Duran Duran (commonly known as theWedding Album) is the seventh studio album and the second self-titled album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 15 February 1993 through Parlophone and Capitol Records.
By the early 1990s, Duran Duran's career appeared to be in decline.[5] Their 1990 album Liberty, despite debuting at number eight in the UK Albums Chart, quickly fell out of favour, struggling commercially and critically in both the UK and the US.[5] Singles such as "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)" and "Serious" failed to make significant chart impacts, while much of the album's material was met with indifference or outright criticism from the press.[5] Reflecting on this period, band members Nick Rhodes and Simon Le Bon admitted to a lack of focus during the creation of Liberty, with Le Bon noting, "There were times when everyone in the band felt like giving up."[5]
After the commercial disappointment of Liberty, Duran Duran entered a period of uncertainty.[5] Drummer Sterling Campbell departed the band quietly, later joining Soul Asylum.[5] The remaining members faced personal and professional challenges: John Taylor struggled with his mental health, Rhodes was navigating a difficult marital breakup while caring for a young child, and Le Bon expressed a desire to escape to a quieter life by the sea.[5] In contrast, guitarist Warren Cuccurullo emerged as the driving force behind the band during this period.[5] Reflecting on his determination, Cuccurullo stated, "I was the hungriest. I wanted success. I wanted to go beyond where I had gone. All I had was my music."[5] He converted the living room of his house in Battersea, London, into a makeshift studio, which became the primary workspace for the band's next project.[5] Rhodes supported the idea, commenting that the space had a more inviting atmosphere compared to traditional studios.[5]
Recording
In January 1991, Duran Duran began work on their second self-titled album at Warren Cuccurullo's home studio in Battersea.[6] With a modest setup that included a sequencer, drum machine, synthesisers, and Cuccurullo's guitar rig, the band aimed for a relaxed, cost-effective environment compared to traditional studio sessions.[6] Reflecting on this change, John Taylor noted, "We'd never recorded in a home studio before. The difference this time was we didn’t have to keep looking at the clock. It gave us freedom to explore creatively."[6]
The band arranged their equipment in Cuccurullo's living room, with Le Bon performing at the center while Rhodes's keyboards and Cuccurullo's sequencers surrounded the space. Producer John Jones, who joined the project midway, described his workstation as including an Atari running Notator and an Akai S1000sampler. He recalled, "They asked if we could make a record in a living room, and I said we certainly could."
Working six to eight hours daily, the band alternated between live jams, demo recordings, and writing sessions. Their goal was to demo 15 songs while receiving feedback from their record label, Capitol-EMI.[6] To ensure progress, Capitol-EMI adopted a more hands-on approach, monitoring the band's work closely.[5] According to Taylor, this was the first time the label implemented a tightly controlled A&R process, granting funding incrementally based on the quality of the material submitted.[5]
The recording sessions were fluid and iterative, with the band frequently making changes to multiple elements of a song at once.[6] For example, adjustments to the bass were often accompanied by changes to drums or keyboards.[6] By the end of these initial sessions, the band had composed a significant collection of material, including "Love Voodoo", "Sin of the City", "Too Much Information", "U.M.F.", "Ordinary World",[5] and "Breath After Breath", with the latter featuring a collaboration with Milton Nascimento.[7] Le Bon noted that the band had finally found the productive rhythm they had been seeking since the mid-1980s.[5]
Despite the creative freedom afforded by the home studio, technical limitations led the band to relocate to Maison Rouge Studios in South-West London by mid-1991.[6] Here, they refined tracks using live drums, keyboards, and additional layers.[6] Drummer Steve Ferrone completed his parts for "Ordinary World" in just a few hours, with engineer Tony Taverner overseeing the sessions.[6] Jones and Rhodes further polished the track's arrangement, preparing it for final mixing.[6]
Later in the process, the band added two more tracks to the album: a cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" and "Come Undone", featuring backing vocals from Tessa Niles.[5] "Femme Fatale" was done at the suggestion of Cuccurullo's friend Frank Zappa.[5] By the time "Come Undone" was recorded in 1992, most of the album had been completed. Taylor had already departed for Los Angeles to visit his wife, along with Le Bon and Rhodes.[5] In Taylor's absence, Jones stepped in to play bass for the track.
