Originally released in 1983, one year after their massive ‘Rio’ album, many thought that this album was a must have for every teenager who had listened and grooved to ‘Rio’. But the matter rest when you actually listened to the album that really didn’t have the material to take off.

Duran Duran are a bunch of lads who at that time didn’t really know the strength of their own songs, especially when the songs became such huge hits. In terms of ‘Seven and the Ragged Tiger’ the 9 tracks are just about enjoyable.

Songs from the album like Union of The Snake, New Moon On Monday are unforgettable, and who could forget the album opener The Reflex, which was played widely in the 80s on MTV, radio, and by every young person on his walkman, and maybe car stereo. The songs here are well produced with many layered keyboard parts, but it's a great sounding album with some well written pop – rock songs and the usual moody Duran style ballads. So we can surely say that from a musical point of view, the chords and melodies are fascinating and incredibly original. The five boys know their music well and even though there is number of key changes that go on in these songs, often without the listener even knowing, it is hard to say too much about it.

The three successful singles The Reflex, which was the only single the band ever released that reached #1 on the charts in both the UK and the U.S. (and in several other countries as well); Union of the Snake, which reached #3 in both the UK and U.S.; and New Moon on Monday, which reached #9 in the UK and #10 in the U.S., but which was my favorite of the three.

There are several other worthwhile numbers on this LP, most notable are the slow and spacy instrumental Tiger Tiger, the bouncy I Take the Dice, and the wistful album-ender, The Seventh Stranger.

Listening to this on vinyl takes me back in time when I picked this album up, put it on my turntable and enjoyed every moment of it, though the hits didn’t really tumble down as expected. The cover image of the band photos are impressive, Duran Duran are handsome and good looking, ask any young lass in their time and listen to what the girls would say. But that isn't what really matters here. Duran Duran put out some great albums. ‘Seven and the Ragged Tiger’ may not have the icing on the cake with their earlier two albums, the boys have put good moments on this album, valued as a fine example of some of the best of '80s New Wave music.

Many would label the English band as a teen-idol type group whose music was aimed mostly at underage girls as a band trying to make it by pushing sexually sensationalized songs and videos. But while some of their music was (and is) pretty sensual, the boys weren’t only focused on just sex, Duran Duran had a talent for crafting songs with strong hooks, with hard work from vocalist Simon LeBon, guitarist Andy Taylor, bass player John Taylor, keyboard player Nick Rhodes and drummer Roger Taylor.

As for the name of the album, ‘Seven and the Ragged Tiger’ is "an adventure story about a little commando team. Reports reveal Simon Lebon saying in an online publication UCR, that the “Seven is for us — the five band members and the two managers — and the Ragged Tiger is success. Seven people running after success. It’s ambition. That’s what it’s about."Fast forward to 40 years later, it's obvious that their music has endured the test of time in a way that no teenybopper-centric band ever could, unless of course you put the Beatles in the same bracket. They were immensely popular with hoards of screaming adolescent females. This their third studio album, is clearly not as strong as their second album, ‘Rio’ (1982), and no way close to their self-titled first LP (1981), but it's still a pretty substantial musical document that holds up well today.

Release Date: 21^st November 1983

Label: EMI/ Capitol

Genres: New Romantic, New Wave

Rating: ****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira