Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) - Duran Duran (CD 1993)

Duran Duran's self-titled release came out of nowhere in 1993, featuring two top 10 singles, and a band that was lean and mean. What's more, Duran Duran seemed inspired, honestly for the first time since Notorious. Duran Duran, oft-titled The Wedding Album to differentiate it from their debut album of the same name and due to the photos on the cover, is a good album. Its finest moments form a creative peak for the post-Seven And The Ragged Tiger lineup of Duran Duran. If not for this album, I wouldn't have discovered Duran Duran's amazing earlier work. So for that, it holds a special meaning for me.
This is also the last album of original material that founding member and bassist John Taylor took a part in.
Also of note is the album's great production. This is still probably Duran Duran's best sounding album. I used it as a test disc when I was auditioning high-end stereo systems not too long ago.

"Too Much Information" begins the album with a bang, and more punch than the world had heard from Duran Duran in years. The song is almost entirely guitar driven and rock-oriented, as well. It's clear that by this point, guitarist Warren Cuccurullo had a major hand in determining the band's direction.

There isn't much one can say about "Ordinary World". The song is as important now to the fabric of Duran Duran as "Hungry Like The Wolf". It is a masterpiece in every way, featuring wonderful guitar work and vocals, not to mention some of the group's best lyrics ever. This song is perhaps the first since "Notorious" that can stand up against any of the band's other massive hit singles.

"Love Voodoo" is a strong album track. It is one of the more interesting songs on the album, but not as good overall as the strongest non-hit, "Too Much Information".

Duran Duran probably didn't want the world to think they'd forgotten about the dance hall crowd, and "Drowning Man" seems like a very self-conscious attempt to bring their beats up-to-date. Because the song feels so self-aware, it hasn't aged quite as well as the band's earlier dance hits. Still, the beat IS slamming. And Nick Rhodes really has a chance to show off on the keyboards. Simon LeBon even sounds a bit on the soulful side here. It's a good song.

"Shotgun" is a brief hiccup in an otherwise pretty strong album - thankfully, it's under a minute in length.

"Come Undone" is Duran Duran's other centerpiece. It may not be quite as immediately catchy as "Ordinary World", but musically I think it's the superior song. This is the kind of sophistication that Duran Duran had been searching for ever since Notorious. I believe that there are several remixes of this song, but the one released as part of the "Too Much Information" single is really worth looking for.

"Breath After Breath" again shows off Warren Cuccurullo's guitar skills. The song is Duran Duran's first foray into middle-Eastern motifs, and somehow it works. This album track is more interesting than almost anything on Big Thing or Liberty.

I have mixed feelings about "UMF". It isn't a bad song, but it tries so hard to copy Prince. I'll admit, it grates on me a little.

"Femme Fatale" is a cover of a Velvet Underground song, but I haven't heard the original - thus, I can judge the remake on its own merits, I suppose. And to me, it's a nice ballad. Little more. Let's face it - Duran Duran were never really meant to be a covers act. Still, this song works nicely with the rest of the album.

The "choral" intro to "None Of The Above" again recalls a Prince tune, "When Doves Cry". The song is pretty catchy, and it's got a good beat. With a little airplay, I think it could have been a minor hit for the band.

"Shelter" is a decent song, but it probably would have worked better as a B-side. At 62 minutes, Duran Duran runs a bit longer than maybe it should have. This is a song that could have been removed for a more concise, stronger record. I wouldn't have missed "To Whom It May Concern", either.

"Sin Of The City" is an interesting conclusion for the album, and while it never really picks up steam, it actually doesn't grow boring either.

It's a tough call, whether or not I should recommend that you buy Duran Duran. Compared against the band's total output, this album belongs somewhere in the middle. But not counting Pop Trash, which I still need a little time to digest, this is the best of the albums following Notorious. This might definitely be a good album to pick up if you're one of those folks who hates "eighties music". I know plenty of people who didn't warm up to Duran Duran's earlier material ("Oh god, that RIO song again?") until they'd heard "Come Undone" and "Ordinary World". Of course we all know the '80s stuff is where it's at, don't we?

Duran Duran is a good album. It's a very good one, in fact. But if you're trying to decide on a first Duran Duran purchase, I think it probably should be Rio or Greatest.