Arts Orbit

Duran Duran, Thank You

Why critics thought it sucked: Because how very dare a pretty-boy MTV band like Duran Duran tackle such sacred cows as the Bob Dylan, the Doors and Lou Reed? Who the fuck do they think they are?

Why it doesn’t suck: Look. I will fully admit that I’m a huge Duran Duran fan. And I don’t hate cover albums as much as the next guy, either (I count Bowie’s Pin-Ups among my very favorites), so I’m more predisposed to like it than yer average person. But this thing has topped so many worst-of lists I keep thinking I must be missing something. The group’s straight-up cover of “White Lines” strikes me as super tongue-in-cheek and a hell of a lot fun, and their bluesy slant on “911 Is A Joke” is even funnier (I mean, shit, they’re British—they knew they had zero street cred, so witty was the only way to go). Their take on Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” is damn gorgeous, and their very Duranny attempt at “Lay Lady Lay” is smooth and pretty. “Crystal Ship” sounds like Duran Duran doing “Crystal Ship,” you know? Tailor-made for ‘em to begin with. And there ain’t a damn thing wrong with their cover of Zep’s “Thank You,” either, nor Iggy Pop’s “Success,” which is right in their wheelhouse. Maybe it’s just that the album’s main failure, their stiff take on “I Wanna Take You Higher” is the second song, and comes up for a reprise at the end? I dunno. I don’t get it. This ain’t their best album ever, but it sure shouldn’t have been considered the career killer it actually was.

Why critics thought these albums sucked, and why they were wrong