Duran Duran Future Past (2021)
There are not many things I really look forward to but a new Duran Duran album has always been one of them since 1981 when I first got into the band, which were to become my favourite band of all time. I must admit I have also been looking forward to this album for a long time as the band have been getting better as they have gotten older and how many bands can say that, virtually none, especially in this musical vacuous times where I rarely hear anything new that I like.
So Future Past came out last Friday and I have now been able to listen to it a few times and give an assessment of this, Duran Duran’s, 15th album. The album is good, it does not disappoint at all. Tracks include “Invisible”, the first single and a catchy track which is trademark Duran. “All of You” is a good dance number as well. “Give It All Up” is a duet with Tove Lo and is slower but with a strong beat and it works really well I think. “Anniversary” is interesting and decent with really strong vocals from Simon Le Bon. “Future Past” is a slow number and again really strong vocals on this track and I like it a lot because of this. “Beautiful Lies” is a fast dance track and reminds me a bit of the Notorious album, or the style I suppose. “Tonight United” is another dance type number with a really fast beat running through the track, decent track to be fair. “Wing” slows things down a bit and sometimes Simon Le Bons vocals get stronger on the slow tracks and this is a good one. “Nothing Less” a good track again which has a good balance and includes what I think is a bit more Nick Rhodes experimenting on keyboard, another strong track. “Hammerhead” is maybe the weakest song on the album for me to be honest, it’s not a bad track but maybe doesn’t work as well for me. “More Joy!” which also features Chai is decent overall. “Falling” is another slower track and features Mike Garson and is a very strong final track on the album, sounds great and works really well.
John Taylor has described the album as “very emotionally deep album”, “Many of the songs are about emotional crises, or long-term intimacy issues, let’s call them. When we came back after lockdown, I felt that those lyrics, particularly ‘Invisible,’ spoke to the moment, because the last 18 months have really been about intimacy politics.” I would agree with that to be honest once you listen to it a few times. Overall a good album and one that I will listen to a lot so where does it sit on my list of Duran Duran albums –
- All You Need is Now (2010)
- Rio (1982)
- Big Thing (1988)
- Duran Duran (1981)
- Paper Gods (2015)
- Future Past (2021)
- Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983)
- Liberty (1990)
- The Wedding Album (1993)
- Astronaut (2004)
- Notorious (1986)
- Medazzaland (1997)
- Red Carpet Massacre (2007)
- Pop Trash (2000)
- Thank You (1995)
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