By Claudia Rebaza

(c) 1984, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000

14) "The Panhandler": The best thing about John Taylor's work to date, without a doubt, has been his music writing ability. He can put out a recognizable and even strong melody, if not a variety of catchy musical lines. He likes grunge guitar but he tends to use it sparingly, as in this number. He also can write about issues he feels strongly about -- this shows through in most all his lyrics. Luckily this song also showcases some of his better lyric writing, which is still a weak point, though improving. His vocals continue to be buried in many tracks but are still much clearer than on previous releases. As an opening track this one does fine.

15) "Air Miles": The opening of this song, as with "Panhandler" is interesting, making you wonder what's coming next. The lyrics don't add much to the song, but the music never holds still long enough to lose your interest as it moves from one musical bit to the next. Many of Taylor' songs also move well, having a sense of energy (even when laid back) that keeps the listener going. The song does start getting a bit muddy and stretched out by the end, and it's certainly not single material, but it isn't a lowpoint on the album either.

16) "Coventry Carol": Apparently the desire to include throwaway bits on their records is something ingrained in current and past Duran members.

17) "Hollow Victory": My personal favorite of this record. The beginning is rhythmic and beautiful and the music never falters for a moment. Especially in conjunction with the lyrics there is a plaintiveness to this sound that creates a lovely track. The lyrics have weak spots, but just enough of the writing works to add to the song. His vocals here are barely good enough to pass muster, and he continues to be stretched in most material. It's a good change though that his vocals are given the space they need on the track -- strong or weak, it's better not to bury them. It'll be interesting to watch whether his vocals or lyrics will improve the most, but songs like this show that if he stayed with instrumentals alone he would already have a good album.

18) "To Do You (John Lennon Says)": The openings of all of Taylor's songs tend to be some of the best parts of the songs. If nothing else, this tends to point strongly to his pop instincts -- burn from the very first line, and hope you continue to do so through the rest of the song. Unfortunately this song doesn't build on its intro. It's not unlistenable, but there is nothing special about it. The break is very Beatles oriented, which given its topic is quite suitable. Ironically, the lyrics don't go very well together with the music, although there are a few nice lines, such as "I'm the one to mend your heart...your slightly fractured, almost broken heart."

19) "Good Reason to **** Me": Given his dodgy vocals and often worse lyric writing, one of the only things you can give Taylor is that he certainly throws himself into the songs, giving all he can with what he's got vocally. It seems a shame it's so often inadequate. Especially on the chorus at the end the passion he pours into the song almost makes it worth listening to. Unfortunately the song drones too much, and the lack of a particularly adept vocal track loses the listener before too long.

20) "She's Not There": The addition of a cover tune is not only a pleasant addition in this arrangement, which is every bit as good as the original, but it also gives you a chance to see Taylor as a vocal performer alone. He doesn't have much of a range but if he can stay within it, he can do ok. It also shows that his lyric writing is probably more important than his vocals. More than one famous singer has had less than pleasant vocals and still made it on their other skills alone. One would think Taylor can too.

21) "A-Anon": Previously released as the best track on his Auto Didact EP, Taylor can also apparently spot good material in his own portfolio as well as that of others'. The track is included here and is a small gem. This is a song that insinuates from the beginning and continues to improve as the vocals start. Unfortunately this came from his "hide the singer" period, so the fairly good lyrics can't be deciphered easily (luckily lyrics are included, an overly abandoned touch from too many artists). Said lyrics include some good philosophizing mixed in with some trite lyrical choices, but above all the generally happy, optimistic lyrics are matched with a happy, sweet tune and work quite well. It is also interesting to note that the phrase "everything's going to be all right" is a useless phrase pulled out in some of the most awful times in one's life, yet it has the almost magical ability to soothe anyway. Perhaps it's a secret this song uses.

22) "Getting Intimate": This song doesn't work well on various levels. The beat and melody never go together quite right, the lyrics take some really awful turns (if nothing rhymed with Gucci but Tucci, why not say Gucci and Prada and rhyme it with Ensenada, Dada, nada, or even intifada, any of which could make more sense). His vocals also don't add anything and sound fairly flat in places. There were far too many words for most of his musical lines and it gives the song a very slapped together feeling. The best part actually comes at the end with the energetic "Put your finger in the ring and don't look back." Good advice for the listener too, as the next song is an improvement.

23) "Down With U": This song starts out with a great beat that continues to be the best thing about it. Even when the rest of the song disappoints a bit it's hard not to want to dance to it. The lyrics also work better than the more belabored "Getting Intimate" and express much the same thing in a far catchier way. The mix and arrangement have one other advantage, giving Taylor's vocals just enough camouflage to go with the song instead of detracting from it. At the end when he sings "I'm in tune with you" he might as well be saying it about his own material.

