Lost Treasures #11: New Religion

First time published on this website!

Originally printed in Cherry Lipstick print fanzine Vol 3 Issue 7 September 2020

It may seem odd to classify any track off Rio as a “Lost Treasure”, but I can’t stop myself. The singles get all the airplay. The Chauffeur inexplicably wins every poll. And yet New Religion is the best, most complete, most Duran track on Rio: a perfect fusion of synths, guitar, funk, and lyric in a way that the debut album (and pretty much all the others) can’t match.

Are Duran Duran a guitar band with synths, or a synth band with guitars? New Religion is a five-minute excursion into this debate, that ultimately resolves it in favour of the former. Nick’s haunting synths open the track, which feel like the opening to an epic three-hour film. Just over thirty seconds in, Andy’s guitar and John and Roger’s rhythm section kick in. A minute in and it’s already the pure bliss of a perfect Duran blend of synths, guitar, and funk, without a lyric being sung.

Enter LeBon.

New Religion takes its time - like LeBon’s protagonist, the listener is on a journey of discovery. An interlude interrupts the first verse and Andy makes his presence known with a short solo, and then it continues - we won’t even hit the first chorus until the 2:30 mark, and before that we get a pre-chorus of dueling vocals that will ultimately be one of the trademarks of this track. Andy’s rhythm guitar kicks in for the shorter second verse.

The middle 8 lets John’s syncopated bass shine, followed by more rhythm guitar, while Nick’s synths provide the sonic backdrop. And then the song launches into a brief third verse (featuring the legendary “army major pulls a mean cool truth” line), before hitting the final chorus and then fade out. It’s the shortest five-minute song ever. I’m not going to attempt lyrical analysis, except to say it’s more about the journey than the destination.

Musically, it is quintessential Duran Duran. It’s big, bold, and expansive: the fitting opener to Side 2 of their greatest album. The dueling vocals prior to each chorus add an urgency to the track. Live, it’s even more amazing: Andy sounds like the heavy metal rocker he always yearned to be in the “Live at Hammersmith ’82” version, while doing double-duty as the backing vocalist. On Arena in ’84, it is included at the expense of some more famous hits.

They say that familiarity breeds contempt. My reasoning might be clouded by the sun, but it’s in that spirit that I offer New Religion as a Lost Treasure.

I can’t stop myself. And I might just be right this time…

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Now read the full fanzine - from September 2020, includes the Cherry Lipstick album review of Rio, plus Duran in 1981, and Duran in 1381.

Print version long-since sold out, but digitial download available here

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