All You Need Is Now
by Duran Duran
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 54
  3. Negative: 2 out of 54

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  1. badgerfan21
    Dec 21, 2010
    9
    Far and away their best album in at least 20 years. Girl Panic alone is the best song they've done since Notorious ... the new songs will easily slide in with their classics on the upcoming tour. Really pretty astonishing - 50-somethings are not supposed to have this kind of album left in them.
  2. dizrythmia
    Dec 24, 2010
    10
    easily their best album since the fab five days of the mid-80s. the album's fantastic, not a single weak song on it. stand-outs for me are being followed and the man who stole a leopard.
  3. sk75
    Jan 16, 2011
    10
    as badgerfan21 said "Really pretty astonishing - 50-somethings are not supposed to have this kind of album left in them".the great 80s are back for real!
  4. barousse
    Dec 23, 2010
    9
    The band has said that Mark Ronson coaxed out of them something that they basically forgot they had in them. They remembered they were Duran Duran, the songs are all great, and the album is put together so well. I am reminded of ten years ago when U2 put out "All That You Can't Leave Behind"- they served notice that nobody does U2 better than U2. The same holds true here.
  5. ZehnKatzen
    Aug 27, 2011
    10
    The most amazing thing about this album is that it's made of a bunch of "shouldn'ts". A band that's been here this long shouldn't come up with new music. They shouldn't revisit their roots. They shouldn't revisit the styles that made them famous. But with a producer that's obviously a huge fan with a deft touch of his own, Duran Duran goes back to what made them huge - the NewThe most amazing thing about this album is that it's made of a bunch of "shouldn'ts". A band that's been here this long shouldn't come up with new music. They shouldn't revisit their roots. They shouldn't revisit the styles that made them famous. But with a producer that's obviously a huge fan with a deft touch of his own, Duran Duran goes back to what made them huge - the New Romantic/Dance pop of their first three albums - and comes off as current even though they're putting on the old bows and ruffles.

    DD's been some interesting places in the last couple of decades - modern alternative, bluesy, somewhat experimental. While each album has varied in quality, depending on your POV, they've all been brought off with flair. Even the not-so-good stuff is listenable. But this is why we all started listening to DD to begin with. Soaring, synth-drenched choruses, smooth-pitched vocals, meaty melodies and more adept hooks than a sporting goods store's fishing department. They've raided their 1980s wardrobe, found it fit quite well, and it doesn't look in the least bit dated. This is the best album since the "Wedding Album" â    … Expand
  6. eternalsting
    Jan 19, 2011
    5
    Too much pop material, in some way some songs sound like the Take That's last record with less polished production. However, the fan would be happy to see them come back with a listenable album reviving their 80's glory .
  7. simonn
    Mar 29, 2011
    9
    Great return to form from Duran Duran, with an album that undoubtedly harks back to their golden age, in no small part due to the uber-fan Mark Ronson. They sound re-invigorated, and for a band 30 years into their career, this is no mean feat. Particualr stand outs are The Man Who Stole A Leopard, Girl Panic and the title track, and there are some good bonus tracks out there too - c/oGreat return to form from Duran Duran, with an album that undoubtedly harks back to their golden age, in no small part due to the uber-fan Mark Ronson. They sound re-invigorated, and for a band 30 years into their career, this is no mean feat. Particualr stand outs are The Man Who Stole A Leopard, Girl Panic and the title track, and there are some good bonus tracks out there too - c/o Amazon, HMV and/or Best Buy, the pick of which is the laid back and funky Early Summer Nerves. Long may the resurrection of this great band continue! Bring on the tour! Lose one point for the slightly dull Leave A Light On.… Expand
  8. txrangersfan72
    Dec 29, 2010
    8
    As if Red Carpet Massacre wasn't a desperate enough attempt to cash in on a more modern sound, complete with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, All You Need is Now is even sadder as they try hard to recapture their 80's sound in the midst of the New Wave Renaissance with the likes of The Killers. However, it may be where they are most comfortable, so they needed to get back to their roots.As if Red Carpet Massacre wasn't a desperate enough attempt to cash in on a more modern sound, complete with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, All You Need is Now is even sadder as they try hard to recapture their 80's sound in the midst of the New Wave Renaissance with the likes of The Killers. However, it may be where they are most comfortable, so they needed to get back to their roots. With this CD, they certainly did. It makes me wonder if Andy Taylor would have stuck around if they had gone in this direction for Red Carpet Massacre instead of what they did. It also makes me wonder if that is why this CD came out so quickly after Red Carpet Massacre since they had scrapped an entire album and went the Red Carpet Massacre route, thus leading to Andy's departure...again.

    The CD opens with the title track that is classic Duran Duran. They haven't produced this sound since Notorious, which, to me, is a good thing since not much will top The Wedding Album when they completely broke from that dated sound and re-established themselves as the talented group they are. "All You Need is Now" is a solid opener and laying the groundwork for what the listener is about to experience.

