Duran Duran’s “Paper Gods” could be the best-selling album of 2015.
Somehow the music will have to find teen ears for that to happen — save a prayer for Justin Bieber giving “Paper Gods” a Twitter shoutout. But the Brit band’s 14th album (shocking, right?) features the beats, blips and beep the kids love.
How is that possible? Most ’80s acts’ new albums chase fads or retreat back to a classic sound. Duran Duran’s classic sound echoes what’s hip now, and young bands still chase what Duran did decades back. Every Maroon 5 song chokes on the glitter Simon Le Bon and crew kicked up long ago.
This means the songs on “Paper Gods” fit happily between “Uptown Funk” and “Get Lucky.” (Check out the bubbly as Dom Perignon lead single “Pressure Off.”)
Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, drummer Roger Taylor and keyboardist Nick Rhodes worked with “Funk” writer/ producer Mark Ronson and “Lucky” co-writer Nile Rodgers on the new material.
Ronson and Rodgers, both veterans of past Duran projects, join an odd parade of dance-floor partners — Janelle Monae, erstwhile Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante, English producer Mr Hudson and Lindsay Lohan. But the songs flow effortlessly together from neon ballads (“What Are the Chances”) to epic electro jams (“Change the Skyline”) to disco throwbacks (“Butterfly Girl”).
“Paper Gods” won’t be anyone’s favorite Duran Duran disc (“Rio” forever!). But it’s better than every Maroon 5 release, and we all have an obligation to let teens know that.
