Reviews (page 6 of 14)
7.5/10 Really nice pop rock album, obviously I knew the hits but the rest was good too. More synth = I liked it more. Pure 80s vibes Best: Hungry Like the Wolf
4.1 Hands down one of the best New Wave albums I've heard. Recognised the first track but not the biggest fan so thought I was in for a tough time. But wow, the streak from track 2 onwards is phenomenal. I didn't think much of their debut but this blows it out the water. Melodic, interesting vocals, captivating. Can't believe I might now be a Duran Duran fan.
🤩
Probably the best of this sort of thing, right,
before my time by a bit but not much, good stuff.
I've heard the title track so many times but I don't think I'd ever listened to it with headphones before, because I'd never noticed how great the bass playing is. The lesson is that I should have been paying more attention to Duran Duran - there are some serious bangers on here.
gosto mto desse álbum me dá uma vontade absurda de estar numa praia em 1983 sob completo efeito de drogas sintéticas
CHUVA DE SINTETIZADOR NESSA PORRA eh o tipo de música que tem cheiro gosto e sabor de COCAÍNA DA BOA. esse eh bom demais hein.
Classic album
Not sure I had ever listened to this one beyond the singles. Great sound all the way through. Excellent album art too.
I like Duran Duran, its pop music in the best of ways. I grew up with some of these song and hearing some of them again after many years were a thrill.
oh boy i love a short album - especially when its new wave lmao. starting off strong with rio was a big win on duran^2's part. it was also the first song i ever played on radio and i got so scared cuz the intro to the song is quiet as shit so i thought it wasnt playing but then it turned out that it was. anyways the rest of the album was #fire. hungry like the wolf is obviously a banger but id have to say that the chaffeur was my favourite outside of the aforementioned two. those flute thingos in the background are so cool. i give it a 4/5 because i dont think theres anything new wave that qualifies as 5/5 except for the early new order stuff. that being said, this stuff was still groundbreaking for early 80s and so that gives it the 4. if i could give it a .5 i probably would.
um the first thing i thought when i listened to save a prayer was omg its the og sample from the gacha life song absolutely love this album!!!! duran durans sound is so distinct and its especially noticeable within rio especially. so many bangers in here! hungry like the wolf is one of if not my favourite song from the entire 80s. i know nothing about the bass world but i hope that the duran duran bassist is dutifully accredited bc he is the goat. i never noticed how much of a gothic influence they can have, lonely in your nightmares gave me the cure vibes. overall a 4, just because a lot of songs were quite similar to each other and got a bit repetitive. dancing in my room regardless!🥉rio🥈lonely in your nightmares🥇hungry like the wolf
Classic new wave Rio hungry like the wolf My own way
Solid synth and bass. Top shelf production.
Classic album, especially for fans of 80s synths and excess (like me!) standouts - Hold Back the Rain and Save a Prayer for me, deeper cuts than the usual Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf.
God what a fun album. Full of excitement, soaring synths, and just plain cool songs. The spirit of the 80’s is on full display here and the highs are just so damn high. Duran Duran caught a bit of flack from their contemporaries for being a pop consumerist band (looking at you Robert Smith). But I don’t think that’s entirely fair. The song writing isn’t particularly deep, but I think that misses the point of a band like Duran Duran. Music should be fun, and make you want to sing and dance along. This isn’t fine art, but it’s damn good music. Surprise favourite for me is Save a Prayer. Something slightly haunting about the chorus in this one that resonates I love me some melancholy pop music. With decent pacing throughout Rio I feel good about low 4 stars for the album. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Truly timeless. Good times.
Man, I was nine years old sitting outside my sister’s room on cleaning day again listening to this album again. I always wonder how it took her two hours to clean a 8x10 room with her door closed, but I realize it was probably this album. Simon LeBon and John Taylor were household names growing up, and reasonably so. Double-D had a style that was New Wave but had an rock edge. I think part of it was John Taylor’s aggressive walking bass line and Roger Taylor’s not-drum machine that made the difference. There are so many good songs here: Rio (a fav), Hungry (a fav), and Save A Prayer. This time, I really appreciated New Religion, with Nick Rhodes (not a Taylor) odd synth opener and driving guitar (Andy Taylor) and bass (…again, a Taylor), I don’t know if I can say this album defines the time because their music was unlike anyone else in the genre. I can say this defines MY time, and I’m thankful for it!
now i understand how they made a name for themselves. was really fun listening to it.
I was surprised to learn that Duran Duran’s fun-loving, vibe defining, feather-headed hedonism – an attitude since tousled by time’s limitless libido into a sort of archetype of a version of masculinity – wasn’t well received by critics in the early 80s. And then I thought about the sort of person offering a published opinion on new music in the early 80s … and it clicked into place. (Strikes me the Duran Duran boys might have been doubly confused by their critical panning – it’s unlikely they’ve ever had cause to experience envy themselves.) Not to worry, the casting vote on this occasion was the public’s – and thank the saucy gods it was so. To have risked losing this album to history’s unkindness would have been a crime, really. “Rio”, “Hungry like the wolf”, “Save a prayer”; not so much “songs” as cultural quilting points, moments where music, art and general horniness meet to, erm, snog? Anyway… Duran Duran looked the part, acted the part, and sounded the part. The songs here feel remarkably fresh – surely a function of the largely live feel of the recording – and there’s plenty of strong playing and solid compositional chops. At the edges of Simon Le Bon’s debonair delivery there’s even a suitably post-punk angularity, too. Never do we go full synthy-slick. Duran Duran is always definitely a band. (With the exception of “Chauffeur”, a charming song that, pleasingly, reminded me of where Arctic Monkeys went with The Car.) Given how poorly they were reviewed in 1982, it’s almost poetic that Duran Duran’s impact on pop and 20th century music is still under-celebrated, especially compared with some of their contemporaries (and even those they blazed a trail for…). While the historical revisionism applied to this album may be unanimously flattering in tone, it might still be Duran Duran’s fate to forever be jealously held off to one side a bit. And what a legacy that would be.
only knew Hungry Like The Wolf going in. pleasantly surprised, bass guitar in particular sounded great throughout.
7.5
So I obviously love all "the hits" but I was super stoked about how busy the bass player was. Those baselines really stood out. Especially on New Religion.
THE BASSSS HOLY FUCK
An excellent introduction to the new wave phenomenon that is Duran Duran
Couple of classics in here, def would give another listen if I was cleaning the house or something
Bunch of hits I've heard a thousand times plus a few tracks I've never heard that were equally as good.
