Michael Christopher's Rock Music Menu

On Wednesday, a week and a day before they roll into the Wells Fargo Center, Duran Duran announced a brand-new record will be coming Oct. 27, purposefully set to arrive just in time for Halloween.

Titled “Danse Macabre,” it’ll be album No. 16 for the iconic new wave outfit.

“Danse Macabre” will feature, quite fittingly, 13 songs.

Three of them will be all new Duran Duran songs, with the rest covers and reworked versions of rarities from the band.

The covers are Billie Eilish’s “Bury A Friend,” Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” featuring Victoria De Angelis of Maneskin, The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” the Rick James-inspired “Super Lonely Freak,” Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Spellbound,” Cerrone’s “Supernature” and The Specials’ “Ghost Town.”

The catalyst for the LP was a wild show Duran Duran filmed in Las Vegas on Oct. 31 last year, with “Danse Macabre” designed to be the soundtrack to the U.K. group’s ultimate Halloween party.

Across the release they unearth bright melodies from the darkness, threading together new songs, themed covers, and newly reimagined versions of their own “spooky” classics.

The Halloween 2022 origin of “Danse Macabre” saw the group donning full fancy dress, casting a horde of ghouls on a stage, complete with 20-foot skeletons, tombstones, cobwebs and coffins.

The set included a parade of rarities and special covers and Duran Duran’s first live performance of “Secret Oktober” since 2011, their first of “Love Voodoo” since 2017, and first of “Nightboat” since 2005.

The covers of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Cerrone and The Specials were also debuted in what has gone down in Duran Duran history as a Halloween show for the ages.

Along with the announcement came the title track — an original — led by an anxious percussive intro against a distorted, growling synthesizer as frontman Simon Le Bon’s swaggering verses give way to a handclap heavy hook. The song is notable as it features former bandmate Warren Cuccurullo on guitar in his first collaboration with the band since 2001.

“The song ‘Danse Macabre’ celebrates the joy and madness of Halloween,” keyboardist Nick Rhodes said in a statement where he talked about the 2022 Vegas gig.

“We had decided to seize the moment to create a unique, special event … the temptation of using glorious gothic visuals set to a dark soundtrack of horror and humor was simply irresistible. That evening inspired us to explore further and to make an album, using Halloween as the key theme.”

Le Bon said more succinctly: “It’s about a crazy Halloween party. It’s supposed to be fun!”

As much as the band are leaning into the theme, “Danse Macabre” isn’t just an album for Halloween.

“Black Moonlight” breaks into dance-rock glamor with the addition of Chic’s Nile Rodgers and former Duran Duran member Andy Taylor on guitar.

A second collaboration with Cuccurullo occurs on “Love Voudou,” and there’s newly recorded versions of “Nightboat” and fan favorite “Secret Oktober 31st, ” the latter two featuring Taylor on guitar.

“Danse Macabre” will have artwork featuring images adapted from a collection of authentic vintage séance photos sourced by Rhodes at an auction.

It will be available on CD, two-LP black and a limited-edition 2LP “Translucent Galaxy” vinyl. The album comes on high-res Blu-ray audio as well.

The new record arrives amid a busy year of live activity that has already seen Duran Duran perform sold-out arena shows across the U.K. and Ireland as part of its Future Past Tour.

The second North American leg kicked off in May with next week’s concert in Philly a much-anticipated stop with Niles Rodgers & Chic, and indie pop act Bastille providing support.

Later in the month, Sept. 23, Duran Duran will be playing another regional date, this one in Atlantic City at Ovation Hall. Tickets remain for both shows.

Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary act.

This week, it’s the 10th anniversary of a landmark electronic release.

• Disclosure’s “Settle: 10th Anniversary”

Originally released June 3, 2013, Disclosure’s debut album “Settle” was met with huge acclaim across the globe. It debuted at No. 1 in the UK on the Official Album Chart and was certified platinum in the region the same year.

The album was also nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Award and nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards while topping the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums Chart in the States.

“Settle” spawned huge global hit singles in “Latch,” the album’s debut single featuring Sam Smith, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard chart and No. 11 in the UK; and “White Noise,” featuring electronica duo AlunaGeorge, charted at No. 2 in the U.K., and Billboard named it the eighth greatest song of2013.

Shortly before the album’s release “You & Me,” featuring Eliza Doolittle, was released and also broke into the U.K. Top 10.

Beyond the accolades it’s received over the years, “Settle” remains an unquestionably culturally important record and one of the most significant electronic music albums of recent time.

Disclosure, the U.K. duo of brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence, have gone on to release three studio albums and multiple EPs in addition to handling remixes for artists including Pharrell Williams, Janet Jackson, Khalid, James Blake and most recently Sam Smith featuring Kim Petras.

They continue to push boundaries and receive plaudits and accolades that transcend genres.

The 10th anniversary of “Settle” is available as a transparent orange double vinyl set. It features the original album with an additional five carefully curated tracks selected by the Lawrence brothers.

This marks the first time the album and bonus tracks have been put together on one release in any configuration.

Look for the 10th anniversary of “Settle” online and from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.

To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to [email protected]. Also, check out his website at thechroniclesofmc.com.

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