Red Carpet Massacre (Epic)

When Duran Duran played GM Place in 2005, guitarist Andy Taylor turned the delicate solo in "Ordinary World" into a rawkin', Bon Jovi-on-the-mountaintop showcase. Retrospectively, it seems inevitable that creative differences would eventually separate him from his mates in the classic British pop band for the second time. Prior to the 1986 release of Notorious, Taylor jumped ship due to his desire for a more aggressive direction. He rejoined for 2004's Astronaut, which put the shine back on the wild boys, selling two million copies worldwide. But Taylor left again last year without gracing the band's 12th studio album, and consequently, like Notorious, Red Carpet Massacre emerges as equal parts froth and funk.

Shooting for a contemporary, urban vibe, Duran Duran employs the so-in-demand production talents of Timbaland and his protégé Danja throughout this 12-track effort. Fortunately, this doesn't make the group sound like Nelly Furtado or Britney Spears. The first six songs, in particular, deliver some killer vintage moments. The sparse techno groove of "The Valley", highlighted by Simon Le Bon's confident and emotional vocals, recalls the 1981 breakthrough single "Planet Earth". The ballad "Falling Down", with its starlets-in-rehab theme, is an instantly memorable cross between "Girls On Film" and "Save A Prayer". (Hey, if aging pop musicians have to comment on young Hollywood, who better than Duran Duran?) And the Justin Timberlake powered throb of "Nite-Runner" is a sure-fire club smash. Red Carpet Massacre isn't a flawless comeback continuation, but it offers more than enough to slay the skeptics.

Link: Duran Duran official site