Music and lyrics
Duran Duran showcases an eclectic mix of musical styles and influences, mainly pop rock[8] and dance-pop.[9] Jones compared the album's creative process to the Beatles' White Album, noting its emphasis on artistic freedom and individuality.[10] Speaking to Forbes, Jones described the approach as one focused on making music they genuinely enjoyed, free from rigid formulas or constraints.[10]
The opening track, "Too Much Information", features a rock-oriented sound with lyrics critiquing media saturation and the pressures of fame.[10] David Chiu of Forbes described it as a "hard-rocking" commentary on mass media, inspired by the band's reflections on the Gulf War and their frustrations with the entertainment industry.[10] Annie Zaleski of Ultimate Classic Rock noted its "keyboard-propelled" style and highlighted lyrics such as "Destroyed by MTV / I hate to bite the hand that feeds me so much information" as emblematic of the band's critique of overexposure.[4] The ballad "Ordinary World" was written in response to the death of a close friend of Simon Le Bon.[4] Le Bon explained in Behind the Music that the song was a way to let go of sadness and move forward: "But I won't cry for yesterday / There's an ordinary world...," he wrote, reflecting his desire to find peace and resilience.[10]
"Love Voodoo" shifts to a sleek, electro-inspired sound, with Zaleski describing it as "languid" and "seductive".[4] This is followed by "Drowning Man", which, according to Zaleski, draws on textures and rhythms reminiscent of the underground rave scene of the early 1990s.[4] The brief instrumental "Shotgun", described by Andrea Odintz in Rolling Stone as "Prince-inspired",[11] leads into "Come Undone", a trip-hop-inflected ballad.[4] Written by Le Bon for his wife Yasmin Le Bon, the song features circular guitar riffs, "watery keyboards", and emotional vocals.[4] Zaleski called it a "vulnerable" track, noting the contribution of backing vocalist Tessa Niles.[4] "Breath After Breath", a samba-influenced ballad featuring Brazilian artist Milton Nascimento, incorporates Portuguese lyrics sung by Nascimento.[4][9]
The slinky "U.M.F." has been described by Zaleski as "Prince-like", blending funk and R&B grooves with Le Bon's nuanced vocal delivery.[4] Similarly, Mark Elliott of Dig! called Duran Duran's take on the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" as melodic.[12] "None of the Above" features a bass-driven arrangement and introspective lyrics, which Elliott characterised as an "ode to self-discovery".[12] Zaleski noted its "nimble guitar work" and described it as an "upbeat contemporary pop song".[4] "Shelter" incorporates urgent synthesisers and funk elements,[12] with Paul Sinclair of Super Deluxe Edition describing it as a "heavy-footed funk workout."[13] He also noted similar qualities in "To Whom It May Concern", a protest song with chant-like lyrics written by Nick Rhodes.[13] The album closes with "Sin of the City", a seven-minute track inspired by a real-life tragedy.[13] Co-producer John Jones reflected on the song's creation in an interview with Forbes, recalling the informal recording process in which the band incorporated spontaneous clapping and ambient sounds.[10] Sinclair described the track as having a "compulsive vocal hook",[13] while Elliott referred to it as "a lengthy end to an otherwise tight work".[12]
Title and packaging
The band ultimately chose to self-title the album after describing themselves as having to go "back to the basics",[14] though the record was referred to as "the Wedding Album" immediately upon release.[1]
The album cover for Duran Duran was created by graphic designer Nick Egan, in collaboration with his assistant Eric Roinestad.[14] Roinestad handled the layout while Egan worked closely with the band to ensure that the visual concept aligned with their artistic vision.[14] The design featured a solitary gold Duran Duran logo over a selection of sepia-toned wedding photos of each band member's parents.[14] As described by Andrew Dineley of Classic Pop, the album's aesthetic "could be read as a DIY-style, punk-era fanzine pastiche".[15] Dineley further noted that "like the music it packaged, the design seemed to reference a diversity of influences", such as the raw illustrative style of Jean-Michel Basquiat and the pop-art print effects reminiscent of Andy Warhol, the latter also visible on the single cover for "Too Much Information".[15]
Following a series of coincidences and collaborative efforts between Egan and the band, the initial concept for the album's artwork began when Duran Duran's bassist, John Taylor, mentioned to the American actor Billy Zane that he was seeking Egan to design the album cover.[14] Zane, who was a friend of both Taylor and Egan, informed Taylor that Egan was in London at the time, which led to an immediate meeting between Egan and Taylor at Taylor's house in London.[14] Egan later reflected on the serendipitous nature of the encounter, saying, "You could say that it was written in the stars from my point of view. It all just fell into place."[14]
The band's concept for the album cover was distinct and unconventional.[14] Instead of opting for a typical, expensive photoshoot, they decided to use photographs from their parents' weddings.[14] Egan found this idea to be highly innovative.[14] He recalled, "It was this concept that convinced me that this was going to be something special visually, but it also made me realize that Duran were one of the most innovative and creative bands of theirs – and subsequent – generations. They were never predictable."[14]
Egan's main concern was to avoid the kitsch aesthetic often associated with wedding photography, which he described as "white, lacey with silver horse-shoe confetti decorations".[14] To achieve a more artistic and sophisticated look, Egan drew inspiration from the Pop Art collage techniques of Robert Rauschenberg.[14] He said, "I wanted it to be like a piece of art... that's where I took the influence of Pop Art Collageist Robert Rauschenberg, who laid seemingly random images on top of each other with the faintest hint of off-register color as if the whole thing was screen printed."[14]
Release and singles
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Recording of the album was completed in early 1992, with a planned mid-year release by their record label.[10][7] However, Duran Duran's new management company, Left Bank, was distressed at the industry's lack of interest in the band and the label's seeming lack of enthusiasm for promotion of the album.[16][7] Despite receiving positive feedback from shared material of the album that Duran Duran had provided to Capitol-EMI,[14][17] the band's label were hesitant in releasing the album, preferring to focus on what they considered to be "priority" acts.[7] This led to the album being temporarily pulled from the release schedule as a way to address the concerns raised by Left Bank. In an interview with HitQuarters, Left Bank manager Tommy Manzi expressed frustration, stating that the industry seemed resistant to the comeback of Duran Duran.[16] He believed that the focus was on promoting "the next hip band" rather than supporting established acts like Duran Duran.[16] Manzi mentioned that industry insiders even "laughed at" Left Bank while they worked on reviving the careers of not only Duran Duran, but also Meat Loaf.[16] Despite their efforts, industry insiders seemed to dismiss these "old" acts.[16] This lack of recognition and support ultimately resulted in the album being shelved, with a release date set for 1993.