Rio is glossy, vibrant, and packed with big hooks—but it’s also very much a product of its time, and not always in the best way. There’s no denying the charm of tracks like Hungry Like the Wolf and the title track Rio—they’re punchy, catchy, and made for MTV. The band knew how to craft pop with a slick, fashionable edge, and the production is polished to a mirror shine. But dig beyond the hits and the album starts to feel a bit thin. The over-reliance on style sometimes leaves substance behind, and a few of the deeper cuts feel like filler dressed in shoulder pads and eyeliner. It’s fun, sure, and there's a playful energy throughout—but it doesn’t quite hold up as a front-to-back classic. Enjoyable in small bursts, but not essential.
This is their best album in my opinion. It has catchy riffs and hooks throughout, with some deep cut surprises (Hold Back the Rain, New Religion, The Chauffeur). And, of course, the singles are solid. And GAWD. The bass. John Taylor does not get enough credit for his bass playing. It’s really good, but not great. Solid 4⭐️ for me.
At the beginning I was pretty blown away and ready to consider 5 stars, but the middle started to sound pretty samey so it gets a very solid 4 stars from me. I did enjoy the last couple tracks a lot as well. So clean, so fresh, a great culmination of what came before while pushing into the future and becoming a phenomenon.
3.5
Not bad
My wife bought this album for our record player sort of on a whim and it did not disappoint. It's interesting to hear this after Bon Jovi, a band that does not use synthesizer well, and get the max effect from intricate synth/keyboard. Some really good late tracks here--Last Chance on the Stairway is pretty cool. On this listen I was also surprised how good and crafted the lyrics are. When I was younger 7 and the Ragged Tiger was my jam, but this is solid. Almost a 4.5 for me.
3,5 sterne eher. als ganzes album irgendwie suess, aber keine einzelnen banger
Banger basslines
Disco / New Wave Pop with very talented John Taylor on bass Rio Lonely in Your Nightmare Hungry Like The Wolf Save A Prayer The Chauffeur
Surprisingly good. Great guitar work
I'm a sucker for Duran Duran. The non hits are a bit blah but man you know when a single hits. They really hit.
First impression is the striking album cover, what a masterpiece of a cover, I'd pick this off the shelf instantly even if I didn't know Duran Duran. Honestly they're one of those bands who have been so ubiquitously quoted over my life that I never actually bothered to go in and give them a listen. Damn, this is 80s synth-pop at its absolute peak - literally every song has a killer bassline, and the synth manages to be uniquely interesting in each song. I'm a suck for their backing vocals in Hold Back the Rain and sax riffs in Rio and others. I love Eagles of Death Metal but their cover of Save a Prayer isn't as good as the original. that being said rating it 4 stars because this doesn't feel like "I'm about to die and I'm so glad I heard this"
This album is very very good. Although top-heavy. I can't believe I enjoyed Rio so much that I in fact preferred it over Hungry Like the Wolf (a 97.3fm staple growing up). I fucking love this kind of 80's new wave. Really surprising that Rio didn't end up being as big as Hungry Like the Wolf, since I'd argue it's even more of an earworm. Part 2 (in the single of Rio) is also real good, though not relevant to this album. I think what holds me off from a 5 is the repetitiveness of the songs. Once you get just before the halfway mark through this thing you've really listened to everything it has to throw at you. The singing in one tone the entire album and it all sounded relatively the same didn't gel with me. Absolutely sick album art though, love it. Great listen and great vibes all through.
A seminal entry in the genre of music your uncle gets drunk to. Truly baffled that Duran Duran is still together/alive in the year of our lord 2025, let alone still releasing new music - which unsurprisingly sounds borderline identical to what they put out in the 80s. They know what they’re doing and they do it well. Album cover is sorta unnerving.
Shoulder pads, white Testarossas, Knight Riders, Lasers, Aerobic! Liked this much better now than then. 4 stars!
Very fun! Alive, colorful, and different. I was a big fan of this one. 8/10
Really fun and energetic pop rock from the 80s. Kinda fuses themes from new wave and the darkness of early gothic but still captures disco back beats and really foward and great sounding vocals with some sweet harmonies. Honestly gotta add a nod here, tasteful use of the gated snare. The 80s abused that snare. Those brits make great music time and time again. Double bonus for writing a great goth pop song the Chaffeur that would later be covered by one of my favorite bands Deftones.
I typically am not a huge fan of 80's pop and some of the sounds on this album are overplayed to me (but haven't aged like a ton of 80's pop), but this album is pristine and basically perfect. The songs are all so cohesive together. Extremely consistent sound through the whole thing. Shocking that this reviewed poorly when it came out. Last Chance on the Stairway and Save a Prayer are fantastic cuts, along with the two songs I've heard before, Rio and Hungry Like A Wolf.
What a great album. It's fun, classic, full of hits. The deeper cuts take one back into the MTV 80's era.
I liked this album a lot! Duran brings the vibe. The flute and the xilaphone hit well for me. And exceptional sound design and pacing through the album
Overall: 7/10 Duran Duran is just a fun time, man. I used to get roasted in high school for that opinion all the time, but once we graduated everyone I knew all of a sudden loved these guys! That's why my friends always trust my music opinions now. Anywho, there's some bangers on here. The title track alone is not only a fantastic song, but it has one of my all time favourite music videos. Hungry Like the Wolf is a classic, Last Chance On the Stairway is super underrated and overall I had a great time with this one. It isn't Tchaikovsky or anything but it makes me happy. Fav Song: Rio Least Fav Song: Save a Prayer
Bop after bop
So many hits on this album. I've never listened to it in full before. Good one for singing at the top of your lungs at 80s night or in the shower.
Lots of bangers on here. Best way to listen - convertible top down at twilight driving back from the beach in the 80s.
not my vibe
disco rock fun. Favorite track: Rio other picks: my own way, hungry like a wolf, new religion
Great band from the 80’s. And still recording today. Great album.
Classic 80s vibe....so I dig it
Admittedly, closer to 3.5 but Hungry Like the Wolf pushes it over. The album is super 80s, perhaps even more so than Tears for Fears, and most of the songs can feel like they're just different verses of the same song. A lot of it can feel predictable and repetitive. However, Duran Duran is still legendary and Hungry Like the Wolf is so good.
A fun album, I enjoyed it more than expected
Some bangers
Great synth/dance pop. Listen if your in that kind of mood.
