Astronaut - Duran Duran
Astronaut Image
Metascore
52 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.7 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 59 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • 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.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 17
  3. Negative: 2 out of 17
  1. E! Online
    91
    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.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    75
    Mostly unembarrassing and at times shockingly vital. [15 Oct 2004, p.72]
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  3. Uncut
    60
    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]
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  4. Blender
    30
    The default setting is funk-pop bombast augmented by horribly dated electronica. [Nov 2004, p.128]
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See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 47
  3. Negative: 1 out of 47
  1. NomNam
    10
    Excluding Bedroom Toys, Astrounaut was excelent.
  2. SteveB
    8
    Totally accessible and highly enjoyable CD for anyone who has ever listened to DD just for the pure guilty pleasure of their particular brand of pop-rock. Reminds me in the drum-heavy spots of "Hold Back the Rain" -- good thing -- and doesn't try to re-create "Is there something I should know?" or "The Reflex" -- it just stands on its own. Would have been a much better received in the 80's if it had been released instead of the dull "Notorious" album. If you didn't care for DD in any of their incarnations, this CD won't change your mind. But if you like DD, this is worth buying.… Expand
  3. LoneB
    7
    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.… Expand
  4. LJDee
    4
    This latest DD album is a failed attempt to rejuvenate the style of a band that has clearly run out of ideas. Recasting former band members has not done any magic for a band that stopped delivering quality music since 1993's "Wedding album". … Expand

See all 47 User Reviews

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