” so… no.
But yeah, it’s completely different from the album that knocked my socks off in 1989, which is fine.
(The noted song is called “Track 12” in my iTunes… shrug.)
Fools Gold was recorded contemporaneously with the material from their 1989 s/t – it actually appears (along with Elephant Stone) on the US version of the album. Which just reinforces the point about how useless the designations can sometimes be.
Yeah, Fools Gold was on my original CD back in the day.
Elephant Stone is a little baggy but I like it. I dunno what the Brit album contains.
My favorite S.R. song.
Bye Bye Badman is a strong contender for my favorite of theirs as well. I Am The Resurrection probably edges it out.
The track listing is the same, with the exception of those two songs that were added to the US version.
At Fools Gold is the beginning of everything I love about Stone Roses.
I believe we have had this conversation before.
Probably.
I will defend my minority view to the death in this case.
Yes, yes we have.
I have pivoted to comparing Little Beaver’s original “Get Into The Party Life” with the Lion Babe cover.
(wife is travelling for work and upstairs neighbor is away, so volume is far higher than normal)
Original: https://youtu.be/3Wl1QjO9TNs
Cover: https://youtu.be/jfDpes5m4Ag
Point for: I’m a sucker for female vocals
She sounds nothing like her mother, but I love her voice.
Of course, I am a sucker for slow R&B.
Lovely voice; you may have been the one who introduced me to them?
I never listened to Vanessa enough to have a good idea of what her voice is like.
Put me down as favoring the original.
The opposite for me. My music library is almost exclusively a sausage fest. And the exceptions, strangely enough, are mostly annoyingly twee female singers who I can’t consciously account for enjoying (Meredith Godreau of Gregory and the Hawk and Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES spring to mind). There’s no accounting for taste – not even your own.
I don’t recall. I may have linked her here before.
Vanessa’s Sting cover. I think that’s representative of her talent. She was young.
Not so young, but pure bubble-gum pop goodness.
There are more female vocalists I like than male, but I’m also less forgiving of male singers’ voices than I am female.
Vanessa’s Sting cover
Oh, yes, a very different voice. Way smokier.
Thinking about it, it’s really female voice+beats that does it for me.
Case in point: https://youtu.be/Epgo8ixX6Wo
Very nice.
How about the second coming of Karen Carpenter. It’s possible you pointed me to this one. Somebody here did.
I have a preference for male singers – go figure 🙂
But I am very aware of certain female singers I like.
Here is an example that is appropriate for Glibs.
Kinda reminiscent of Shirley Manson.
This chick captured my attention recently. Really like her singing.
Back when Garbage came out, I had some of my CDs with me a family gathering. One of my nieces saw the Garbage CD and exclaimed “You like Garbage!”.
I said yes. I thought the were a great blend of 60 pop culture and GenX anxiety.
She just stared blankly at me.
I still love Garbage.
+1 Garbage 👍🏻
I can’t hear that song now without thinking of the X-Files episode Terms of Endearment. Great use of the tune during the ending.
The Millennial answer to Bilinda Butcher, so that makes sense.
Very Shirley Manson-esq. Loved Garbage.
My favorite: Nikka
https://youtu.be/UupHy7jshP0
I’ve seen her live a couple of times – that voice is no studio trickery, just crazy powerful.
She should have been huge, but that’s the way it goes.
This chick captured my attention recently. Really like her singing
Nice, a Saint Étienne vibe
Then there’s pretty much anything by Dead Can Dance for the most amazing female vocals I’ve ever heard.
An example that has been featured in several films.
An example that has been featured in several films
Sigur Ros, the early years.
Great album. The post Rio albums all had a couple good ones.
Next up we will look at my favorite all time Duran Duran song, and see if Tundra guessed it correctly.
I’m less than optimistic. Thanks, KK!
And 10 years later, Come Undone would vicariously produce the Kelly Clarkson hit Miss Independent, with Tessa Niles’ vocal melody being shamelessly lifted for the chorus.
Adrenaline Mob did an awesome heavy cover of Come Undone, with Mike Portnoy just after he split from Dream Theater.
It was bound to come to this, but who thought it would be so soon? Just too good to wait until tomorrow to share.
Every Marx-adjacent ideology must of necessity appeal to false consciousness to justify itself when it has no recourse to facts or reason. Everything old is new again.
I bet Tyeastia doesn’t listen to Duran Duran.
Shame on her.
“Tyeastia”? Oh, come on.
“Bravo! The wolves devour each other!”
Don’t you miss Minneapolis?
I really don’t like to make fun of people’s names (except to my husband in the comfort of our non-bugged home) (hi NSA!), but … damn.
If you can’t get the DEIB you want, sometimes you get the DEIB you need.
That’s gold, Jerry! Gold!
Is she taking Robin DiAngelo’s advice? https://www.nationalreview.com/news/robin-diangelo-advises-people-of-color-to-get-away-from-white-people/
Why does anyone pay attention to this? It’s baffling. She is cancer.
Japan is making the US look silly.
Oh, is this some baseball thing?
In this particular instance, it’s baseball.
Im going to work
Leave the light on.
Hello, friends.
Greetings, fellow chat-room participant!
I put on my robe and wizard hat
How do you do, fellow
insurrectionistslibertarians?Would you like to meet with some fellow “like minded people” and “peacefully” protest somewhere?
I’ll bring party favors for everyone.
This isn’t a chatroom. It is a high-res neural net Firsting platform thanks to my presence.
