Duran Duran – Duran Duran (New Vinyl)

NEW LP

New sealed copy. 2024 remastered reissue. Remastered at Abbey Road Studios.

Duran Duran is the debut studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 15 June 1981 through EMI. Produced by Colin Thurston, it was recorded in London and Oxfordshire between December 1980 and January 1981. The instrumental tracks were recorded quickly, but vocalist Simon Le Bon initially struggled to sing in the studio, leading to discussions about replacing him before EMI employee Dave Ambrose intervened.

Influenced by artists such as David Bowie, the Human League, Japan and Chic, Duran Duran features a mixture of synthesiser-led pop tunes and more atmospheric tracks, with elements of disco, punk and dance. Le Bon's cryptic lyrics cover topics from youthful torment and confusion to the band's goals and ambitions. The cover artwork for the album and singles were designed by Malcolm Garrett.

Three singles appeared for the album, each promoted with music videos, which helped the album reach number three in the UK and remain in the top 100 for 118 weeks. The sexually-provocative video for "Girls on Film" was controversial, and generated publicity for the new MTV channel in the United States. Its initial US release on Capitol subsidiary Harvest Records was unsuccessful; a reissue there during the height of the band's fame in 1983 reached the top ten of the Billboard chart.

Duran Duran initially received mixed reviews. Critics felt the band did not stand out from their contemporaries, although some praised the singles. Retrospective reviews have been more positive, with critics complimenting the band for creating a modern sound that spearheaded the New Romantic movement.

TRACKLIST:

A1        Girls On Film
A2        Planet Earth
A3        Anyone Out There
A4        To The Shore
A5        Careless Memories
B1        Night Boat
B2        Sound Of Thunder
B3        Friends Of Mine
B4        Tel Aviv