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Astronaut
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 17 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 56 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Sony
Release Date: 12 October 2004
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
'Astronaut' marks first album by Duran Duran's original lineup since 1983's 'Seven And The Ragged Tiger.' Dallas Austin and Don Gilmore are among the producers.
Also By This Artist: Pop Trash Red Carpet Massacre
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
E! Online
Astronaut takes a few songs to warm up, but by the time the band hits naughty dance-floor fillers like "Bedroom Toys" and "Taste the Summer," it feels like 1983 all over again.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Mostly unembarrassing and at times shockingly vital. [15 Oct 2004, p.72]
Billboard
Duran Duran has a new lease on life, sounding more vibrant and exciting than it has in eons.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
Revitalizes Duran's early synth-pop magic. [28 Oct 2004, p.103]
Uncut
It's sleek, groomed and genetically engineered to within an inch of sonic perfection, but there's very little that's memorable. [Nov 2004, p.120]
Filter
The album's lyrics feature mostly throwaway new-age drivel... and gut-wrenching despondency reduced to bored balladeering. Or just plain silliness. [#13, p.102]
New Musical Express
Doesn't life already seem cruelly short? Do you really want to waste any of it ploughing through a new Duran Duran record? [9 Oct 2004, p.56]
All Music Guide
Even with a handful of forgettable songs... the album is easily the best one credited to the Duran Duran name since 1993's Wedding Album.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times
At a time when newer acts, from fringe to mainstream, are moving the band's old ideas forward, Duran Duran needs to do more than just mix in the blips and bleeps of contemporary dance music to prove it has something to contribute. [31 Oct 2004]
Drawer B
Astronaut doesnât come close to ranking with the music that made the band world famous, but it has moments that make it easy to remember why the band rode such a wave to begin with.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Awesomely anodyne, breathtakingly boring and crushingly clichéd, âAstronautâ singularly fails to take flight.
Read Full Review >Mojo
The root of the malaise most surely [lies] in the protracted production, which appears to have sucked the life out of whatever good material there was. [Nov 2004, p.110]
Q Magazine
When they strain for sexy modernity... it's as appealing as Mr. Burns writhing round in satin sheets. [Nov 2004, p.119]
Austin Chronicle
With too many songs trying too hard, Duranies will still go hungry for quality.
Read Full Review >Blender
The default setting is funk-pop bombast augmented by horribly dated electronica. [Nov 2004, p.128]
The Guardian
Before long, though, Duran Duran are adrift in an unforgiving sea of disco-dad dance-pop, anaemic vocals and lyrics too distressingly awful to repeat in a family newspaper.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.6 (out of 10) based on 56 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
dale s gave it a5:
Half the songs are very catchy with groovin hooks thatll make you dance in true duran fashion. while the other half is just awful. a reunion album that should've been more impressive.
Christian gave it a9:
"Medazzaland" was the album I waited for Duran Duran to make. "Astronaut" is the album I've waited for the original Fab 5 to make. This album surpasses the genius of the first two. I say "Bedroom Toys" and "Point of No Return" make great b-sides. This album is stylish, glossy and confident. It would have been perfect in my view if not for the "b-sides" I mentioned. A classic.
Fredricson D. gave it a6:
Not a bad album, but not really a great album either. I think the novelty of the original line up reuniting to work together, beat out the substance of the album. I know they took a few years to complete the album. I think this may have contributed to the lack of luster for most of the songs. I mean, the songs don't seem to have any real energy or excitement, and are too polished, and over-produced. I hope their next album is more fresh.
Nom Nam gave it a10:
Excluding Bedroom Toys, Astrounaut was excelent.
Adam D gave it a9:
I love this CD, it's about time Duran Duran got back down to business and put all the past crap behind them and make some great music. My favorits on this CD are Sunrise, Want you more! Bedroom toys,nice and the best of them all Finest hour.I am and always will be Duranie.
luis d gave it a9:
excelente
Lone B gave it a7:
In the beginning I was dissapointed. I thought it was a boring and easy forgotten album. After having listened to the CD several times songs like "Chains", "Nice" and "Want you more" stand out. Simon's vocal in "Chains" relaxes me, the sound of his voice floats inside like honey. It soothes me. The drums, the bass and the guitar work their way and make "Nice" and "Want you more" good songs. The lyrics in the choruses are generally weak. Parts of the songs are fantastic, energetic and great, but it is as if Duran Duran can't make it through a whole song. The song "Astronaut" gets cut in the middle by something that should never have been there. I hope the next album will have genuine and whole songs and not just be the left-overs of what didn't make it to the CD "Astronaut". However I borrowed the album from a friend and had to deliver it back yesterday. Today I simply have to buy the CD, because I miss it allready.