24) "Silent Skin": Another re-released track, the song has a simple, pretty tune and a mix to match. Their voices don't blend terribly well together, which detracts from the lyrics which are certainly among his best, verging on the poetic in places. Somehow, despite all the song has going for it, it falters. The break doesn't add much to it, a good one might have made the song more of a standout. Good, but soon to get better.

25) "Fields of Eden": This song seemed to rapidly become a fan favorite, showing they have taste. This is probably the best song on the album. The music is lovely, the chorus rich and evocative, and the lyrics don't hurt it any, sounding relaxed and nostalgic as suits the melody. What would really have made the song, unfortunately, was a singer with a pure, strong voice to really make it perfect. The break is a bit abrupt but it doesn't completely clash with the rest of the track. It may be as good as Taylor gets at this time, but it's still pretty darn good.

26) "Spirit of the Times": There is more nostalgia here, and interestingly enough, Taylor's vocals are actually an asset to this track. From the beginning, although his vocals sometimes get a bit too soft to be heard well, they blend nicely with the music, a lovely bit of aural fog and nuance. In fact this track is probably the single best example of writing, vocals and music coming together as a satisfying whole. The chorus is particularly haunting, with well chosen backing vocals. His vocals never become overly strained and wrap around some of the melody lines. The writing has some good lines, perhaps the personal relevance has something to do with it. It's not a pat track, with end spoken lines and a general unpredictability, Taylor takes some chances that will never give it radio play, but also delivers an interesting track worth listening to.

27) "American Muse": This song starts stumbling from the start, borrowing from two different influences in the first line. It's also a bit strange to have this song have virtually identical lyrics as "Run Together" from his Juicy Jeans EP. The melody is passable, though derivative, but just ambles on too long without doing much, and it does nothing to add to the lyrics which are quite passable. It's not the best of choices to end the album, and should probably have been placed earlier in the album, perhaps after "To Do You". By contrast the music to "Run Together" a fast-paced song with a bit of an edge and a 70s backing track is much more interesting. His raw, overextended vocals on that track don't particularly hurt it. In the end, neither arrangement really does the most for the lyrics, but the "Run Together" track would have been a more satisfying finale.

148)"Somebody Else Not Me" : Although a pretty enough ballad, Le Bon's earnest comments as to how high it ranks in his lyrical output seems a bit odd. There are some good turns of phrase in it, but the song is a bit strained, both lyrically and especially vocally. Le Bon sounds scratchy and stretched in too many parts, which always detracts from good lyrics, and seems rather amazing in this age of studio wizardry. In contrast to his raw vocals is the lush accompaniment, which only makes the contrast worse. This song, like many on the album, sounds rather better live where the accompaniment is pared down. This is an ideal song for an acoustic set. After all these years can't they a write a track in Le Bon's key, so those "not me"'s aren't as alarming?

149) "Lava Lamp": In contrast to the previous track, this goofy track sounds better on disc. It benefits from all the drop-ins and synthesizer sound-effects. From the get-go this song sounds like fun. "Lava Lamp" captures the 60s feel in a nice, kitschy way, sounding vaguely like a cross between the Archies and Donovan. It's a lilting, cutesy tune, nothing that will go down in pop history, but a sure sign that Duran Duran can never be counted out when it comes to a catchy track and a good grasp of what pop music is. I defy anyone to listen to this several times and not have "La-la-la-la" go through their head. If cementing your name in public consciousness is what's important to stay current, someone should get this track on the radio. Even people who hate it won't be able to ignore it.

150) "Playing With Uranium": A harder rock track, this is something of an abrupt jolt from the last tune which was as poppy as they come. While still having some of that sway and dreaminess, this song pulls from different 60s influences. The lyrics are nothing special, but they are perfectly passable. The big problem with the track is that you can hardly hear the lyrics for the crash of guitars. They are perfectly serviceable, indeed a showcase for Warren Cuccurullo, but in the mix they are overwhelming. As a result the song sounds muddy and a bit of a mess.

151) "Hallucinating Elvis": Another harder track, this is another case where the guitars could be toned down some, but le Bon's vocals are far clearer in this track. It's also a more interesting song in its commentary -- after all, only so many people could truly feel they are starting to walk in Elvis's shoes. The break is too heavy handed, with the vocals getting buried again. The vocal effects are fitting for this song, and the live performances show that this song has a melody and the capacity to insinuate itself in your brain (if for no other reason than the dreamy "Elvis" near the track's end). Looked at as a piece of this album, however, you couldn't go much better than this song's theme.

