Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Music for GTA Vice City
My route into Simple Minds was via seeing their In The City Of Light concert on The Tube which featured many songs from this album. Live performance is where Simple Minds excel the most and I have seen them live quite a few times. Whilst a fan I always thought their early stuff, which this is an example sounded a bit flimsy. Not the songs but the overall production. On later studio albums like Real Life and Street Fighting Years production improved tremendously. On reflection I think the early albums were of their times restricted by the technology then and the overall vibe of the 80’s. Still if I fancy a bit of Simple Minds I will always tend to put on one of their many live recordings. But I can understand why this made the list over their other recordings as it contains a lot of their hits and a good example of 80’s new wave music. 5/5 6/4/26
I never had any good dreams when I was in my 80s.
Simple Minds as a band rings a bell for me, but nothing I've listened loads to. Was surprised by how coherent and well-packaged this album was! 'Someone Somewhere' is a really cool opening track with a nice chorus:y guitar lead hook, and overall beat. Overall I found this record to be very even through the songs, with cool beats. I suppose if you don't like some typical 80s synth sounds and guitar chorus, this won't be for you. Luckily I do! Top picks were 'Promised You A Miracle' and 'Someone Somewhere'.
I only knew Simple Minds from “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, so it was fun to hear that they aren’t just a one-hit wonder. The first track was a real bop. “Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel” was great too, the bassline is really good. The rest of the album also maintained a high standard, with New Gold Dream standing out as another stellar track. Overall, it’s a really solid ’80s pop album. It made me think of ABC. I really enjoy synth-pop, so this was right up my alley. 4 stars.
I'm usually a fan of New Wave, but this album was just alright. Nothing bad, nothing spectacular; it sits right in the middle. I won't be rushing to listen to more Simple Minds, but not mad I listened to this either. Tomorrow is Easter so the coverart is very in season. Favorite Track - Promised You a Miracle Least Favorite Track - Big Sleep ⭐️⭐️⭐️
So excited for a Simple Minds album. My dad likes the band, so I’m intrigued to listen. The bass and beat in Someone Somewhere is transfixing. I don’t know exactly what it is, but this track is awesome Colours fly didn’t have exactly the same vibe as the first, but I still liked it, it just wasn’t as transcendent. Promised you a miracle brings back the beat. I’m confused on my thoughts about this one, but it was a good time. Big sleep brought back that bass I liked. Yay for an instrumental track in Somebody up there Likes You! The title track itself was also pretty good. I liked the keys. Glittering prize was fun! Hunter and the Hunted was pretty good as well. To finish it off, I felt King is White… to be slightly lacking as a closer. It felt more like an opener or an interlude. 3.5/5 ⭐️ 93/1089
80s charm, but falls flat
Here is a good example of why i dismiss the 80's. Too much synth, terrible 80's drums and 80's production. I just dont see the merit
80s tastic
Another 1001 revelation. Despite how much I listen to new wave and synthpop I never really looked into Simple Minds. I just knew them from their one US hit and left it at that. I will definitely be digging into their discography.
The title sums up the music. Pretentious, overcomplicated and forgettable. (Ok I do like the title track)
Suenan muy parecido a los Cocteau Twins y a The Police. La verdad un sonido que si bien es interesante, ya me suena bastante común. La verdad no hay nada muy interesante para rescatar.
I just love synth. The album as a whole is a little boring but there are some great songs in here. Favs: Someone Somewhere and Big Sleep
Pleasant. Favorite song: Somebody up there likes you. Good vibes all around.
Was nice and easy to listen to but also kind of forgettable.
I've heard this done way better before.
Good album with nice sound and groove that made my day better listening to it while working. Best track was Promised You A Miracle.
Nice to hear them again. The album was better than just the singles I knew
its kinda giving duran duran
Was expecting worse to be honest. Definitely built for the stadiums. Highlights include "big sleep" and "new gold dream".
It hit the 80s vibe
80's just AGAIN AND AGAIN is so lacking
Fine music. Typical Talking Heads.
Really didn’t care for it tbh
airy and sorta fun
This is what it would sound like if Billy Idol got with Tears For Fears and made music that sucked and is boring
Y'know, one of the better British new wave albums this list keeps on throwing at you. Not bad. Catchy. Some good poppy synth and some good dark synth. Vibed.
