"Duran Duran"... aka "The Wedding Album"

Yes, folks, another post about Duran Duran.

This is a great friggin' album. I've been jamming to it all week. And it just so happens, that today marks the 20th Anniversary of its release. Yep, this album is 20 years old. Duran Duran's seventh studio album and second self-titled album, Duran Duran (more commonly known as The Wedding Album), was released on February 23, 1993. The cover art features wedding photos from the parents of the four band members (Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, and Warren Cuccurullo).

This is the album that saved Duran Duran. 

The Wedding Album helped pave the way for the band's success in the 1990's and beyond.

Instead of giving a track-by-track analysis, I'm just going to post the full album.

I will say this, though: This is a brilliant album. I think this is one of their best... and definitely one of my favorites. It's versatile, jazzy, emotional, and funky. A few of the songs also display some sass/lyrical aggression. It's full of upbeat, dance-oriented songs... the drums are clean, and the bass lines are fabulous. Warren Cuccurullo's guitar playing on this album rocks. Simon Le Bon's vocals are superb and not overdone. Nick Rhodes is still a synth God. The two ballads, "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" are the two break-out singles on this album. Both beautiful and emotional... yet haunting. Both songs are fully equipped with great hooks and amazing choruses. Also, "Ordinary World" is the song that revived Duran Duran's career in the 90s. (It's also one of my all-time fave D2 songs.) D2 also does a cover of The Velvet Underground's/Lou Reed's "Femme Fatale"... and it's absolutely amazing!

There is not a bad song on this album... even the worst song isn't bad. Each track is unique, both musically and lyrically.

Tracklisting:

*01) "Too Much Information" 00:00 *02) "Ordinary World" 04:56 03) "Love Voodoo" 10:36 04) "Drowning Man" 15:34 05) "Shotgun" 20:49 *06) "Come Undone" 21:42 07) "Breath After Breath" 26:21 08) "UMF" 31:19 9) "Femme Fatale" 36:51 10) "None of the Above" 41:13 11) "Shelter" 46:31 12) "To Whom It May Concern" 50:55 13) "Sin of the City" 55:19

(*Album's 1st single, *Albums's 2nd single, *Album's 3rd single) 

(A fun little tidbit: John Taylor didn't play bass on "Come Undone", and that's something he still regrets to this day! Source: "In The Pleasure Groove" - John's book)

If you do not own this album... you need to go buy it. NOW!

Peace, Love, & Duran Duran,

~Lizzy Lepp