152) "Starting to Remember": The vocal effects on Le Bon's voice on this track make it sound as if he is singing through gauze after a dose of novacaine. (Perhaps this was an aftereffect from "Medazzaland"). It's an interesting vocal effort, quite personal and insightful, but the lyrics are totally wasted in this mix. To boot the song sounds as if it is a bit too fast and slightly out of sync with the vocals. This song actually sounds better for the accompaniment, which like "Someone Else" is the best thing about it.

153) "Pop Trash Movie: While fan commentary after the Let It Flow tour supported "Someone Else" as the first single for the album, it's surprising that so many overlooked this title track. This song is gorgeous, the true heir to "Ordinary World." It has a wonderfully poignant set of lyrics, and the sweeping melody has just the right amount of hard edge to offset the sweet sway. As in "Ordinary World" the lyrics center around a sense of loss, of confusion, and emotion. If there is a problem with the track, it lies in the arrangement where, especially at the end the guitars crash in too harshly. It also is a song where the scratchiness of le Bon's vocals don't do the song any justice. Perhaps his voice is simply deteriorating, but it is frustrating to have the vocals either buried in a heavy mix, or not up to par in a song that really should be given its all from each band member. It's particularly strange when you consider the band played this in their encore during the 1999 tour and his vocals sounded better after a long live performance than they do here.

154) Fragment: As in "Rose Arcana", this simply sounds like an intro to "Mars Meets Venus" and could be dispensed with. For whatever reason, the band continues to pop in throwaways like this.

155) "Mars Meets Venus": This song should also be on their potential singles list. This song has drive and is one of the closest candidates to a dance track on the album. Its melody line moves and it has a good chorus (although it's rather reminiscent of "Big Bang Generation" in a line or two). The lyrics aren't meant to be poetry, but they're interesting and suit the song well. As Warren Cuccurullo mentioned, the melody line determines what lyrics the song needs. A message lyric would go just fine, but there's nothing wrong with this marriage. It's a song that catches your attention and has a good contribution from everyone, guitar, vocals, and synthesizer. As such it's one of the best overall tracks from the band on this album. It's also another bit of pop expertise that Duran is known for.

156) "Lady Xanax": This ballad is rather more interesting than either "Starting" or "Someone" in lyrics and core melody. It's not all that typical in its move from the simple, lovely intro, to the crash and drama of its chorus and really would be better off in a more consistent quiet mode. When that part moves, it is quite lovely. The lyrics, a more wordly version of Arcadia's "Lady Ice", goes well with the album's overall theme. Unfortunately the end result is not as successful as the former, and one wonders if "Xanax" would have been the classic 'gorgeous Duran ballad' from this album otherwise.

157) "The Sun Doesn't Shine Forever": The lyrics on this track are undoubtedly the most mature le Bon has ever written, truly words that fit his age and situation. The melody is pretty enough but its lack of originality kills it. It could be a powerhouse with a good, emotional, vocal performance and a fine set of lyrics. In fact, this melody, particularly during the chorus, seems to fall into 70s cliche, much like REO Speedwagon. It's a nice homage, but it would be much better if this song found a lovely melody akin to that of "Midnight Sun" on Medazzaland, to accompany a special set of lyrics.

158) "Kiss Goodbye"/"Last Day on Earth": The lovely haunting sound of the separately titled intro doesn't at all prepare one for the harsh crash of guitars that follow. The song lyrics aren't much of a loss in this track, so the fact that they are again generally buried isn't as bad. Pop Trash certainly marks some of the hardest rock songs the band has ever recorded. The melody of this track is fairly good and it's an interesting contribution, but the mix doesn't help it much as a more defined sound could really make this a standout track. "Last Day" shows the same touch for melody that is Duran's greatest strength. The song is definitely a good closer for the album.

159) "Somebody Else Not Me": In fact the ending of "Last Day" is one of its best parts and is rather ruined by the tacking on of foreign language versions (French or Spanish) to the album, which should have ended here. The alternative version adds nothing to the album, and would have been a good promotional choice as a bonus download from their website or MP3.

