Duran Duran [ tickets ] had smatterings of "rock band" in their persona back in the 1980s heyday, but underneath it all there was a strict code of dance that was adhered to (i.e., "The Reflex," "Wild Boys," "Is There Something I Should Know," etc.). In the opening seconds of "Red Carpet Massacre," what comes out of the speakers is the unapologetic dance-floor fodder of "The Valley." And even though John Taylor throws a little bit of funky Larry Graham bass-slapping in there, if you stick your head out the window, you can probably hear ex-guitarist Andy Taylor screaming, "See? I told you."

After Andy Taylor left the group for the second time in the fall of 2006, allegedly because of the musical direction of this album (originally titled "Reportage"), the group reshuffled the deck with new guitarist Dominic Brown (Elton John, Lionel Ritchie, Take That), and went full bore for the dance floor, enlisting Timbaland and Justin Timberlake as co-producers on several tracks.

The Timbaland/Timberlake-produced "Nite-Runner" (which also features Timberlake on vocals), with its percussive-heavy approach, could have/would have/should have been on Timberlake’s last album. Frankly, it sounds more like the double-T combination than double-D. Juxtaposed to that, the single "Falling Down" (which Timberlake also produces and sings on) gets the closest to the melodicism that made Duran Duran tunes infectious two decades ago--think "Save a Prayer."

In a nutshell, even though "Red Carpet Massacre" leans far more heavily into the urban-electronic territory, such is the tightrope that Duran Duran walks. The melodic pop-gem moments are there, but you've got to dig to get at them.

For those that revel in disco balls, you get "Tempted," which could have been released by Madonna and no one would have ever known the difference, as well as the Timbaland-produced "Skin Divers." The instrumental "Tricked Out" briefly teases with its electric guitar, but, in Devo-esque fashion, quickly gives way to familiar Nick Rhodes synths and the drumbeat-from-a-box. A charming, quirky moment. Another prime moment is the loping melodic build of "Dirty Great Monster," which also features a live band sound--a tangible departure from much of the album.

A mixed bag, but if a trip to the discotheque is all you need, this should deliver in spades.

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