Big thing is yet another transition album from the classic Duran Duran music. However all the experimentation seems to work! Big Thing begins with the title track, intended to warm up the listener for the best songs on the album: "I don't want your love" is a funky groove that is reminiscent of the Notorious album, a dark yet fun dance song. "All she wants" is another dark song, the sounds very experimental but it seems to work extremely well. "Too late marlene" is probably my favorite song on the album, it's very subtle and subdued and utilizes a number of cool sounds, an awesome horn section and a very pleasant keyboard solo. "Drug" is a song full of energy and for those of you who take uppers, this song is for you. "Do you believe in shame" is another damn fine song, which holds back this incredible musical phrase until the third verse. "Palomino" is an amazing song, very subdued and it's beautiful in that it doesn't need to be heavy or adrenaline charged like the first few songs on the album. "Land" is an amazing work, a very peaceful, beautiful and passionate song. "Edge of America", well it makes me think of exactly that.
"Lake Shore Driving" is the last song, a very experimental piece with some awesome sounds. All in All, Big Thing is at the least, a great album.

Coming off the horn heavy funk of "Notorious," Duran Duran the trio stripped the sound down to some heavy beats for "Big Thing." The first single, "I Don't Want Your Love," sounded like a re-invention. Incorporating the current house and new-jack dance trends at the time, it was a major leap away from the candy-floss of "Rio." "All She Wants Is" carried the same sort of dance-floor urgency, and the title track was an arena ready thumper.

But the trademark lushness wasn't ever too far off. "Too Late Marlene" and "Land" are everything you'd expect from Duran Duran, rich arrangements, Simon's grandiose lyrics and Nick Rhodes' atmospheric keyboards. But perhaps "Big Thing's" best moment is the tribute to the band's late friend Alex Sadkin, "Do You Believe In Shame." Slowing down the swamp groove of "Suzie Q" and laying in an emotional vocal, "Shame" connects on a level that only a few songs in the DD library have ever done before.

Equally as good as "Notorious," and in my opinion, better than the "Wedding Album."

I was a die-hard Duranie in the 80s, but felt like I got ripped off when I plunked down money for Pop Trash and Medazzaland. I picked up Big Thing in a used CD store and felt like I had stumbled across undiscovered treasure. Very mellow, more like Arcadia's So Red the Rose than Astronaut (or even the wedding album). Like the other reviewers mentioned, Edge of America, Palomino, and Too Late Marlene are haunting, beautiful tracks. It's one of my favorite CDs to listen to at work---quiet enough to not be distracting, yet interesting and anything but bland.

I have to admit I was put off by the album Notorious when it initially came out. My favorite group of the time had broken up and taken a new musical direction. This, even though I LOVED Arcadia's So Red The Rose. Then Big Thing came out, and Duran Duran were no longer in vogue. They started to be relegated to bargain bin memorabilia of teeny-bopper days-gone-by. And that was despite the fact that their music was growing up.

In retrospect and upon recent return listening, Notorious is a fabulous album. But I could never understand for the life of me why Big Thing was not greeted with open arms by fans and media-outlets everywhere. It seems evident to me that in the late '80s, Duran Duran were the victims of backlash for the frenzy they created in the first half of the decade. It was suddenly cool and fun to hate them and it was quite easy to be laughed at for still being a fan. They had no obvious political agenda and were not Underground or Indie, and so by virtue of the times Duran Duran were out. They were has-beens.

Big Thing to me is like two incredible albums. There's a great club EP in here on the first half, with Big Thing, I Don't Want Your Love, All She Wants Is and Drug. Then there's a thoughtful, deeply layered, well-conceived and fascinating second half featuring experimental work and really wonderful song writing both lyrically and musically that takes you to a different place altogether.

Palomino, Land, The Edge of America and Lake Shore Driving are some of the best work Duran Duran has and will ever do. The biggest difference between this and most of what Duran Duran is known for is that none of these are radio-friendly, single-type songs. It's to LeBon and Rhode's credit that on an album with such strong singles as All She Wants Is and I Don't Want Your Love, the album they were from really shines in the non-single cuts. Big Thing shouldn't be ignored, it should be embraced.

Really, the transition began with their last album, Notorious, a very funky-hornsy type album. With Big Thing, the band gives us the dance/pop on what then would have been the A-side, while the B-side of the album is full of the contemporary and experimental. Really the BIG deal is the infectious dance remixes of I Don't Want Your Love and especially All She Wants Is, which are not found on the album. Aside from that, Warren seems to get a little more infusion to the band's sound this time around. One thing always with their albums, it's never the same ole same ole. Track 1- BIG THING, Simon actually plays guitar on this one (Warren wouldn't become a full band member until the next album) This tune is stomp & grind. Bang away! #2 I DON'T WANT YOUR LOVE, for Duran fans, this album introduced the fact that what you heard on the radio may or may not be the version on the album. This version is very stripped down compared to the rock/dance groove found on the single, and I like Simon- LIKE NOISE. #3 ALL SHE WANTS IS, one of my all time favorite songs. Whether it's the rock driven album version or the all out jump around and dance version- this a a true DD classic hit. #4 TOO LATE MARLENE, it seems since Save A Prayer (kinda the only ballad type song the band had to hit the radio waves)their idea of a slow song has never hit the mainstream (we would have to wait until The '93 Wedding Album for that), but just like Save A Prayer, their idea of a contemporary song takes the listener to a different place. Here the dying relationship pulls your heart strings. #5 DRUG- dancy with an anti-drug theme. Forget the drugs Take Me instead. Love it. #6 DO YOU BELIEVE IN SHAME?- Like track 4 the band is pursuing the new direction. A powerful lyrical ode to a departed friend. Really touching. #7 PALAMINO, For me this is the oddest song the band has ever done. Talk a little, sing a little and add a dolphin sound effect. Yes, it's odd, but Simon will have you singing along by the end of the song. #8 INTERLUDE I- hmm, just a filler. (maybe to push the track # to 12 songs during a time period when you were lucky to get 9 full songs on a vinyl record. #9 LAND- simply a beautiful song. If this album falls short- it's not because of the lack a true gems. #10 FLUTE INTERLUDE- refer to track 8. #11 THE EDGE OF AMERICA- Touching piece of a music, nice set up for the next song... #12 LAKESHORE DRIVING, Okay, I do like it when the guys do a rock/jam song. No disapointments here. Working with producer Jonathon Elias, whom John Taylor worked with on his debut solo song (I Do What I Do) from the 9 1/2 Weeks soundtrack, the collaboration on this album is a solid piece of work.