    Musically, the CD keeps the listener interested, as does Simon's unmistakable vocals. The only things that gets this CD off track are the bad lyrics and extremely weak choruses, which are the hallmark of good pop songs, but fail miserably in songs such as "Blame the Machines." Personally, my two favorites are "Being Followed" and "Girl Panic!" They are the most Rio-like songs on the CD laced with John Taylor's superb bass lines and Nick Rhodes' trademark techno kick-off. It's high-intensity ending of "Being Followed" melds perfectly into the intro for "Leave a Light On," which sucks the listener into a similar feeling when first hearing "Save a Prayer." Unfortunately, the chorus just doesn't click and what has the makings of a great song just falls flat. "Girl Panic!" encapsulates old Duran Duran perfectly and sounds like it came straight out of Rio. "Safe (In the Heat of the Moment)" is a great song. One can't help but bounce their head to the disco-laden bass line and soulful backup singers. "The Man Who Stole a Leopard" is an extremely well-produced song that reminds me more of The Wedding Album than any other song on this CD. Multi-layered techno arrangements and Simon's trademark vocals, along with the female singing/talking provide a splendid atmosphere for enjoying Duran Duran music. "Runway Runaway" is boring and could have been left off ths CD completely. Sounds more like a B Side

    "All You Need is Now" ends with a somber, string-and-techno-driven ballad, "Before the Rain." While a very good song, it probably should have been mixed in earlier in the track list. It seems to get lost at the end, especially after such a weak song before it. It's been interesting to read so many stellar reviews of this CD. While it isn't a horrible disc, Duran Duran is capable of making a better version of this type of music than they did here. Also, they should be progressing as artists, not repeatedly trying to rekindle what has long since been dead or attach themselves to the trend of the moment. If they hadn't done such a good job of breaking away and redefining themselves with The Wedding Album, I probably wouldn't be so critical, but the fact that they gave up so quickly after failing with Red Carpet Massacre, doing a complete 180 and then quickly producing such a carbon copy of their old stuff, and only 9 tracks of it at that, this direction is a disappointment. My hope is that they are at least having fun making this kind of music again since they can obviously naturally do it. And no one has ever quite captured what they do so well. If you are fan of old Duran Duran, you will no doubt enjoy "All You Need is Now."    … Expand
  9. drbigglesworth
    Dec 31, 2010
    8
    It's not the album I was expecting. But, there are elements of this album that are brilliant. I was hoping for another "Ordinary World", instead I got "Leopard", which is unexpected, pure brilliance...Chauffeur on Steroids with a funky backbone! Where did that come from? Start to finish, this album has a cohesion that DD hasn't achieved since Rio, and almost achieved with the WeddingIt's not the album I was expecting. But, there are elements of this album that are brilliant. I was hoping for another "Ordinary World", instead I got "Leopard", which is unexpected, pure brilliance...Chauffeur on Steroids with a funky backbone! Where did that come from? Start to finish, this album has a cohesion that DD hasn't achieved since Rio, and almost achieved with the Wedding Album. AYNIN is a nice tune, as are is Runway, overall, this very solid.… Expand
  10. TheVerdict
    Feb 6, 2011
    10
    The album kicks off with titular track "All You Need Is Now". Over a whirring, alien synth Simon Le Bon declares "It's all up to you now, find yourself in the moment". And we do so quite comfortably, because it's a defining moment and there's a feeling that we've been here before. Then from nowhere, a crashing chorus enters the fray, as Nick Rhode's glittering synths (which could easilyThe album kicks off with titular track "All You Need Is Now". Over a whirring, alien synth Simon Le Bon declares "It's all up to you now, find yourself in the moment". And we do so quite comfortably, because it's a defining moment and there's a feeling that we've been here before. Then from nowhere, a crashing chorus enters the fray, as Nick Rhode's glittering synths (which could easily have been borrowed from 1984's "New Moon On Monday") slide across Le Bon's harmonic vocals, Roger Taylor's booming drums and John Taylor's evocative disco bass like a match made in heaven.

    Second track "Blame The Machines" was inspired by a man from Germany who, at the command of his satellite navigation system, drove his car against oncoming traffic along the wrong lane of the autobahn. In what is perhaps a criticism of how reliant the world has become on technology, Le Bon sings "I blame myself and I blame the machines" over Dom Brown's roaring guitars and an addictive Nick Rhodes arpeggiator synth. A great track overall.

    Third offering is "Being Followed", a track which draws from the paranoia of living in a world where every person, every place and every movement is recorded on CCTV and companies such as Google are deploying cars to photograph our own neighbourhoods. Like "Blame The Machines" the song is driven by one of Nick's arpeggiator synths and features a pulsating bassline over a classic Roger Taylor drum beat. "I'm not alone, being followed. Someone always watching what we do" sings a paranoid Le Bon in the chorus. The lyrics are quite dark and are very similar to the lyrics of Duran Duran's early songs, especially in the second verse: "Fog is lifting, a sillouette begins to show and the moment is stolen". Le Bon sounds like he's 21 again during the breakdown / outro of this song.

