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Despite the fact that Seven and the Ragged Tiger couldn't match the unrestrained pop/rock ebullience of 1982's Rio, Duran Duran put three of the album's singles in the Top Ten, taking it to number one in the U.K. Even though "The Reflex" gave the band their first number one hit, there's an overabundance of fancy glitz and dancefloor flamboyancy running through it, unlike "New Moon on Monday'"s straight-ahead appeal or "Union of the Snake'"s mysterious, almost taboo flair. It's apparent that Seven and the Ragged Tiger's content has the band moving ever so slightly into a dance-club arena, with the songs leaning more toward their ability to produce a sexier sound through electronics and instrumentation than through a firm lyrical and musical partnership. Even the unreleased tracks trade Duran Duran's handsome edginess for a shinier sound, heard mainly on "I Take the Dice" and "Cracks in the Pavement." It's here that LeBon and Taylor's personalities begin to get overshadowed by the demand to produce a more synth-snazzy and fashionable style of music. Although they may have turned their songwriting down a notch in order to succumb to the pabulum of synthesized pop, they didn't relinquish every aspect of their genius, and when they do deliver, it's bright, energetic, and effectual. Duran Duran's new direction eventually gave Seven and the Ragged Tiger double platinum status. [EMI's two-CD/one-DVD edition, released in 2010, adds B-sides, extended mixes, the 1983 non-album single "Is There Something I Should Know?," videos (including the 17-minute version of "New Moon on Monday"), the Oakland concert released as As the Lights Go Down, and a Top of the Pops performance.]
Condition:NEW.
TRACK LISTINGS
Seven and the Ragged Tiger [2-CD/DVD]
Disc 1
1 The Reflex 5:29
2 New Moon On Monday 4:16
3 (I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement 3:39
4 I Take the Dice 3:17
5 Of Crime and Passion 3:51
6 Union of the Snake 4:19
7 Shadows On Your Side 4:03
8 Tiger Tiger 3:20
9 The Seventh Stranger 5:24
Disc 2
1 Is There Something I Should Know? 4:11
2 Faith In This Colour 4:06
3 Faith In This Colour Alternate Slow Mix 4:10
4 Secret Oktober 2:49
5 Tiger Tiger Ian Little Remix 3:31
6 The Reflex Single Version / Version 4:27
7 Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) Live 5:00
8 New Religion Live / Live at the L.A. Forum 5:48
9 The Reflex Live / Live at the L.A. Forum 6:03
10 Is There Something I Should Know? Monster Mix 6:43
11 Union of the Snake Monkey Mix 6:29
12 New Moon On Monday Dance Mix 6:05
13 The Reflex Dance Mix 6:36
Disc 3
1 Tiger Tiger (Intro)
2 Is There Something I Should Know?
3 Hungry Like the Wolf
4 Union of the Snake
5 New Religion
6 Save a Prayer
7 Rio
8 The Seventh Stranger
9 The Chauffeur
10 Planet Earth
11 Careless Memories
12 Girls On Film
13 Is There Something I Should Know? Video
14 Union of the Snake Video
15 New Moon On Monday EP Version / Video / Version
16 The Reflex Video
17 New Moon On Monday Movie Version / Video / Version
18 Is There Something I Should Know? [Top of the Pops Performance: 23/3/83
19 The Reflex Top of the Pops Performance: 26/4/84
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