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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
22 years later..., August 22, 2005
I'm a Duran Duran fan from way, way back. Like many of the reviewers here, I always felt that one of the band's strong suits had to be Simon Le Bon's lyrics. Nowhere is his gift more evident, to me, than on "Seventh Stranger." Here's just one example from that song: "A year of Sundays seems to have drifted right by, I could have sworn, in one evening."
I do think the album deserves a repeat listen lo, these many years later. I always felt that DD got a bum rap, simply because they came in on the same wave that brought in other, very lightweight, synthpop bands. But listen to their lyrics, folks. Here, they are second to none in the genre. George Michael probably still broods that he couldn't come up with comparable lyrics while in Wham!
I wish the band had decided to include "Secret Oktober" ("Union of the Snake" B side) in this album--it would have been a strong addition. The song is just over 2 minutes in length, but is a finely crafted work--again with incredible lyrics. "Racing on a shining plane--tomorrow we'll be content to watch as the lightning plays along the wires and you wonder..." It's an exquisite image.
DD was an unusual band for many reasons, not least of which was that each member of the group was good at what he did. I think that's borne out in this album, and in "Astronaut." Some bands have an instrumental weak link, but DD never did. But, because of some of the company they kept on the charts and in the clubs, somehow, a lot of the critics managed to overlook the talent, preferring to focus on their penchant for odd clothes and hair dye.
"Seven and the Ragged Tiger" is not a perfect album. But it is certainly in the top five of its genre. It also holds up surprisingly well this many years down the line. Even "The Reflex" really doesn't sound dated. The album deserves to be more than a musical footnote--it did define a sound. It's still worth a listen.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
In their own words:, January 21, 2006
John Taylor: "We were just drunk [on our new-found success] by this point. We were so into living the dream...and part of the dream was that you made at least one of your albums on the French Riveria."
Nick Rhodes: "I thought the thing was never going to get finished. It really took a long time. There was a lot of different feelings in the band about the direction we should take."
Simon LeBon: "We started off in the south of France, then we went to Mt. Surratt, came back to the U.K. briefly and ended up finishing it off in Austrailia...Sydney. It was a difficult time. It really was."
John Taylor: "We re-recorded it like three times. We did it once and said, 'Nah, this isn't right.' Did it again, said, 'Eh.'"
Nick Rhodes: "To me that album, more than any of them, on the surface of it seems like there's a lot of pretty songs on there, but then underneath there there's this sort of not quite controllable hysteria scratching away at the surface."
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Duran's Third, March 5, 2004
Duran Duran became mega stars after their second album, Rio, became a smash hit worldwide thanks in equal parts to radio friendly songs and glamorous videos. Their third album, the bizarrely titled Seven & The Ragged Tiger, is again filled with big hooks and hits, but also with a bit more of an edge. The album's first single, "Union Of The Snake" is one of their most challenging and experimental songs. The song has a catchy hook built around a slinky guitar riff and a Moroccan vibe. There is a jazzy saxophone solo in the break and is flush with synth flourishes that give the song a mysterious and sensual sound. It peaked at number three on the charts. "New Moon On Monday" was the second single and is a straightforward song in the classic new romantic vein. The band produced a Thriller like, 20-minute video to accompany the song involving some bizarre underground resistance group in France. It helped propel the song to peak at number ten. The third single became the band's first US number one, "The Reflex". The album version differs from the single, which was remixed, as it doesn't have the female vocals that are some prominent in the single version. It is still catchy and quite memorable and one can tell upon first listen why it was smash hit. Other songs have a shiny sound including "(I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement" and "I Take The Dice". The last two songs return the band to the edgier sound that appeared on the last few tracks on their first album. The haunting instrumental "Tiger Tiger" segues into the hauntingly beautiful "The Seventh Stranger" creating two of the finest moments in the band's history.
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