For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

So Red The Rose was an underrated album here in the States. While “Election Day” made some noise as a single, it was the other Duran Duran side project – The Power Station with Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson – that made the biggest impression on this side of the pond. But the themes, songwriting, musicality and production that came from Le Bon, Rhodes and Roger were stellar, including this deep cut, “El Diablo”.

With this track, the devil is in the details. The ocarina comes up big, creating a mystic, ethereal sound. Duran Duran was no stranger to this instrument, having used it most famously in “The Chauffeur”, but that was just the beginning. “El Diablo” also includes a string arrangement of violins and a flamenco-inspired guitar part. Quite ambitious for a side project and a refreshing departure from the hit machine that is Duran Duran.

“One life with the devil do I play. For so long el Diablo is to blame.”