As I have been reviewing some of Duran Durans albums on here I thought I should tell all of you about this one.

Astronaut is the bands newest release from last year that have now had a few hits from. You may remember that Reach up for the Sunrise made it to the top ten with a good beat and everybody waving their arms into the sky "Reach up for the sunrise". Some of the other hits include "taste the Summer" which recently a Supermarket chain aquired as it was a catchy tune to list their products to !

This album proves that Duran Duran are still as good today as they were back in the early 80's.
If you do not remember their music that well from the 80's it was roughly the same time that Spandau Ballet were around and in some ways the songs were slightly similar but Duran Duran had a faster pace to them, also Soft Cell started out on their career with some of the same beat.

Recently you can compare Duran Durans work to the sound of "Blur" as the group have got a slightly different pace to them in the 2000's and more of a guitar background than they used to have. Simon's lyrics have got more into the spirit of talking about feelings and there are a lot of songs on this album that have benefited from that otherwise this would have not been a very good album. This pace is what they needed for the new millennium to move on.

This album has twelve songs on which I thought was very good for this album, there are mixed fast, middle, and slow paced songs and this is one of their albums that is most underrated.
Also in this package there is a bonus DVD which includes their live tour at Wembley 2004.

Tracks on this are :

1. Reach up for the Sunrise
This was one of their first songs to be released from the album, this reached into the top ten of the charts, is a very upbeat song and had lyrics that everybody can "reach up" to !

2. Want you more
Another fast paced song, good lyrics by Simon Le Bonn and instrumentals from the band.

3. What happens tomorrow
This song has a slower paced rythum than the last two and the song is about the future trying to be optimistic about what will happen

4. Astronaut
This song is quite different from the rest, a good paced song about aliens and spacemen ! There is nothing on the DVD about why they did this one though.

5. Bedroom toys
A slower paced song with melodic tunes, Simon has some good lyrics in this one, you won't remember them but the tune is very catchy and a good beat to it

6. Nice
Fast paced track about the feelings of being with somebody.

7. Taste the summer
This was an upbeat song all about the summer coming at last and all the good times ahead. This was actually used by a Supermarket chain as a soundtrack to their adverts as it was last summer

8. Finest hour
Slow paced song, not really a song that will stick in your mind but this song takes you back to Duran Durans earlier releases of the early 80's

9. Chains.
Middle paced song, good instrumentals , another song about feelings. Not the best on the album but quite a catchy tune.

10. One of those days
This song is very similar to the sound of "Blur" with the guitar the main instrument in the background, this did not produce much of a hit but is a great song on this album

11. Point of no return
A middle paced song, good background music from the synthesizer to give this one the edge

12. Still breathing
Slow paced song with meaningful lyrics. Well done to Simon on this one.

When Duran Duran released "Reach up for the sunrise" late last year it became an immediate hit and reached number two in the charts, the same happened with "What happens tomorrow" earlier this year.

Funny thing about "Taste the summer" as a supermarket chain contacted Duran Duran and wanted to use their song as food marketing ! It was actually used for a while in the end as the boys agreed as they got royalties every time it was used.

My favourite songs on this album were very hard to choose as they all have different beats and different meanings to them, but Reach up for the sunrise is one of my favourite tracks with a fast paced beat and one that is played quite a bit in clubs and bars and is great to dance to. One other favourite is What happens tomorrow, this has great lyrics that you will remember easily and has a really good tune.

This package has a bonus DVD that is great to make this package very worthwhile.
This DVD goes behind the bands recent tours from the journey to the venue, all of the backstage goings on and of course the chosen songs from each venue that the band had put onto this DVD.
It also includes home footage from most of the band, interviews with theirselfs, family, friends and fans alike and gives a great insight into the life of the band.
It has some great interviews with all of the band as they all talk about their tour, the past and the future.

All in all I really enjoyed this package. The album had a good beat from the band and more instrumental effects, the lyrics have changed from their work in the 80's to get into the new millennium and is now I think a highly underrated album.
The package has lyrics from all the songs inside and has very good and different packaging that when you open it splits into a top half and bottom half, it's quite hard to explain but is a very good design.. It doesn't have an inlay cover as the package is a very similar shape to a DVD box and has pictures, lyrics, and all inside anyway.
I enjoyed the DVD and thought it was a great addition to this boxset and especially liked the sections with the band on tour when you see them on the road getting ready for their next performance. I enjoyed the interviews a lot and this was another thing I found that the band always has time for their fans.

The sound is presented in Dolby Digital and the DVD is in multiregional format so any player can play this without any trouble.

Duran Duran are :
Simon Le Bon
Nick Rhodes
John Taylor
Andy Taylor
Roger Taylor

I hope you have enjoyed my review…