From the October 19 Ottawa Sun:

DURAN DURAN crosses stylistic boundaries with new CD

STORM SURVIVORS
by Rick Overall, Ottawa Sun

Okay, all you Duran Duran fans, it's time to come out of your respective closets because the boys have racked up a solid piece of work that combines their trademark new romantics groove lines with a sizeable slice of Euro-tech.

There was a time when the legion of fans who followed this band did nothing more than squeal at the sight of them -- try interviewing them in a hotel room surrounded by girls for a laugh sometime. Somehow the band has survived and weathered all the storms that battered them from inside and outside and now have returned as a trio featuring Simon LeBon, keyboard wiz Nick Rhodes (who gets to vocalize here too), and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo.

The beauty here is that Duran Duran's latest incarnation serves up a heavy load of electronica that's enveloped in a "Magical Mystery Tour" aura. You need only let "Midnight Sun" wash over with its multi-tracked vocals and guitars building fever pitch and you feel surrounded in a feeling that's so similar to "Strawberry Fields" that it's scary at times.

Duran Duran has always been an intriguing unit. Often, the spacious melodies of classics like "Save A Prayer" got lost in the flap over their teeny bop idolatry. But the fact is that when you look over the breadth of their career, DD has often been cutting edge and deadly fun. Here they've not only grabbed the techno-brass ring with both hands but given it a taste a personality that wanders across so many stylistic boundaries you can rarely keep up.

Welcome back boys, from wherever you've been to get into a space that inspired the fun of "Electric Barbarella". We're glad you went there. Rating: 3 1/2 rating out of 5