TOMORROW ON OUTQ: PORN AND DOUBLE-D's (PLUS MGMT)

Well, from what I know about search engines, this post will get more "clicks" than any No Expiration post so far. Sorry for the deceptive title! I'm doing an experiment to see how this goes. Actually, a lot of music writing is sadly dictated by Search Engine Optimization - like writing about, say, Lady Gaga, just because lots of people are searching her.  That's not how No Expiration rolls, son! 

Anyway: tomorrow morning on SIRIUS XM OutQ at 9 am ET, I'm going to be talking about the new album from The New Pornographers, reissues from Duran Duran and also MGMT's latest.

MGMT's Congratulations has been a bit controversial among fans. After the fun, synthy sound of their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, they decided to go all Neil Young post-Harvest, and bee-line from the middle of the road to the ditch. They've kind of gone on record saying that they were uncomfortable becoming pop stars, and that inspired the sound of the new album which is more Flaming Lips than Lady Gaga. I enjoy the album, even if I don't totally agree with the contrarian line of reasoning. Then again, "rock" acts tend to have longer shelf lives than pop acts. Even Perez Hilton called them out for their attitude, pointing out that "there's nothing wrong with playing to arenas of people who want to listen to your music." Neil Young did the right thing when he veered from the mainstream after Harvest, time will tell if MGMT veered off of a cliff or not.

Duran Duran are releasing deluxe reissues of their self titled debut from 1981, and their third album, 1983's Seven and The Ragged Tiger. And also the 1985 side project Arcadia. Each reissue has two CDs (with lots of demo versions, remixes, BBC sessions and the like) and an accompanying DVD. I haven't gotten through all of it: I admit that on OutQ, I'm not giving a comprehensive review, it's more that I'm informing everyone that this stuff is out there and giving highlights. I'm more of a "greatest hits" fan when it comes to the double d. A lot of people dissed them back in the day, because they were a bit effeminate. But they had some funky tunes, starting with the singles on the first album, "Girls On Film" and "Planet Earth," which are still my favorite two Duran Duran songs.

Finally, The New Pornographers. Since I don't generally "buy into" what indie rock people make a big deal about, I was late to this band. Until I heard the song "Sing Me Spanish Techno" a few years back. The new album has more of a crunchy guitar solo: A.C. Newman, one of the main guys in the band has said that he wanted to combine Black Sabbath with The Fifth Dimension, which is a good idea. I like the songs I've heard so far.