During the delay of the album, the remaining members of Duran Duran found themselves at a creative crossroads. John Taylor returned to his wife in Los Angeles, while Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Warren Cuccurullo began working on cover songs for what would later become the Thank You album.[18][19] The unexpected leak of their song "Ordinary World" to radio stations in Jacksonville, Florida caught the band off guard.[20][17][21] Speculation arose that their own record label had intentionally leaked the track to gauge public interest, as Duran Duran had seen a decline in popularity after a decade of chart success.[20][21] To their surprise, "Ordinary World" received positive reception from listeners and was a hit at radio stations, sparking a renewed interest in the band's music.[20][17] The positive feedback led to Capitol Records advancing the song's release as a single.[20] "Ordinary World" was officially released as a single on 19 December 1992[22] by Capitol Records and made its debut on record charts the following year, reaching number six in the UK[23] and number three in the US.[24]
Duran Duran was released two months later on 15 February 1993. Its already successful lead single propelled it high onto the UK Albums Chart, debuting at number four. The album would not appear on the US Billboard 200 until the week of 13 March, where it debuted at number seven.[25] This notably gave the band another top-ten hit in the US since their 1984 live album Arena.[4] Unlike their previous album that suffered poor album sales and had fallen off the charts within weeks of release,[5]Duran Duran was able to maintain a stable amount of sales for months in both their homeland and the US, fluctuating between the top 20 and 30 weeks after release.
Duran Duran received mixed reviews upon its release, with opinions reflecting on the band's attempt at a comeback. Sam Wood of the Philadelphia Inquirer described the album as a potential "second coming of the Duranies", praising the shift toward "pop respectability" with tracks like the ballad "Ordinary World".[9] He commended the thematic maturity of the lyrics, the inclusion of Brazilian artist Milton Nascimento on "Breath After Breath," and the album's strong dance-pop influences, likening its quality to 1986's Notorious.[9] Alan Jones of Music Week offered a positive assessment, giving the album four out of five stars.[1] He noted that the band had put considerable thought and care into the album's production, highlighting its diversity.[1] He concluded that the album demonstrated unexpected strength and affirmed that Duran Duran remained "a force to be reckoned with."[1]
In contrast, Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a "D" rating, criticising its production as "overproduced" and the songwriting as lacking the memorable melodies of the band's earlier work.[27] He described "Ordinary World" as a weaker derivative of its influences and singled out the cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" and the collaboration with Nascimento as ineffective.[27] Dave Obee of the Calgary Herald observed that the band struggled to distance themselves from their 1980s success while attempting to reconnect with audiences.[26] He noted their influential role in the music industry but remarked on the challenge of maintaining relevance.[26] Similarly, Clark Collis of Select acknowledged the success of singles like "Ordinary World" but criticised the album for inconsistent quality and a lack of innovation, suggesting that it rarely matched the high points of its standout tracks.[28]
Retrospective reviews of Duran Duran have been mixed, with critics reflecting on the album’s strengths and its place in the band's career. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the album for blending Duran Duran's classic style with a more mature approach, describing it as a successful adaptation to the 1990s music landscape.[8] He highlighted "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" as standout tracks, calling them "wonderful pop singles", but noted weaker moments, such as the cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale".[8]
Andrea Odintz of Rolling Stone offered a more reserved perspective.[11] She acknowledged the band's effort to evolve by incorporating elements of Prince and techno but felt the album was more compelling when the band leaned on their own distinctive style.[11] While she praised "Ordinary World" for its spiritual qualities, Odintz criticized some tracks for following contemporary trends too closely and suggested that the album was uneven in quality compared to their earlier successes.[11]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Duran Duran, except where noted
↑ Contemporary sources cite 15 February as the release date,[1] along with the BPI and the RIAA. Despite this, Duran Duran's official website state that the release date is 11 February,[2] while AllMusic lists it as the 23rd. Other recent sources present a combination of these dates or simply February 1993.[3][4]
Related Research Articles
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