Duran Duran's new album

[Sahara]

Has anyone heard it? I must say that when I heard that Justin Timberlake and Timbaland were involved I was very nervous... I despise both of them on their own, but together AND with one of my favourite groups? I was very apprehensive.
But I actually really like the new sound. I find it's much edgier than anything they've done previously, a little bit dark, but it works really well. I love that they're not just repeating what's made them successful over the last 25 or so years, but still pushing boundaries and trying new things. Sometimes it works (The Valley, Skin Divers, Zoom In) and sometimes it doesn't (Nite Runner, Red Carpet Massacre), but overall I think it's something fresh and different from the lads, with a distinct Duran Duran flavour still present. I also loved that there was an instrumental (Tricked Out) on there -- a nice nod to the fact that even though the image and mythology of Duran Duran is so important, the music still stands on its own.


And the icing on the cake was that I got to see them live for the first time, last Wednesday night in Dublin's Phoenix Park ...

I can't actually find the words to tell you how good it was. I went with two great friends who introduced me to the band, so to share the experience with them was something very special. The band sounded completely together, lively and full of energy. The setlist was a fine mix of old and new, and though I felt there were one or two "essentials" missing it all flowed really well. Simon was note-perfect the whole way through and running and dancing round the stage like it was 1984 all over again. Definitely worth waiting six hours in the freezing cold...