Future Past
not only revived
Duran Duran
's critical and commercial fortunes, it helped get the band inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, so when faced with the task of delivering a sequel, the group made the logical decision to have a laugh. Throwing aside any notion of sobriety or importance,
instead dedicate themselves to conjuring the ideal soundtrack to a Halloween party. The "party" part of the equation is important.
Danse Macabre
may be filled with creepy sounds -- indeed, it opens with a revival of the band's early masterwork "Nightboat" -- but this isn't a belated excursion into goth, it's a collection of after-hours fun that flirts with high camp. At times, that flirtation is blatant, as when the group interpolates
Rick James
' funk classic as "Super Lonely Freak." Generally,
nimbly walks the line separating the spooky and the silly, opting for black-lit dance-pop instead of chilly atmosphere, balancing covers of
Talking Heads
and
Siouxsie & the Banshees
with songs by
the Rolling Stones
and disco legends
Cerrone
, adding a credible cover of
Billie Eilish
's "Bury a Friend" for good measure. Between these familiar songs lie a bunch of new ones, including the slow-burning "Secret Oktober 31st," which was written with original guitarist
Andy Taylor
, who plays throughout the record, marking his first recorded appearance with the group in roughly 20 years. This is a momentous occasion, but the charm of
lies in how
seem unencumbered by expectations: they're lying back and having a good time, resulting in a record that captures their silly and serious sides in equal measure. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine