Easily one of the most accessible and successful bands of the 80's, new wavers Duran Duran had a rough time surviving the 90's, never managing to reach the heights of such hits as "Rio," "Girls on Film," and "Wild Boys" (my personal favorite Duran Duran tune.) They made a slight comeback in the 90's with the marginal hit "Ordinary World," and then had a somewhat techno makeover with the lackluster Medazzleland.

Now, Duran Duran returns with Pop Trash, a sporadically engaging fusion of techno, pop, and new wave. Simon Le Bon and the boys have created some nifty sounds but falter lyrically. "Lava Lamp" and "Hallucinating Elvis" are two of the albums best tracks as is "Pop Trash Movie."

Duran Duran has tried to emulate some of the traits of Garbage and Madonna's Ray of Light. Some moments on the album even reminded me of U2's Pop. Unfortunately, it's not as solid or as electrifying as those efforts. Still, it's better than anyone could have expected, and does surpass the overbloated Medazzleland.

Suffice to say, Pop Trash probably won't be the comeback that Duran Duran is looking for, but at least it's a step in the right direction.