Rio (CD - 1982)

Duran Duran: Simon Le Bon (vocals); Andy Taylor (guitar); Nick Rhodes (keyboards); John Taylor (bass); Roger Taylor (drums).

Additional personnel: Andy Hamilton (saxophone).

Recorded at Air, London, England in 1982. Includes liner notes by Simon LeBon and Nick Rhodes.

Digitally remastered by Tony Cousins.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

The artistic progression from the band's self-titled debut to the following year's RIO was the greatest aesthetic leap of Duran Duran's career. The group moved from catchy but somewhat rudimentary New Romantic synth-funk to elegantly arranged, sophisticated pop-rock, concentrating more on song structure than dance beats. For their efforts, they were rewarded with superstar status, due chiefly to "Hungry Like the Wolf," a lascivious tune that injects a welcome dose of rock & roll guitar. The most impressive tracks on RIO, though, are the more contemplative, balladic offerings, like "Lonely in Your Nightmare," "Save a Prayer," and especially "The Chauffer," with its stream-of-consciousness lyrics and unconventional structure, arty without seeming pretentious. If you only have one Duran Duran album, it should be RIO. minimize