Infectious choruses and driving instrumentation. You can take this record anywhere. Some songs put me by the beach while others put me on a night’s drive. I’m a big fan of New Wave/Synth Pop/80s Alt and this is right up my alley. Of course I’m familiar with Duran Duran - however, I’ve never played a record of theirs in its entirety. Truly a legacy band of the 80s and onward. Favorites: Rio, My Own Way, Save a Prayer
It’s that one Duran Duran album that has most of their hits and more or less defined one of the key sounds (and looks) of the 80s. It’s a pretty decent album, but it’s almost impossible to approach it with fresh ears.
This is just a fun album, and it's earlier in the 80s than I always thought of Duran Duran being. It's easy to see why this album was such a success. It's such a perfect blend of synth pop and rock, and there's all these other fun elements that come together to make it work so well. If only pop music could always have been this good 4/5
A classic
Really tight uptempo new-wave pop. Mostly nonsensical lyrics, a state which adds to the entertainment. Some interesting deep cuts. Mostly fun and spontaneous, and I kinda hate to say it, but I think "Save a Prayer" is a good song. If I were teaching a class about this era, I would use this song as an example.
Two words. THE. CHAUFFEUR
Really liked this album
По мнению А: 4/5 По мнению С: 4/5 ИТОГОВАЯ ОЦЕНКА: 4/5 (20.02.2025)
Classic, great album
This album is a bass player's dream. Really liked it!
Solid album. Would listen to this album again. Slamming Bass lines for days! Knew the hits. Never listened to this album before. Did add the album to my library after listening to it. Definitely like some deep cuts that would add to playlists in the future. Love New Religion, My Own Way, Last Chance on the Stairway. Didn’t really care for Chauffer and Hold Back the Rain. Possible 4 rating
Muy interesante. Música simple pero efectiva
low 4
I don't know how to explain what exactly it is and how I could even call it, but this 80s vocal style or vocal mix with all this reverb is not anywhere near my favorite thing sonically - it sounds incredibly dated these days. But on this album, it somehow sounded pretty nice and refreshing. But probably not due to the actual vocals, but the songs. Some great variety in here! Ballads, more aggressive stuff, dancing. Intriguing bag of songs for sure.
Duran Duran sort of embodies the 80's for me. I wasn't alive then, but just listening to Duran Duran and synth-pop/new wave by association transports me to that decade. The fact that the group was pretty much a mainstay on MTV in its early days gives that feeling a lot of credence too. (2/3rds of this album had associated music videos, which is kind of wild to me) This was probably their seminal album too, with singles such as "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf" present here. Largely upbeat and fast, supported by guitars and various synth sounds among others. The pace slows down a bit near the end of the album, where the synth shines a bit more (as well as the ocarina!). Overall, a good representative of the vision of 80's synth-pop (with a little more).
8/10
Meni je album vrh, volim ih 😊 baš fini 80s zvukovi i vajb, po mom ukusu 👌🏻 Visokih 4/5, 8/10.
Ah yet another UK group from the 80s, really showing the bias of the makers of this list. That said, this was actually a welcome album to listen to, one of the best to come out of the Fueled by Cocaine era. Songs like Rio and Hungry like the Wolf, while not songs I've actively listened to before, have appeared in numerous classic rock / 80s playlists, and have found their way into my subconcious. Other standouts include My Own Way and Save a Prayer. Solid 4/5 Album for me
Оценка 4 из 5 для альбома Rio группы Duran Duran основана на том, что он содержит как запоминающиеся треки, так и те, которые оставляют более мягкое и мелодичное впечатление.
Typical 80s style music, I enjoyed the listen
enjoyed this one
This was a pretty great album overall. I think I enjoyed every single track, but they did all blend together a bit. I imagine I'll be listening to Duran Duran more in the future. Favorite track: probably "Hungry Like the Wolf"
Rio by Duran Duran is pretty much the 80’s distilled in an album. From the cover to the use of synth in everything, it encapsulates the whole ten years. But Rio has many things that make it stand out from the other 80’s albums that had a mandate to use synth. Rio is the perfect bastard love child of new wave, pop, and rock. It takes all the elements from the genres and mixes them very well. Simon Le Bon sounds like he is the living definition of “supersonic” and his fellow band members know how to accompany him. But the biggest praise has to go to the bass. It’s that meaty bass that just slaps. I don’t know the exact term for it, I kind want to call it Seinfeld-like. Whatever it is, it literally escalates songs like New Religion to classic status. My only gripe is that a couple of the songs on side one sound a little similar to Hungry Like the Wolf. They come off as a little samey. But outside of that, this is as peak as new wave-pop can get. Awesome album. Favorite track: Hungry Like the Wolf Other hits: Rio, New Religion, Save A Prayer, The Chauffeur, My Own Way
Listened to this while playing The Loop. I lost. This album was pretty great! You can't go wrong with the wolf song...and i also really enjoyed the closing track. Rio is also a great opener. All around solid!
February 2nd, 2025 ~ #1 7/10 went in with low expectations since this was a new genre for me, was pleasantly surprised to find how ahead of its time this album was. i appreciate how polished and modern the sounds are, even more than 40 years after its release; i think that alone speaks volumes about its production. but it's clear that some tracks feel a bit dragged out (personally new religion, last chance on the stairway) overall though, not a bad listen. notable tracks: rio, my own way, hungry like the wolf, save a prayer
It's the best 80s pop album I've heard so far. That particular era had some awful tunes. Not as bad as some songs today though. I always thought Duran Duran were the kings of cheesy. The title track alone debunks that misconception. 4 stars for "Rio".
The bass lines on the first two DD are just insane. I mean, I can't stand the radio hits anymore, but this album still just kicks ass!
Really good synth-pop album, good flow from the first song until the last. The Chauffeur was a "surprise" for me because I had only heard it from the Deftones cover album. The original Duran Duran version is a solid one as well.
Great album. I accidentally listened to an album that was basically just versions of Rio over and over...it didn't get annoying and I think that speaks to how great that song is. Hit after hit on this song. Simon LeBon has such a great voice. Duran Duran is like if The Cure wasn't so depressed all of the time.
Songs i knew:3 Songs i liked: most of em Maybe I'm just in an 80s phase rn but loved this, they really were a pretty solid band for their era. Will be back here again. Low 4.
