Track Listing

1. Big Thing
2. I Don't Want Your Love
3. All She Wants Is
4. Too Late Marlene
5. Drug (It's Just A State Of Mind)
6. Do You Believe In Shame
7. Palomino
8. Interlude One
9. Land
10. Flute Interlude
11. Edge Of America
12. Lake Shore Driving
13. Drug (It's Just A State Of Mind) (2)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6492 in Music
• Released on: 1997-06-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .19 pounds

Customer Reviews

quirky
I guess this is one of Duran's less popular albums when they were going through a dead patch in terms of chart popularity. but I absolutely love it! It is quirky and varied and has lots of originality to it. The first half of the album is upbeat, playful, deliberately trashy, and can I say funky? The second half of the album is quite different with a whole different tropical mellow mood. They do this mood-change thing again, to less effect, in some of their later albums.

I like all the tracks, I think they're all strong, and my favourite depends what mood I'm in, really. I like to just listen to the whole album in one go - let the whole picture wash over me, including the random instrumental bits. It has the most abrupt album finish of all time though! (Lake Shore Driving, my version doesn't have any bonus tracks on it) - which uh... took me by surprise first time around ;-)

I'd really like to give it 4 1/2 stars - but 5 will do!
In my opinion this is the most under-rated album from one of our most under-rated bands. By 1988 when this album was released the teen hysteria that had surrounded Duran Duran for most of the decade had waned and there were only 3 of the original members left. So perhaps it is not surprising then that with the pressure off that Duran started to experiment with their music in ways that had started to be restricted by the time 7 & The Ragged Tiger was released at the height of their fame. 'Big Thing' to me signalled a return to the 'Art n Roll' ethos that the band originally stood for, which can be heard when you stand 'Hungry Like The Wolf' next to 'The Chauffeur' on the 'Rio' album, and 'Girls On Film' next to 'Nightboat' on their eponymous debut.. And they do it even better here. 'I Don't Want Your Love' is a great single and made the Top 10 in the UK - but it was 'All She Wants Is' which became a sleeper hit, partly because of its incredible cutting-edge video and a smart use of modern music technology. I think that track has aged incredibly well and has not been appreciated enough. 'Do You Believe In Shame' was woefully under-played and barely scraped the Top 30 but deserved to be a major hit. My favourite tracks on the album are what I would call the 'artier' ones such as 'Palomino' and 'Land'. These in particular showcase Simon's gift for lyric and melody-writing, perhaps inspired by his near-death experience on Drum and his vocals are in good form. My brother stole my tape and used to play 'Marlene' really loud and sing at the top of his voice even though it was very uncool to be into Duran Duran. The only weak track for me is 'Drug' which leaves me cold, it is an oddment on an otherwise excellent album that showcases the real musical talent and creativity of this band. It should be seen as the creative leap that it is instead of being derided because it was released when Duran Duran were no longer the teenybopper's favourites, although to be honest the critics have always slated them and never knew what 'pigeon-hole' to put them in. If anyone wants to listen with an open mind you may be pleasantly surprised at how listenable this really is.

durans most original work
what can is say other than this work has not dated as much as any other of their albums plus it is more varied.title track is almost dirty in sound and in i don't want your love they had a great single.all she wants is i love although i feel they ripped off kraftwerk!
i really liked the moody tracks most namely do you believe in shame,palomino and land-these are to me their best ever tracks.there are no throw away commercial fillers here and what a great climax with edge of america zooming into heavy guitars on closing lake shore driving.
even if early duran is not your thing at all you will like this completely different change in direction.an album for adults not screaming teenage girls!