'Red Carpet Massacre' a Preview of Duran Duran's New Album Due Out November 13, 2007

Acclaim, Buzz, and a Two-Week Broadway Run Surround This Promising Release

Red Carpet Massacre, the newest effort from the ever-evolving Duran Duran, is set to be released November 13, 2007 in the U.S. Working with Timberland and Justin Timberlake on this collection, it is rumored to be their greatest work to date. I've previewed two of the songs from the album and agree that their sound is very evolved from their original sound.

The band still consists of the original line-up, minus Andy Taylor, guitar. The guitarist in the band now is a musician named Dominic Brown. He is really excellent, does honor to Andy's style in my opinion, and works really well with the band when it comes to the sound and feel. The rest of the original members are all present and consist of Simon LeBon, Vocals; Nick Rhodes, Keyboards; John Taylor, Bass; and Roger Taylor, Drums.

The first song I previewed was Falling Down, and I just couldn't stop listening to it. It is easily their best song since Ordinary World and songs of that era. The guitar work is excellent and truly beautiful. It helps "tell the story" of the song as much as the lyrics do. The writing and the musicianship are sound, evolved, and "finished." This band still sounds like a "band," and they do still sound like Duran Duran all these years later. Falling Down is definitely a testament to their individual inherent talent and their collaborative success, in addition to bearing the mark of a real artist - one who never stops growing.

The other song I heard from the collection, Nite Runner, is really going to be something for the clubs. It has a good beat with smooth, searching lyrics and vocalization and a good syncopated style to it. Unfortunately it does not have the rich, textured feel of Falling Down and is not likely to stay with you long. I don't know if I would call it "disposable." I guess I would call it "easily digestible," like an appetizer. It goes down easily and is minorly satisfying, but you're going to need something quite a bit more substantial in the near future.