Thought I would hate But thought it was great
Kick ass album. Forgot about how fantastically they can meld harmonies and instrumentals (especially SAVE A PRAYER). Other highlights (aside from the timeless RIO and HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF) were LAST CHANCE ON THE SUBWAY, and the haunting intro to THE CHAUFFEUR
Generally a Duran Duran fan, but the backing beat of "the chauffeur" is not an acceptable thing to have playing for over 5 minutes straight
Honestly very enjoyable and kind of corny music of the 80s. I liked.
never noticed how good the bass playing is on this until I read the album reviews pointing it out.
нормалек.
A lot of big hitters on this banging 80s album, who knew? Love me a bit of synth pop. Faves: Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf, Save A Prayer, Hold Back The Rain
24/01/25 I like this album, it's got some good funk to it.
As a kid of the 80s, it would be impossible for me not to rate this album while considering the iconic "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf" music videos. This band defined the decade's musical landscape, both on the radio and television. While the album may have a few weaker tracks, the hit songs are absolute monsters that have stood the test of time.
I really enjoyed listening to this slice of 80s pop. It's exactly what you think it'd be if I told you that was the genre, but that's okay.
Un viaje a mí infancia, muy buena producción
Lovely bit of album, and one of them is a Villa fan. Easy to listen to and I had fun with it
For some reason I thought I didn’t like Duran Duran but I actually really enjoyed this. It was dark and sexy and cool.
Didn't realize there were so many hits on this album. Liked it more than I expected
You know it’s going to be a good day when the album is already in your music library. I love 80s pop obviously so today was indeed a good day.
Rhythm section is outrageously good. Funk and disco inspired. And the drum production is bombastic. Toms sound like tuned garbage cans. And the band is phenomenally tight. I'd never listened to this full album before. I'm super glad I did. I will listen again.
Classic ‘80s. I wasn’t into them then due to all my classmates being obsessed, but rediscovered this album in the mid ‘90s and have liked it ever since.
Nú þarf ég að passa að nostalgían hafi ekki áhrif á dómgreindina. Það er samt mjög erfitt. Algjörar neglur á þessari plötu og massív stemmning. Ég held samt að mér finnist hún nægilega góð fyrir fjarka en með fyrirvara um nostalgíuáhrif
Hungry Like the Wolf is one of the best songs ever, but the rest of this album is also really great 80s pop.
Iconic 80s singles and videos. Duran Duran was such a club band. The occasionally forgettable filler material weights this otherwise excellent album down. There's just one or two too many tracks that contribute nothing but a feeling of tedium when listening to the record end-to-end. Unforgettable album cover though.
Nossa, achei que não ia gostar e achei muito bom. Muitas faixas boas e bem energéticas. My Own Way, Hungry Like the Wolf, Hold Back the Rain, New Religion e The Chauffer, e claro, Rio se destacaram para mim.
I was not very much into the synth pop of my youth and this album is very much part of that. Never got into DD. This record is fine, about what I remembered. What I have discovered is the rhythm section of the Taylors. I think it is remastering, plus not listening on 80s equipment, but the bass is much more forward than I recall and is stellar. "The Chauffeur" was a revelation on this album.
9.5/10. I can totally see why Duran Duran would be Princess Diana's favourite band! What a cool new wave album. Awesome!!! :)
Rio as an Album is brilliant, full of great songs. The bass on this album as a whole is incredible and often is my favourite part in the songs, followed by the Unique vocals of Simon Le Bon.
This is some smooooooooth bass, man. I like the funk and the pure 80s-ness dripping from this album. Lyrics are interesting enough if a little creepy at times, but that's Duran Duran for ya.
1/3/25. Familiar with a few tracks from this one, feel like this album is an 80s staple. However, it still sounds great and the songs are a lot of fun.
Almost a 5. Two big hits, good sound.
Had this on vinyl in the 80s and enjoyed listening to the deep cuts that I haven’t heard in decades
Takes me back
It is exactly what I'd expect from the Duran Duran songs I know. But honestly, it's got a nice pace, the song are pretty fun and singable, and I do like 'Rio' and 'Hungry Like the Wolf'. Also not too long which I appreciate.
Goeie
Another School year memory album, this album was on high rotation when it came out. Lot of these songs are still in the rotation mix. Was great to listen to all the way through (a few times)
I am a day on Simon Le Bon hater, but this is pretty good.
Alright. If I’m gonna play damn ass 80’s rock this is the album for me. 4/5, actually enjoyed. Would put out for Duran Duran.
Yeah! Rio is solid. 4/5. Close to a 4.5 tho.
I thought this was a solid album. I already knew and loved "Rio" and "Hungry Like The Wolf" but I enjoyed the album overall. I really wanted to shout out the bass parts throughout these songs. I really enjoyed them and thought they were catchy and creative! Actual rating is a 3.75 Liked Songs (Other than the 2 I mentioned above): "My Own Way" , "Lonely In Your Nightmare" , "Last Chance On The Stairway" , "Save A Prayer"
Liked songs: Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf, Hold Back The Rain liked songs: all the rest Great album. There's a very specific sound to it that carries throughout all the songs that I just like. 4.25
Great start with the title track. So much energy.
Never really thought of myself as a big Duran Duran fan - but really enjoyed this. A bit silly - very 80's and a bit too much slap bass - but some quality tracks - esp Hungry Like a Wolf and The Chauffeur which is absolute banger. Strong 4.
Duran Duran - Rio Surprisingly consistent! This really captures that 80's vibe, in a very good and catchy way. Songs like "My Own Way" and "Save a Prayer" have that time capsule feeling, as if you were teleported back into that era, with full-on nostalgia coming in. This album is when you just feel down and want to dance and feel motivated, because this instantly improves your mood the moment you listen to it. This is great! 1.- Rio = 8/10 2.- My Own Way = 9/10 3.- Lonely in Your Nightmare = 7/10 4.- Hungry Like the Wolf = 8/10 5.- Hold Back the Rain = 9/10 6.- New Religion = 7/10 7.- Last Chance on the Stairway = 8/10 8.- Save a Prayer = 9/10 9.- The Chauffeur = 8/10 FINAL SCORE = 8.1/10
Muy buen trabajo instrumental y vocal. El ritmo está bien llevado y tiene buenos acompañamientos. Aunque no tiene tanto hits inmediatos y puede sentirse repetitivo.
Several much loved songs. Good overall sound. Evokes the time it was made.
This is the best 80s pop album I’ve gotten so far. I never realized how funky the bass all over this album is. I always dismissed it as generic synth music.
Awesome work
Duran Duran was ubiquitous in my teenage years. I had heard the hits from this record many times on the radio and remember seeing the videos. I enjoyed hearing the entire record for the first time.
