Artist: Marcel Agterhuis
Title: Thank You For The Music (A Tribute to Duran Duran)
Genre: New Wave / Pop
Release Date: 19th October 2025
Label: self-released
Album Review
MARCEL AGTHERHUIS might not ring a bell to your ears, but this Dutch artist is around for more than 20 years. Very well known to DURAN DURAN’s fans as he made some stunning bootleg remixes since decades. Marcel is also an artist on his own. He published some Electronic or Pop album you can find on any platforms and are worth listening to.
A couple of months ago, he released a full album of DURAN DURAN covers (he already released a five covers EP, ‘In Ultra Chrome Latex and Steel’ in 2023) and the result is simply mind blowing. First off, you can see by the songs selected that this is a hardcore fan work. No big 80s or 90s hit at all, and even very few tracks from 80s albums.
Marcel went in the 2K’s catalogue or tracks from albums that failed to chart or even gain interest at the time (‘Liberty’, ‘Medazzaland’, ‘Pop Trash’) and even some rare tracks such as the collaboration between Simon Le Bon and Nick Wood, ‘Closer To Your Bed’ or unreleased songs from the 2003 reunion era (‘Salt In The Rainbow’, ‘Beautiful Colors’). Each song is literally embellished and gives a radically different view on it. Overall, the sound is very Pop, with bright and clear guitars, percussions, strings arrangements and beautiful vocals.
There’s almost a U2’s touch on some of the songs, surely because of the guitars, such as ‘More Joy’, ‘Beautiful Colors’ or ‘The Valley’, while some brings a Latin touch such as ‘Other Peoples Lives’ or Jazz (‘My Antarctica’, probably one of the most beautiful song from DURAN) and even a bit of Country (‘Box Ful Of Honey’). Most songs also introduce Marcel’s wife, Brenda Smit, on backing vocals. ‘Nightboat’ is also here to remind Marcel’s Electronic background with great pads and synths.
This album proves DURAN DURAN are amongst the best songwriters in Pop history but most of all, that their talent didn’t vanish with years, providing some of their most beautiful songs in the last 15 years. Songs like ‘Invisible’ or ‘Danse Macabre’ that were very dark / electro / experimental become beautiful Üop songs with emotions pushed forward. Marcel manages to make a very coherent album with songs taken from very different eras of DURAN DURAN.
In the end, may you like DURAN DURAN or not is totally irrelevant. This album stands on its own and you will discover an accomplished musician (Marcel performs all instruments), great vocals and an amazing collection of beautiful songs.
Tracklist
01. Cry Baby Cry
02. More Joy
03. Other Peoples Lives
04. Salt in the Rainbow
05. Beautiful Colors
06. Danse Macabre
07. Invisible
08. Red Carpet Massacre
09. My Antarctica
10. Someone Else Not Me
11. Michael You’Ve Got a Lot to Answer For
12. The Valley
13. Midnight Sun
14. Out of My Mind
15. Still Breathing
16. Night Boat
17. Closer to Your Bed
18. Nite Runner
19. Box Full O’Honey
20. One of Those Days
21. Pop Trash Movie
22. Silva Halo
23. Secret Oktober
24. Reach up for the Sunrise
Line-up
Marcel Agterhuis - Vocals and all instruments
Brenta Smit - Backing Vocals
Website
https://marcelagterhuis.bandcamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/AgterhuisMusic
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 10
Sound: 10
Total: 10 / 10
