Various Artists
Duran Duran Tribute Album
(Mojo)
The concept behind this one is fairly easy to understand. Get a bunch of ska, indie, and punk bands together and find one of the cheesier 80's bands to do covers of. Although just about everyone is getting a tribute album done in their name, Duran Duran is probably one of the latter groups that I would have expected to get the royal treatment. But then again, I guess this wouldn't be so royal. When bands like Goldfinger, Deftones, and the Wesley Willis Fiasco show up, you know you're going to have problems.
The funniest thing about this album is that it actually works quite well most of the time. Out of the 15 songs, almost all are listenable, and some of them are actually quite good. Reel Big Fish does a way over-the-top lounge version of "Hungry Like The Wolf" that you can't help but bop along with. "Come Undone" actually sounds quite a bit better in the sped-up version by Wise Crack. It isn't punk, but it's proof that Duran Duran can right some super catchy songs. The James Bond title track "A View To A Kill" is given the hardcore thrash treatment by GOB. The kids make quite a racket and it clocks in at just under 1.5 minutes.
The rest of the classic songs are there as well. Goldfinger performs "Rio," Less Than Jake does "The Reflex," and the Wesley Willis Fiasco pillages "Girls On Film." If it sounds a bit juvenile, it just might be. That only adds to the fun. Damn it if I didn't know all the words already, too.
Rating: 6