Muy bueno
Favorite Track: Rio
Lekker saxo solo in Rio als opener. Sowieso prettig dat het een 'ander' genre is met pop/disco achtige klanken! Duran Duran is natuurlijk een ontzettend bekende naam, maar ik kan niet zeggen dat ik heel veel van dit album ken op het eerste gezicht. Rio is ook een lekkere funky opener, maar lonely in your nightmare haalt al het momentum uit het album... Hungry like the wolf is de grote hit, gezien de streams, maar komt me eerlijk gezegd niet echt bekend voor? Wel echt een lekker nummer! Alleen het eerste nummer had ik best wel verwachtingen omdat het meer funky en disco klonk. Met wat poppy invloeden, maar dat hoor ik eigenlijk nauwelijks nog terug, Duran Duran is toch een vrij standaard rockband zo te horen... Ik neig sterk naar 3 sterren. Tot Save A Prayer, wat een bizar mooi nummer is dat eigenlijk, je hoort de wanhoop in de stem en de muziek. Met de synthstukken op de achtergrond is dit een absoluut hoogtepunt van het album, had alleen zo graag gezien dat er meer van het album in dezelfde stijl was gedaan. The Chauffeur is ook een goede laatste plaat, maar zo goed als Save a Prayer word het niet meer, prettig album! FAVO: Rio, Hungry Like the wolf, Save a prayer, The Chauffeur
full of hits. Love the classics, and the entire album has this great futuristic vibe while still feeling fresh and also like a product of its time. As music should be. will def be revisiting her - most of the tracks made the playlist.
Oddly surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. The ‘hits’ are fun but there’s a great musicality here and John Taylor’s bass is incredible.
MTV played “Hungry Like The Wolf”, what, a BILLION times per day? Still holds up, as does the titular track. But the album cuts were all new to me and….are straight up bangers,yo! GREAT basslines throughout
Just a rock solid New Wave album. Is Duran Duran underrated?
¿Te has preguntado que pasaría si The Cure en vez de ser góticos fueran los chicos más populares de la escuela? ¿Cómo si estuviéramos en una comedia romántica sumamente cursi? Eso es Rio de Duran Duran. Hay pocos LPs tan inspirados como este. Teniendo casi solo "bangers", los aproximadamente 40 minutos del trabajo de los británicos se "pasa volando", dejando tracks como el homónimo, "Hungry Like The Wolf" y "Save a prayer". Muy, muy entretenido. Muy muy muy influyente, sobretodo para el rock argentino (aunque les arda).
Groovin bass
Diggy
Cool
Definite ear worm material I this high energy dance album. 80’s all the way!
4.5
Good
Fun album, good hits, I really enjoyed the music and how catchy it is
Good album. Enjoyed it. Save the Prayer is one of the best songs from Duran Duran.
molto energico e coinvolgente. Musicalmente positivo e ottimistico. Apprezzato.
The bass parts here blew my mind
I really like "hungly like a wolf", but I also don't think this is an exceptional album. 🫠
I will admit, Rio isn't available in my country, and I didn't notice it at first, but I listened to the compilation of the different remixes. I got about 5 songs in before I noticed. I got kind of sick of it at that point. To be fair I did like it the first time. I only knew Duran Duran before this from 'Hungry Like the Wolf' and they played a somewhat illegal show in my country for our sinfully corrupt current president. All of these left a bad taste in my mouth and in my mind. Pretty good album though.
Great album with some great songs!
Massive nostalgia trip. This was the first vinyl album I ever owned when I was 7 or 8. I think it was an Xmas present from my older cousins as they were trying to get me into music. I guess it kinda worked as I liked it at the time. Do I like it now, well yeah. I think as ‘new romanticism’ goes this is well up there as a peak in the genre. The singles are great pop tunes, and I think because it was early 80s the lyrics weren’t overly ridiculous. The bass stood out as well, so well played one of the Taylors. Added to that I thought ‘The Chauffeur’ is an accidental undiscovered psychedelic masterpiece so let’s give thisI a 4*. Sminkipink-nethethethethe-nuevoromantico-chrissywaddle.
Love the synths on this album.
I was feeling this way more than I thought I would - cool stuff!
Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand. 👍
I was surprised how much I liked this, esp the first half. The second half was a bit less inspiring and a bit whiney and synth-y. For real though Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf are both killer singles and pushed this up to a 4 for me.
Rio, It's a classic album from my happy era.
Solid music, unique at the time. Many, many hits.
Great to hear this album again after so many years. I forgot how much I enjoyed the less known tracks.
Really good album and fun when released. Doesn’t stand up to time.
Duran Duran was one of the first New Wave bands I got into during my late teens, and looking back, they’re a great starting point for the genre. They have that flashy, glamorous appeal combined with catchy rhythms and melodies that stick with you. While they are mostly a New Wave band, their rock influences make them more accessible to a wider audience. This album is especially a good place to start since it features many of their well known radio hits.
# Album Name: Rio # Artist: Duran Duran # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Love the sax on rio. Great bassline slapping in the background throughout this album. Its a real standout. Its something i hadnt noticed before. The hits on this album are real crackers. Some great standout songs. The rest of the album takes a little bit more work imo. But theres some other good tunes IF you give them a chance. Check out new religion, hold back the rain and last chance. # Top Tunes: Rio / Hungry like the wolf / Save a prayer / New religion # Would I listen to it again? yes
Had to get used to the 80s again. This albums slaps tho. Good shit.
Pretty cool new wave album with iconic bass lines
good old new wave
Duran Duran was one of the first New Wave bands I got into during my late teens, and looking back, they’re a great starting point for the genre. They have that flashy, glamorous appeal combined with catchy rhythms and melodies that stick with you. While they are mostly a New Wave band, their rock influences make them more accessible to a wider audience. This album is especially a good place to start since it features many of their well known radio hits.
I remember this at its release. It’s one of those that I heard a lot on radio and also owned. Back then I didn’t listen to the layers of music as I do today. Upon revisit I appreciate the bass lines much more, particularly on the title track. Great musicianship/songwriting throughout and this really broke through the new wave/pop era well, and with staying power. “Hungry like a wolf” is still quite the banger (no pun intended and the opening hottie giggle is genius). 4.25/5
Quintessential 80s right here. While I was never really a huge Duran fan, it was hard to ignore the impact of this record, let alone how much the songs were played. It skyrocketed them to fame and made them an early beacon in the MTV movement. The first four tracks alone merit its high rating, and even learning after reading the role keyboardist Nick Rhodes had in the writing and production, to me it was always bassist John Taylor who was the driver of many of their songs.
Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf are great, but it's the tasty bass licks that take this from a 3* to a 4*. 3.5/5
So enjoyable, it's fun, poppy and very atmospheric. The bass work is crazy, and the whole vibe captures the charm of the 80s while simultaneously feeling modern, it has aged very well. Best song: Save A Prayer Worst song: Hold Back The Rain
4/5
ultimate 80s sound
Good, catchy pop music! 4.1
Sick
this thing bangs from start to end.
Great album. So much better than other 80s synth pop. These guys are just a little weirder and cooler than their peers.
They were a great pop band with decent hooks and not too idiotic lyrics. This album has some of their greatest work on it, basically the sound of the early 80s. It amazes me that the production sounds clean, fresh and bursts with energy, even today.
Great bit of early 80's new wave
Legendary slammers carrying a good album.
Better than I remember it
Some fucking bangers but some bores
An awfully fun time.
Jury is out on which way those guys'll go. They're a lot of fun, and James Taylor is one of the most proficient bass players in the UK at the moment, giving them a funky edge. Classic.
Doesn’t let up off the gas, front to back.
Very good album with some excellent songs.
Very solid album. Hear a lot of interesting stuff that reminds me of modern stuff that I can't exactly place. I enjoyed this a lot.
Really solid 80s synth pop-rock album. My favourites are 'New Religion', 'Save a prayer', 'Hungry like the wolf' and 'Rio'. 4 stars
Onpahan JUHLAT! Parempi esimerkki yhden sormen synamelodioista. Kunnon tulkinta mukana aika laulussa. Kaikki hyvin. Ehkä b-puolelle olis kaivannut yhden bilenostatuksen.
Class
Holy Bass Guitar, Batman
How 80s could this album be? None. The answer is none more 80s. This is where Duran Duran changed from fay Sci Fi nerd New Romantics into archetypal shoulder padded yuppie icons, with an era defining series of music videos backed up with some great music. Admittedly, Simon LeBon wasn’t the world’s greatest vocalist, but the rest of the band held it together with the standout being John Taylor’s phenomenal bass lines punching through the mix. Yacht-tastic!
Very enjoyable synth pop from the 80s. The bass slaps!
Nem conhecia a "música tema", Rio. Importância óbvia por moldar o pop a partir dos anos 80 e garantir músicas para versões mais interessantes ao acrescentar peso de guitarras.
Pretty decent 80 rock vibes. Some classics. Unlikely to really revisit in any depth.
Fantastic album through and through, easy to listen to. Favourites were HLTW (obvious choice), New Religion, and The Chauffeur because ya girl loves some dissonance. The bass in New Religion had me wondering if the Chili Peppers drew inspiration from Duran Duran but I guess it's all much for muchness.
Good bops, deep thoughts, makes me overall think but also feel good.
This was super 80s and super fun.
Classic 80s
It only took three decades, but I finally like Duran Duran.
Rio
Really surprised by how consistent this album was outside of the singles. I listened to this one on repeat.
moiais 3.5/5 ?
Non-skippable.
this feels like your prototypical 80s album--the synths, catchy choruses, shouty vocals, variety of instruments/percussion, high emotion music that generally makes you want to move. best song: New Religion worst song: my own way? marginal, it's all pretty good rating 4/5
Damn, I miss the days of good sax solos. The production has aged better than much of the stuff from this era but the remasters were worth doing. Not every song is super exciting, but the melodies have range and sometimes the harmony surprises.
Was never huge on 80s synth stuff, but am starting to like it a lot more, branching out from the earlier Go Gos album. Thought Last Chance on the Stairway was the biggest surprise on this one and am also surprised it wasn’t a single. Found the third single, Save a Prayer, a little boring.
A fun classic. The title track and especially Hungry Like The Wolf are the highlights, but it’s a good listen and more musically interesting than you expect. I’m a kid of the 90’s and wasn’t around when this album was massive, but while it’s unmistakably 80’s it holds up quite well and is never overly cheesy.
I love Duran Duran - I really do. But so much of their deeper cuts sounds so similar. Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf, great singles. New religion and Hold Back the Rain very enjoyable but the rest kind of blend into a mishmash of similarity - the good news is that the similarity is GOOD. But it does suffer from a homogenized sound that does little to hold up the other tracks.
Good album! 4/5
Il y a chez Duran Duran un foisonnement et une innovation qui transcendent les synthétiseurs new wave. Pop efficace
They brought interesting back to pop. Frenetic drum beats under modal shifts in harmony. Every chorus feels like a bridge, stark and edgy. This album holds up, cool as ever.
Some surprisingly fun bops
Rio is Duran Duran's second album, and their most famous work. The band benefited from the early explosion of music videos in the very early days of MTV, with a string of noteworthy, successful videos. The band's glam-rock version of synth-pop translated well to video. Rio includes a few of the band's biggest singles: "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf." These are fun, danceable tracks that helped define 80s pop and establish music videos as a significant part of popular culture.
a certified fun one within the realm of synthpop
Great album, loved the energy throughout. The album cover reminds me of Desire from Sandman.
I liked this much more now, than when I heard it as a child. Hungry like the wolf and The Chauffeur are great tracks.
Would be 4.5 if I could do half stars
I added 3 tracks to my favourites playlist. I would certainly listen to those again, but I wouldn’t do a full album replay which precludes this from attaining a 5 star review.
Great album from beginning to end.