    Next up, the album takes a breather for "Leave A Light On", a low-tempo ballad with acoustic guitars and a smooth low-energy synth. It's a chance to allow yourself to slow down before the second half of the album arrives. A pleasing effort though.

    Track five is "Safe (In the heat of the moment)" which features Ana-Matronic of The Scissor Sisters, who delivers the raunchy intro "People say that you've been around, how about you and me get down?". With John Taylor firmly taking charge, the track is funky and has a strong Disco vibe. It was conceived during the very first recording sessions with Mark Ronson back in February 2009. But it's a surprisingly weak and also a rather cheesy effort, sounding more "Scissor Sisters" than "Duran Duran" and more "Disco" than "New Wave". Out of place on an album which mainly owes it's sound to Rio, this is probably the only weak track on the album. Sixth song "Girl Panic" is another track born of the early recording sessions with Mark Ronson who previewed it on his radio show in 2009, from a point where it has noticeably evolved into something truly brilliant. With a vibrant, intergalactic synth lead and some classic JT bass playing, it is yet another track which digs deeply into the "Rio" foundations to produce something quite memorable. As Le Bon screams "In a girl panic, this drop is naked through my mind / It's a crush panic, she's got me atomised" one could easily call this the sequel to "Girls On Film". Dom Brown on guitar does a fine impersonation of Andy Taylor again, as he does so well at many other points on the album. Another standout track.

    Seventh track is "The Man Who Stole A Leopard" featuring R&B singer Kelis and like a phantom in the background of the mix, she echoes Le Bon's words, playing the role of the leopard itself. A dark song which harks back to the sound of Duran Duran's self-titled first album, the opening plays like a chopped-up version of "To The Shore" before evolving into "The Chauffeur" and then "Tel Aviv". Owen Pallett (of "Arcade Fire" fame) provides the strings here. A brooding song with more than a few nods to the band's past and really quite beautiful.

    The album speeds up again for the glorious "Runway Runaway", a short but sweet song which sounds very similar to the classic Rio track "Last Chance On The Stairway". The song talks about a girl fleeing away to become a model, leaving the places and people that she grew up around and diving into the big bad world, something that we can all relate to. An instant classic and easily one of the best tracks on the album. Finally "Before The Rain", which sounds like "The Chauffeur" if it was made on Duran Duran's first album instead of "Rio", has Le Bon weeping over haunting strings and some trademark Nick Rhodes FX atmospherics & synths. It grows towards a fantastic rhythm section before turning into a march as Roger Taylor fires off a precession of military snares. The perfect album closer and yet another classic.

    Overall, best Duran Duran album since "Seven & The Ragged Tiger".    … Expand
  11. littlebylittle
    Aug 9, 2011
    10
    This is a GREAT Album!!! What a wonderful surprise!!! Este disco ha sido una de las grandes sorpresas de los últimos años. Lo mejor de Duran Duran en décadas. Y, sin duda, uno de los discos de 2011 con todo merecimiento.
  12. dprkforum
    Aug 5, 2014
    9
    All You Need Is Now flew under the radar as far as chart position goes, but this is nothing new for a band who stuck around as trends ebbed and flowed over the 30+ years they worked together. As each album got released, the promise was "going back to their roots", "being wrapped in chrome", or the best thing they did to date. I have to say, this album did deliver on those promises unlikeAll You Need Is Now flew under the radar as far as chart position goes, but this is nothing new for a band who stuck around as trends ebbed and flowed over the 30+ years they worked together. As each album got released, the promise was "going back to their roots", "being wrapped in chrome", or the best thing they did to date. I have to say, this album did deliver on those promises unlike the others released over the last 15 or so years. It really felt like Rio part 2, and felt like the album was released after Seven and the Ragged Tiger. While Their 1993 self-titled album is my favorite in their discography, this album sits on top of the CD stack.… Expand
  13. nomank
    Aug 23, 2022
    10
    This takes you back to their early sound from rio to 7 and the ragged tiger era. This is one of their best work. Just buy it cuz it's that good. Even the B sides are good.Mark ronson produced it and he wanted them to go back n create 80s sound again and they did it perfectly.

Awards & Rankings

89
#89 Most Discussed Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Q Magazine
    May 18, 2011
    60
    Simon Le Bon's croon oozes with charisma throughout and the elegant, new wave pop hooks of their heyday are revisited. [May 2011, p.126]
  2. Mojo
    Apr 6, 2011
    80
    So much more than the original boy band. [March 2011, p. 106]
  3. Dot Music
    Apr 4, 2011
    70
    More vintage sound than classic album, All You Need Is Now won't revive any careers, theirs or Ronson's.
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