Surprisingly, of all the New Romantic groups that made breakthroughs in the 1980s, Duran Duran has turned out to be the one with the longest breath. After huge hit successes such as The Reflex (1983) and Wild Boys (1984), the band around singer Simon LeBon continued to go downhill. But those who keep going long enough will automatically become hip again. Partly due to the eighties revival in the
… nightlife, Duran Duran actually scores another radio hit in 2004 with (Reach Up For The) Sunrise, which also gives the album Astronaut the necessary attention. Keyboardist and producer Nick Rhodes had already proved with the album Welcome To The Monkey House (2003) by The Dandy Warhols that he can translate the synth sound of the eighties into the present. Astronaut also sounds contemporary and recognizable at the same time. Duran Duran still excels in style but falls short when it comes to depth. (MS)more