Lol
Cool KK. I didn’t know that Milton combined with them on a tune. If you dig him, you should check out the album he did with Lô Borges, Clube da Esquina, that is one of the all time classic Brazilian discs. Here is one of my favs from that album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNnd2XgJOBw&list=OLAK5uy_m_6iBMMVsYB4jpp7b5yXh1W-qZRyKbCio
When I was younger, an old Firstador who trained me would ask me to recite what is best in life.
I would respond: ” To First your enemies, see them posting beneath you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.”
Apropos: has everyone see this amazing thread?
https://twitter.com/hradzka/status/1611489902570639361?lang=en
🎶🎵🎶
“Firstador your stallion stands in need of company
And like some angel’s hallowed brow you reek of purity
I see your armour-plated breast has long since lost its sheen
And in your death mask face there are no signs which can be seen
Though I hoped for something to find
I could see no maze to unwind”
🎶🎵🎶
So I’m just horny AF again tonight, nothing to do, nothing to prove.
Hah, sorry, missy: wife aside, I am terrible at that sort of thing.
(But really the former).
(Though the new avatar is fetching)
Thanks! That’s the local brewery.
Diamond Knot? Scuzzlebutt?
I haven’t been to diamond knot but I’ve heard good things.
I just don’t care for beer much.
“Tapped” is my local spot. They have an excellent root beer!!
👍😆
Pictured: https://youtu.be/jphfMd4_LCs
Lol. That’s awesome.
https://imgur.com/a/doYdICO
I have a vibrator. Holy cow.
You’re an engineer,
Dammit: we have faith in you
Call the new boy, put him through his paces.
NuBoy has to work in California this week. Also he’s charmingly a newb when it comes to lovemaking.
I am so unqualified.
LOL
I bet you have mad skills y
If ever there were a time for Big Jim Slade
What are you, stupid? Do you know how much mischief you are inviting?
I know precisely how much mischief I’m inviting 😘
LOL 😋
Just looking out for the distaff Glibs.
Nut punch
https://youtu.be/ANY21q8lr78
Every officer involved in this should be serving pound me in the ass time. But nothing else will happen.
WTF?
Where are these cops being educated?
Why do you assume they’re being educated?
Question answered.
https://nhjournal.com/north-hampton-chief-leaves-after-investigation-into-questionable-arrest/
FBI trained, per the comments.
Hey Glibs, mornin’
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=swPt9HBRXuE
🎶🎶
Good morning, Sean, U, Stinky, Ssccrruuffyy, and Roat!
***SIGH!!!*** Well, the monthly Board meeting was last night, so I know I’ll have something to do today. 😒
Maybe my boss will have forgotten to record the Zoom session…
“We have secretly substituted the Glib Zoom transcript for the Board meeting. Lets see if they notice.”
“XXXX moved that the Board beware the Jabberwock – the jaws that bite, the claws that catch. YYYY offered an amendment that they also shun the frumious Bandersnatch. ZZZZ seconded the amended motion, and the motion passed.”
“It was noted that vorpal swords violate the weapons policy and cannot be issued to employees.”
😄
First the Brits decide to send depleted uranium rounds, now this:
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/group-gop-lawmakers-want-send-cluster-bombs-ukraine
Both of those things will be killing and maiming locals for decades. If this doesn’t convince the Ukrainians they’re disposable pawns in a cynical game nothing will. Also, yep, the GOP still sucks.
Mike McCaul is a piece of work. He’s trying to out-mccain Lindsey Graham.
Nothing like a little depleted uranium in your wheat fields to improve yields.
Do you want giant ants? Because that’s how you get giant ants.
THEM!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KPw4U_IhWV4
Also, Them.
Since no one else did it.
Tomacco!
There are times you can’t resist the call of pancakes.
So much classier than Waffle House, after all.
Was it these guys?
https://youtu.be/klwrT8rMu5c
Ha! I know that jail.
There’s literally nothing but city streets around it.
They didn’t make it very far. Not real bright, those two.
How they landed in the joint in the first place.
Mornin’, reprobates!
Good morning, ‘patzie! How’s it shakin’?
Hi, GT. Breaking in the new pipe, arrived from Milan yesterday via FedEx. I treat myself to new pipe once a year if bonus is worthy. Bonus was very nice this year.
My mind first went to plumbing work.
I guess that says more about me.
There’s been a lot of discussion about pipe the last couple of days. Figured I’d make a contribution.
Are you in a part of New Jersery where well water is safe though?
Ackshually I am, although I do not have a well. Upper Hackensack River, I am 1/2 mile from Lake Tappan reservoir. Water is good hereabouts.
Good morning, Glibs! Happy Friday(for me).
*raises mug of English Breakfast tea*
Is it a full English?
*envisions mug containing beans, kippers, eggs, sliced tomatos…*
Never had a mug of food before. I supposed I could puree it all, and add tea.
Available in a k-cup?
I miss their April Fools products.
Good morning, TARDy! Lucky duck!
::raises Tervis travel mug o’ coffee::
I forgot to make my coffee ready last night. 🙁
*Raises cup of Sumatra Mandheling*
Most libertarian song?
I know people are going to jump to Trees, but my fave is
1%
Other than Willie’s version with the part about shotgunning his baby I’d vote for ‘Tain’t Nobody’s Business if I do’
https://nypost.com/2023/03/21/death-of-murdaugh-linked-stephen-smith-ruled-as-homicide/
“The 2015 death of Murdaugh-linked Stephen Smithis now considered to be a murder, South Carolina authorities revealed — ahead of the planned exhumation of the gay teen’s body.”
Fake news. STEVE SMITH alive and well in Cascadia!
Next up we will look at my favorite all time Duran Duran song, and see if Tundra guessed it correctly.
My prediction: Tundra got it.
My cold is improving.
Mornin’ all.