The trouble with Duran Duran is that despite having regualarly turned out top quality album after album, they can not shake off the new romantics tag of the 80's. Had this album been recorded by a more main stream artist (or indeed Timbaland or Justin Timberlake who contibute heavily to this one) then the whole music media would be going nuts about it. R N B it isn't and just where that pigeon hole came from I have no idea. Falling Down, Nite Runner and the Title track Red Carpet Massacre are all outstanding tracks, from a fine selection. Okay I concede to been a huge Duran Duran fan but I just think their music deserves more credit and wish people would take the blinkers off. You will be surprised at just how good this album is and that they didn't die in the late 80's as the media would have you believe.

Brillant. I hate R&B music but this isn't R&B really. Great songs. A must for Night Clubs. If you luv Duran Duran buy it they don't disappoint with this album, it's very different to their presious albums but you need to change in todays market. Overall a brillant album. I myself not a fan of Justin Timerlake modern stuff however in this album he's good.

When I heard that Duran Duran, who I have been fan of for 24+ years, were going all R'n'B, my heart sank. Andy Taylor left the band and it seemed that the world of Duran Duran was falling apart. How wrong could I have been!! RCM is easily the BEST Duran Duran album since 'Big Thing' back in 1998. For the first time since that very album, I have a Duran Duran album that I can listen to without skipping a single track. This album will not sell in great numbers and will be tagged a flop, but this Duran Duran fan doesn't not care about sales figures. This is all about the music. Never before have Duran sounded so slick, polished and melodic. This is very much Duran Duran evolving into something new and exciting. This band doesn't stick to one sound, they change with the times. As I said before this R'n'B vibe didn't sit well with my mindset, and I was more than just concerned. The idea of Duran working with Timberlake & Timbaland filled me with dread. But, as much as it pains me.....it works! Of the 3 tracks they work on 'Skin Divers' is the winner for me, although 'Nite Runner' is not far behind. Only the languid 'Falling Down' disappoints a little and was a bad choice as the first single. Opening track 'The Valley' sets the tone and the title track blows the whole thing wide open. 'Box Full O' Honey' is very simple and laid back and is just fabulous. 'Tempted' has to be a single, upbeat, catchy (stuck in my head!) and could fill the dancefloor, great stuff. 'She's Too Much' is a great melodic ballad written by Simon for his daughter and it just gets better with every listen, it is classic Duran. There really isn't anything weak here, and I say that swallowing my pride with a large slice of humble pie. As I said before, I wasn't going to buy this album 6 months ago as I thought that the band were selling out, but I got it so so wrong.

Open up your ears.....give it a try!!!!

This is a very strong collection of songs and is probably one of the more consistent Duran albums. The Valley, Falling Down, RCM, She's Too Much, Dirty Great Monster and Boxful of Honey all share the traditional Duran sound, and are at least as good as anything in their back catalogue. Other tracks mix Duran's sounds with more modern drum beats and the results are surprising slick and enjoyable, e.g. Skin Divers, Tempted and Tricked Out (the latter being a superb instrumental). Many reviews overly focus on Timberland and the dance element to this album. In truth most of this album retains the traditional Duran sound. This is a must for all Duran fans as it is an up-to-date album that offers most of what is good about Duran, and in a very fresh and modern way. The only track that I did not enjoy was Zoom In (although in fairness it's not that bad). Nite Runner will probably be the next single although for me this does not have the Duran sound, and does not accurately represent what is great about this album. The albums highest points are Falling Down which is much better than the video version, and builds up with alot more guitar (I brought the UK CD Single which is the longer version as opposed to the cut version in the video), and The Valley which is my favorite Duran track of all time (a very powerful track).

I have to say as a lifelong DD fan, and owning and enjoying all of the previous releases (yes even back to when we had those things called 12 inches!), I was a little apprehensive when I heard of the upcoming collaboration with the two "timbers" on this release. Imagine my shock when I heard the first single, "Falling Down" - the joint DD and Timberlake penned tune. I thought it was a joke at first, or at best a studio demo of the track. Once I found out this was the final product, I was quite nervous about the album release.

Having preordered the deluxe version, I was waiting with baited breath for the release, counting down the days as you do until it arrives through the letterbox. Rushing to the CD player and on it goes...

...when the first track came on, I stopped the CD player, took the CD out and checked the label, just to make sure they hadn't messed up and put the wrong CD in. But no - the label confirmed my worst fears....this WAS the right CD. But ok...maybe this is just an intro song to the album - we all remember how "strange" the intro track to Medezzaland was don't we - and that was just an entertaining blip? So onto the next track...and the next..and the next... At some point, I actually stopped being able to tell the difference between the tracks, what with the truly awful "production", pretty weak songs and awful tinny rhythm sections...what WERE they thinking???

It appears that Sony truly have pulled their muscle on this one and forced this truly awful piece of garbage. DD have admitted that the collaboration with Timberlake on a couple of the tracks was a joint decision and I can believe this (although for a supposed lifelong fan of DD, Timberlake seems adept at producing a sound which sounds NOTHING like DD), however, I am slightly more dubious of the collaboration with Timberland.

It leaves me with two conclusions, this was a Sony enforced collaboration to try to a) get in the charts (as if DD need either of the two "Timbers" to sell records and b) to be more appealing to "the kids". Or, the guys really are into this as a complete album - in which case it really has to be a case of "shame on you"... Before you cry, I'm not an old git...and there's nothing wrong with trying to sound contemporary...but you have to draw the line somewhere, otherwise you just sound like a Nelly Furtado (i.e. completely unashamed sellout).

I remember the same feeling when Astronaut came out, being the first studio album since Pop Trash - however, Astronaut was a good album, not a classic DD album, but there were some great tracks on there which had that "classic DD" sound - but still sounded contemporary.

But "Red Carpet Massacre"....it has just gone so wrong...more like "Duran Duran Massacre"...

Seriously, why did Roger and John even bother being in the studio???? All of their efforts seem to have been scrubbed completely in favour of deep mixed keyboard bass and awful bontempi electronic drum sounds. What happened to that massive DD rhythm sound that is an essential part of any DD effort? As for the production and the credentials of the "production genuis" of Timberland...I could have produced this better myself with an 8 track digital recorder in my bedroom - for shame...

To summarise:

Good points: Simon's lyrics, some of which are excellent on the album

Bad points: production, lack of rhythm section, weak songs, repetitiveness of the song style across the whole album

This is one lifelang DD fan who is certainly not impressed, and I even liked Liberty!! I would seriously sell this, but will keep it simply to plug the potential gap in my collection - but it won't be listened to, not by a long stretch.

Now I know why Andy ran away!!!!

for die hard duran duran fans only.a real let down...................