With self-proclaimed long-time Duran Duran fan Mark Ronson at the controls, you might have reasonably expected a more a dance-oriented affair from the ‘80s pop giants. But All You Need Is Now, the 13th album (and follow-up to the decent enough Red Carpet Massacre), could have been made twenty-five years ago, such is the return to the classic Duran sound. Already being hailed as “son of” Rio, it certainly harks back to the glory years, when the Brummie New Romantics could do no wrong (at least in the eyes of the MTV generation). Not that it’s an exercise in mere nostalgia – the tunes are for the most part genuinely strong, with the single ‘Girl Panic’ a classic Duran offering, complete with dramatic guitar stabs, swirling keyboard washes and soaring chorus.
Likewise with ‘Save’, a terrific dance-floor shaker which boasts a guest spot by Scissor Sister, Ana Matronic. Ronson’s influence is the strongest here, though the tune, which recalls ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ in spirit, is infectiously memorable. Simon Le Bon’s voice has changed little over the years and he stretches it to the limit on ‘Leave A Light On’, a lighter-waving ballad in the grand tradition of ‘Save A Prayer’.
It’s not all pop sheen, however. Ronson brings out a more experimental and contemporary side to the band on ‘Blame The Machines’, a Kraftwerk-style metronomic rocker with blips and bleeps under a hypnotic melody, while the string arrangements on ‘The Man Who Stole A Leopard’ (featuring Kelis) veers towards ABC-style synth-pop. Elsewhere, ‘Being Followed’ recalls Blondie’s ‘Union City Blues’ while the Depeche Mode-influenced title track is another potential single contender. Solid stuff.