Arcadia - So Red The Rose (1985)

So Red the Rose is the only studio album by the Duran Duran-spinoff group Arcadia, released on 18 November 1985 by Parlophone. 

It included the singles "Election Day", "The Promise", "Goodbye Is Forever" and "The Flame". The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200 in January 1986 and at number 30 on the UK Albums Chart in December 1985.

There were many musical guests on the album, including David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Herbie Hancock, Grace Jones, and Sting (who provided backing vocals on "The Promise").

The album's artwork featured painted ink drawings by fashion illustrator Tony Viramontes of fashion model Violeta Sanchez as well as an innovative "light space" photograph of the band by Dean Chamberlain, who also directed the video for the song "Missing". 

Arcadia was the arty quarter of Duran Duran's side project. Members Simon Le Bon and Nick Rhodes were left to complete it after Roger Taylor left the group. They still strove to create the "western evocative of east" blueprinted by Japan's Tin Drum. 

They didn't achieve it with this, but it's certainly the best album Duran never made. Like earlier work Rio, the sleeve perfectly describes the record inside. The opener "Election Day" is darkly romantic irking toward erotic and has brass stabs not dissimilar from their Bond score View to a Kill. 

The following songs are lighter: "Keep Me in the Dark" and the U.S. single "Goodbye Is Forever." "The Flame" has a sharp beat and sultry bass groove that nods at Nile Rodgers. Two dream works, "Missing" and "Rose Arcana," precede "The Promise," which guests Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour, Sting, and Herbie Hancock. 

"El Diablo" has a latin flavor but still sounds like two Englishmen daydreaming of an escapade to El Salvador. Finally, to the dramatic splendor of "Lady Ice," a fantastic conclusion to a very good album. 

Thankfully, Arcadia chose not to pursue this album like their other Duran offshoot.

Nick Rhodes said of the model Sanchez on the album cover, "She had an elegance to her, an old style classic beauty."

Track listing

1. "Election Day" – 5:29
2. "Keep Me in the Dark" – 4:31
3. "Goodbye Is Forever" – 3:49
4. "The Flame" – 4:23
5. "Missing" – 3:40 (Le Bon, Rhodes)
6. "Rose Arcana" – 0:51 (Le Bon, Rhodes)
7. "The Promise" – 7:30
8. "El Diablo" – 6:05
9. "Lady Ice" – 7:32 (Le Bon, Rhodes)

All songs written by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor, except where noted.

Notes

Released: 18 November 1985 

Recorded: April–June 1985 Studio de la Grande Armée (Paris) 

Genre: Synth-pop 

Length: 43:36 

Producer(s): Alex Sadkin, Arcadia

Label - Parlophone (UK) / Capitol/EMI (US)