oh yeah yeah oh yeah yeah this was awesome
3.5
Rio: Rio's synth goes hard as fuck. I can't stop moving, this shit slaps. I'd play racing games to this. Every time I hear the chorus I like this song more. Oh jeez, here comes the sax, rip me up woodwind boy, man's shredding. Sounding like Mario Kart Rainbow Road now. Id play this at my funeral. My Own Way: Bass slappin off the bat. Gives me AFI vibes a bit. Okay, this chorus slaps. The crazy sounds going are are sick. I feel like Id hear this song while watching a Lazer Quest montage. I can't believe this innovation came from 1982, bonkers, this slaps. Fade out outro is lame though, end the song with meaning. Lonely In Your Nightmare: Boring intro. This song is boring and lazy compared to the first two. I can't believe they thought this was good enough for the album, skip. Hungry Like The Wolf: Clear banger, 10/10, 'nuff said. Hold Back The Rain: Start is epic, love the guitar. The chorus is tough to distinguish until its repeated four times. Maybe all blends too much. What the hell does hold back the rain mean? Your mom couldnt hold back her rain. Some of the drums are cool in this though. Some bands need to realize they don't need to make their songs longer than 3 minutes. End is kinda going hard though, feel like I'm trapped in a pinball machine in a 90s mall arcade. New Religion: Okay we're in space at the start. Space organ. Sporgan. They sure know how to slap the bass. Not much else standing out, but again, bass slaps. Ok kinda jammin' the longer it goes on, maybe I'm just greening out. It's a newwwwwwwwwww religion, kinda slaps. Bass solo, I'm into it. Last Chance On The Stairway: The start reminds me of a RUSH song. Pretty sure this is a RUSH song. Ok what is this instrument, xylophone?, this song is getting better... sounded like it was turning back into Rio for a second there. Save A Prayer: Is this a Zelda game or an underwater Mario 64 game? Cool instrumentals to start, but the voice is lame as hell, should have been an instrumental track, listen to all that shit going on in the background. I can't listen to the rest of this stupid Christian bullshit. Worst song on the album. The Chauffeur: This is weird, not too hype but very interesting. Liking the flute or recorder or whatever that is, reminds me of Little Big Planet, the Playstation game.
I did not have high expectations but HONESTLY a fucking banger of a pop album holy shit.
I wish I would have paid more attention to this album. These are some great bass lines. Ok. I never gave that album the credit I should have. It’s better than the “hits”.
Basically defined the sound of the early 80s new wave-pop scene. Still sounds good 40 years on.
New romantic era of the 80's. As I get older this type of music sounds better and better
oh my. I hated this as a teen, but as I aged, I do appreciate this album quite a bit. It boggles me that this came out in 1982. I always thought it was in the heart of the 80's, but it was actually the beginning! This is a very good album and I will listen to it more. They are way more "artistic" than I think people give them credit for - yes, great pop songs, all the songs are well-done with thoughtful and purposeful creation beyond simply "selling singles".
Definitely heard of this artist and album. Never actually listened to it fully. So kind of excited to check this out for the first time. this is a good album, this is why this is a legendary album.
Rio is and was a mega-hit album. In fact Duran Duran was one of those bands I loved to hate until my Dad and I started watching a late night show called "Night-Flight" that showed more adult oriented music videos and Duran Duran was a staple. It wasn't that I didn't like their music, which speaks for itself (just listen), but they became super famous and I was rebelling against "the man" and it seemed they had gone corporate. Nevertheless, I "secretly" always liked Duran Duran and this album remains a pretty good example of why. Also, I notice that unlike a pretty good chunk of 80's music, this has aged well and does not automatically conjure up the "nastalgia" dreamers.
My Wife says 5 stars, but I just can’t do it. I will recognize their 80’s era greatness, and appreciate they’re still alive and mostly intact. But I just don’t swing their way. Ain’t my flavor. Still, I’ll probably go see them if they come to town. Happy Wife, Happy Life.
#49 is a new wave classic. Hungry Like The Wolf, Save A Prayer and Rio are classic new wave songs. The whole album feels right and is quite fun to listen to.
Great 80s album. Normally I’m not a “80’s” fan, but this one surely is a banger. 3.7*
Solid album that is definitely propped up by the two most known songs. Rio is a top opening song and really sets the mood for the album. A lot of the songs sounds fairly similar and the middle sort of melds together. I would say this album is better than a 3 but not quite a 4.
This album was fun, shit, annoying and great all at the same time. I remember listening to this album on high rotation (on tape!) when it came out. I still love the track 'Save a prayer', its my favorite on the album. 80s Sax, combined with jangly keys, synth drums, sexy Simon Le Bon vocals and a massive serving of cheese!
This was such a fun album! The bass guitar was awesome - loved it! I've only listened to Hungry like the wolf from this album so most of this was new to me - I'll be back for more listens in the future
Duran Duran will always have a sense of nostalgia for me for a couple reasons. 1. My mom had their Decade compilation album that introduced me to the band and 2. Hungry Like a Wolf will forever be tied to the movie Big Fat Liar, where Paul Giamatti character is strutting about his house going for a swim and a shower where unbeknownst to him he has dyed himself blue and his hair orange. Fantastic album though, crisp production, fantastic playing(John Taylor had exquisite bass playing), singing. Save a Prayer is my favorite song on the album, though there are no weak links, top to bottom a great listen.
Solid album, I knew a few already (Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf) so it was nice to hear the others. Favourite track: Save A Prayer
Great songs!!!
This album makes me feel like I'm going on a neon soaked fantasy adventure on rollerblades. I really can't believe how many songs I knew from just this album considering I had only heard them as radio singles
Wow! A lot of fun, and some real bangers.
80s in a glance
Peak 80s pop
brilliant
Best Duran Duran. Moaning in the background! Helps Me sing blue silver! Love me the Duran. Creative expansion of ideas explored on their debut. 9 tight tracks.
Classics
Some great tracks on here, its a shame the production isn't consistent throughout, they really pulled out all the stops for the big hits and it sounds great.
The inspiration for naming my cat :). Let’s see if the title track deserves to be my cats name. Rio slapped lovely the sound, it’s like Depesche mode and other bands like that but British (🤢🤢). Favourite so far is Hungary like the Wolf. Loving me so new wave music, they’re all bops. They’re all bops that are catching but different especially The Chauffeur. The Chauffeur has got to be my favourite, after all those poppy bops this mysterious synth beat songs add so much to the album. Great singer, great lyrics, great instruments overall solid album 8/10.
A slapper of an 80s synth pop album.
Overall incredible album, very well put together and entertaining throughout.
Great album. Always loved 'the Chauffer'. Put on a helluva show at Bourbon & Beyond last year.
Álbum de conforto praticamente. Todas as músicas boas, mais ou menos do mesmo estilo sem ser repetitivo. Muito bom.
Quintessential ‘80’s. I loved this time period. John Taylor is very underrated as a bassist. He has some signature bass lines driving the hits in this album. Say a Prayer is my favorite DD song. Just a great album.
I remember them being 'more', I guess time and new music has raised my standards. Heard sooooo many 'Japan' baselines.
This album exudes 80s, right down to the artwork. I didn’t give Duran Duran a chance for a while, mostly based on seeing their Live Aid set. For some reason, I decided to pick up this album on a whim and I sorta fell in love immediately. I hadn’t ever heard the title track before but loved it, and “Hungry Like the Wolf” is the ultimate new romantic 80s anthem. I don’t think I’ve ever changed my opinion of an artist so quickly.