28) "Love is Bondage": The album has a great intro, especially for a bass player whose musical skill has showed a clear progression through his career. Unfortunately, when the lyrics start the song loses some of its buildup. The echo is rather annoying and the fuzziness it creates doesn't add anything to the song. The lyrics are fine and could even go well with the song, but the sound drives into a sort of mush, and only the repetition of its intro elements keep it alive. Fortunately the piece doesn't drag on too long.
29) "6000 Miles": Taylor's vocals may never have sounded better than they do here. In direct opposition to the previous track, his vocals pick the song up when they come in. The verse sections are the highlight of the song, but the whole piece holds together quite well. His lyrics are also quite good, and given that they are written about his daughter and their custodial separation they can verge on poignant, particularly when Taylor notes "And I know that I'm getting older." If he ever wanted to release this as a single the song would do him credit and would be sure to get listener attention if only it could ever get included on radio playlists.
30) "Tight": The industrial intro leads one to expect something else when the vocals start, and the beat is interrupted repeatedly to no good effect. Given the lyrics, the song would really benefit from the energy the rhythm section gives but the number is uneven. It rather loses its way and doesn't become anything more than passable. The lyrics are fine for what they are and suit the song quite well but more fine tuning was needed here.
31)"The Other Side of the Sun": A largely instrumental piece it seems to be a rehash of "Tight" in some ways, a lot of drive, which verges off into other experimentation. Somewhat more interesting, it actually works better because the vocals don't interrupt the song but complement it, and the song is meant more as an organized jam than a coherent song. Still it goes on a bit long for something so loose.
32) "Immortal">: Sometimes a song's lyrics can salvage it from mediocrity. The musical line of "Immortal" doesn't have that problem, but it is the lyrics that give it a little extra interest. Perhaps the key was a little too far from Taylor's vocal range to abandon the vocal texturing, but the indistinct vocal line is the most detracting thing from an otherwise good song. One has to wonder if the song wasn't written about Duran Duran's future reunion?
33) "Gabe": The chorus is particularly catchy and the lyrics tell a particularly interesting story. The song starts almost reminiscent of Tommy James and the Shondelles, but then goes in a completely different direction, yet still with a 60s spirit to it, particularly in its chorus. The backing vocals go very well and the song only picks up as it goes along. The song is very radio friendly, fine pop and sounds suspiciously like an ode to a former drug dealer, despite Taylor's claim that it was to a former date. Tracks like this show that Taylor is not only developing as a solo artist, but that further development could soon stand alongside any of his past accomplishments with his previous musical groups.
34) "Mister J": Previously released twice, once on Taylor's demo compilation, Meltdown and again on his Juicy Jeans promo EP, he must feel this song had a lot of promise. It certainly ranks better than some others, including several on this album, but suffers from that irritating vocal distortion that he seems (felicitously) to be moving away from. The vocal annoyances are a particular weakness for the song because the verse section is musically weak with nothing but the guitar line to give it any momentum. The chorus is catchy and the song has a good beat but the verse sections are too long to tip the song into the "repeat" listen category.
35) "Out of the Blues": This song has an awfully familiar feeling, as if it is patterned on a previously released song. Perhaps this is because it imitates the elements of various of Taylor's better tunes. Most of the song's melody lines go together nicely, but sometimes shift into a different aspect that aren't completely harmonious to its overall pattern. Interestingly, whom I most thought of during the hearing of this song was Bryan Ferry. Hearing him actually sing it would be quite fascinating, because Taylor seems to be using some of Ferry's phrasing and elements of his previous works. Even the lyrics wouldn't be out of place.
36) "Nagel Baby": The lyrics would have been able to give this song a tremendous kick if only they were clearer and given the prominence they deserve. The rest of the song doesn't really add anything. The melody wanders and detracts, the vocals are buried, and the song is overall a failure. However it's a sign of how far he's come that a Taylor lyric is unmatched by a good showcase for it and one feels that a potential hit was missed.
37) "Run of the Mill": This song suffers from much the same as the previous track in that an indifferent musical piece is paired with promising lyrics. The song rages on in harsh guitars and a wall of sound. It matches the anger and despair of the lyrics but in this case the lyrics don't tell a story very well and tend to wander as much as the song shouts. As in many of Taylor's songs the melody takes abrupt twists and turns, although the last line is the song's most interesting note representing ... resignation? Acceptance? Or dry anger?
38) "Mansman": In a rather better match of music and lyrics the words fascinate and the music has a clearer and more consistent melody line. Neither rises to the level of best on the album but the music in particular is certainly some of the better provided in this collection. Taylor's vocal phrasings and indeed some of the melody hark back to early Bowie tunes. A fairly strong B side.
39) "Just Good Friends": The quiet elements of this song only get better as it develops. It has a strong musical package, and a good set of lyrics. The chorus has a particularly nice richness and the track is a good way to end the album. Although the song was authored some time ago, it says goodbye rather well to not only Taylor's earlier angry, confused period of musical creation but to the marriage he had finally put to rest. One of the album's best numbers, the only thing that harks back to his earlier creations are Taylor's still strained vocals, but they don't mar the overall sound enough to prevent it from being a keeper on his "best of" set.

To Be Continued...

Version 1.0, July 14, 1998.

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