4 stars. a fun album.
June 14, 2024 HL: title track, “Hungry Like the Wolf”, "Hold Back the Rain", “Save a Prayer”, "The Chauffeur" All 3 Duran Duran songs I knew before today are on this album (nvm I know “Girls on Film”) Like sophisti-pop, emphasis on the pop It sure keeps its energy throughout the album, the closing track is unexpectedly beautiful, and the title track is timeless 4/5
A real piece of 80s pop history, this album starts with the single of the albums title a fantastic introduction. Followed by two less than stellar tracks and then the fantastic “hungry like the wolf” we then have two more tracks of filler and then a simply fantastic back end “last chance on the stairway”, “save a prayer” which is simple but very catchy and the highlight of the album the brooding synth pop masterpiece that is “the chauffeur”. Overall for a pop album to have over half of its tracks be so good this album stands the test of time.
The Chauffeur is one of my favourite songs ever so I'm biased
Liked this a lot more than The Human League, which came up recently - this is the rockier end of synthpop, I guess. Gave it three spins and it doesn't quite crack 5 stars for me, but it's close! And that album cover is absolutely *chef's kiss*. "Rio" and "Hungry Like The Wolf" still stand up, despite being somewhat played to death. Great tracks! Fave tunes - As well as those two singles, "Save A Prayer" was great - was also a single apparently, but I don't think it's received as much play in the following decades. Really liked "The Chauffeur", too - if there had been more moody, more experimental tracks like that on the album, woulda been a 5 for sure!
Being a real metal head in the 80s I dismissed most new wave because it lacked guitar and was getting jammed down my throat constantly on the radio and MTV. Now giving this a fair listen I find it’s a pretty good recording. Great bass player.
A lot of good songs on this album. Very good representation of the band. With pretty much every song on the album having been covered by another band over the years.
I own this album. It transports me back to high school. Love it!
Great New Wave/Pop album. Somehow I never actually knew Hungry Like the Wolf and Rio were on the same album.
how could you not love duran duran tho bangers 24/7
Wow, this rocked way more than I remembered!
Lonely in Your Nightmare and Last Chance on the Stairway were new standouts for me.
Tycker det här var bra. Mycket synth och 80-tal förstås, men ändå inte så plastigt och tunt sound som ofta annars (kanske pga basen som sticker ut). Gillar även sången. Tycker åtminstone hälften av låtarna är riktigt bra och resten bra eller helt okej.
Awesome and essential new wave. There's so much more to this album than the two radio hits Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf which is nice. Especially loved Save a Prayer and New Religion.
Love the bass in this album. Really funky and gets my foot tapping. Lots of good songs from this album, though I feel like it kind of slows down towards the later-middle. (Save a Prayer is great though.)
The best Duran Duran album !!!
Very much enjoyed this album, especially the hits! 4/5
It's a bit one-note, but I still found myself singing along at times. It's obviously very dated now, but there's a lot of charm here, even now.
Terrific very 80s 7/10
I’m a sucker for this stuff. It’s campy but a lot of fun.
This album was a huge breakout. The videos for Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf literally made MTV. The songs are poppy, upbeat and just plain fun. They have aged surprisingly well.
Lots of bangers on here. It’s a fun fusion of pop, rock, and new wave with lots of catchy choruses. I could see myself moving this up to a 5 if I spent more time with it.
I already knew and loved Hungry Like the Wolf and Rio before listening to the album, and it's clear that those are stand-out songs from the album for a reason. I enjoyed the album a lot, but there were no hidden gems I hadn't heard as a kid that I absolutely loved. That being said, it was classic 80s pop and I have no strong complaints.
I really like how high energy this is, nothing in it is static. The bass, the synth, the singers and background singers are going crazy for 42 minutes. It did start to blend together after a while, and the best song on the album was Rio, so it was a bummer to go downhill from there, but overall it's pretty consistent.
3.5
So many catchy songs! “Rio,” “Hungry Like a Wolf” are still awesome.
Pleasing to ear
Love love love. I couldn't give them 5 because I didn't give Elvis 5.
My first Duran Duran album I've listened to. Love it! Fast paced- synth driven songs with killer guitar. This is such an 80's album. Favourite songs: Rio, Hungry Like a Wolf, My Own Way, Hold Back the Rain
I really liked most of this. The second half of the album was a bit weaker, but still overall enjoyable. I'd listen to this again. 4/5
I was surprised by how much I likes this album. I had only heard a couple songs, but liked the complexity of the ones I hadn't
Surprised by this album. Had not listened to it in its whole since 1980s when I played GIJoe and put tapes while I played for hours on hours. This was a new sound back when it came out and including lots funk and disco influences speciallynin that instrumental one which I cant remember the name but its amazing. Its a really good album and I fell in love with it over again. It has 2 songs that are mid thats the reason im giving it a 4
Disco pop is not my thing, but this is what you get when people have talent and they know how to produce quality sound: a solid album. “Rio” is the standout hit.
3.9/5. 2h28m collectors edition, listened 1x, catchup on 5/9/24. would likely rate higher with original release at 43 min version. worth checking out later
Very good
Some classics and some better left unsung.
I don't consider myself a lover of most popular culture 80's music, for me hair metal owned it. So I never delved into Duran Duran, for example. But I must say this quite surpassed my minimal expectations - there's some rock guitars and bass and funk blended in there and it's good.
This album feels like a vision, fully realised. It's lush, bold, poppy, and undeniably 80s. When you name quintessential 80s bands, Duran Duran should be one of the first to leave your lips. But this isn't just the pop album that I, for one, had considered it to be all these years while ignoring its existence. There are real riffs here, real solos, real instruments being played with skill. There's unconventional songcrafting here as well - the familiar Save a Prayer is a prime example of this. My jaded ears can't even start to figure out what key and scale this thing is adhering to. Ultimately a triumph, but also not something that impresses me so much as to call it an absolute masterpiece. Certainly a joy to listen to, and one that I'll be sure to spin again to see if my opinion changes.
A solid album all the way through with a couple of hits to lift it above the noise.
I never really paid much attention to Duran Duran before, only knowing the hit Hungry Like The Wolf going in. Although this sounds a bit dated now, that bass guitar really elevates this above standard pop fare. My biggest criticism is that some of the songs sound a bit samey. This is a really good album though.
Great 80’s band! ❤️ their sound!!