Revisiting "New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)", as part of this exercise, proved to be a most welcome surprise. I have owned this album in various formats since its release, and its quality remains remarkably consistent. The record opens with 'Someone Somewhere in Summertime', a moody, mid-paced track that sets a sophisticated tone. At the time of its release, my musical tastes were somewhat divided; I was listening to both Hard Rock and Metal during the height of the NWOBHM, alongside the various offshoots of Post-Punk where Simple Minds began. This album represented a clear evolution from those origins, embracing a pop sensibility with catchy melodies and vocal hooks that saw the band labelled as "New Wave". Viewed through a modern lens, however, it sounds like a definitive Rock album. The standout feature is the series of funky basslines provided by Derek Forbes, which gave the band such a distinctive foundation. This is coupled with excellent percussion provided by three different drummers: Mel Gaynor, Mike Ogletree, and Kenny Hyslop. It is Gaynor’s contribution that particularly catches the ear. Compared to the band's earlier material, the drums sound enormous - a deliberate production choice by Peter Walsh. These elements are layered with the textures of Charlie Burchill’s guitar and Michael MacNeil’s keyboards, which provide the essential atmosphere. Finally, there are the distinctive baritone vocals of Jim Kerr, who remains an underrated vocalist from this era. Altogether, the record marked a seismic shift from their previous work. While I was already familiar with the band, seeing them perform 'Promised You a Miracle' on Top of the Pops firmly grabbed my attention. I have always thought that elements of this album helped lay the foundations for the Dream Pop and Shoegaze movements. It is a highly influential record for which the band rarely receives enough credit - so I'm particularly please that it's in this list. At the time, they were peers to U2 and, musically, were arguably far ahead of them until 1984’s "The Unforgettable Fire" - an album U2 openly admit was influenced by this specific record. The closing track, 'King Is White and in the Crowd', is a moody, atmospheric piece concerning the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. It is often overlooked, but it remains a personal favourite. "New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)" is a sophisticated record that was years ahead of its time; it remains an excellent listen today. Five stars. It's a personal favourite. Side A 1 "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" (5/5) 2 "Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel" (4/5) 3 "Promised You a Miracle" (5/5) 4 "Big Sleep" (5/5) 5 "Somebody Up There Likes You (Instrumental)" (4/5) Side B 6 "New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)" (5/5) 7 "Glittering Prize" (5/5) 8 "Hunter and the Hunted" (5/5) 9 "King is White and in the Crowd" (5/5) Sum - 43 Average - 4.78 281/1001 149/281 albums reviewed were new to me
Very very 80s. Everything blended together and though it's good, it's just not that noteworthy to me. I like the 80s a lot and I like new-wave esque music and this was still just fine. The album art made me laugh though because it looks just like a Sunday school workbook I had growing up and I don't think they were going for that when they designed it.
I didn’t care for this. I didn’t particularly like the booming percussion in particular.
There are some good songwriting here and there, but songs that I don't got are annoying. Still some nice moments that I've enjoyed. Could be 4 if Futurama song was on the album
Not my favorite thing, but it's fun to pretend you're living in a John Hughes movie.
iskreno baš me je smorio ovaj 80s synthpop, sve mi nekako više isto zvuči. mislim, to apsolutno može da bude veoma uzbudljiv i inovativan žanr, ali ovi kao da su namerno napravili naj''of the times'' album ikada. suprotno od vanvremenskog. svaka bogovetna pesma ima neku sintisajzersku melodiju i uglavnom spore baladne bubnjeve, ili malo ''uzbudljivije'' 1-2 bubnjeve, kako bih ih ja nazvala (najobičniji osminski ritam, smorrr) i morisi vokale sa temua. tehnički, ništa ne valja ovom albumu, samo ga ja lično ne bih nikad više slušala. a i nije ništa posebno, običan pop album. mogu da zamislim kolko je ovo 1982. bio groundbreaking earthshattering zvuk i vajb. možda mi je ovaj 80-revival u pop muzici u poslednjih 10ak godina malo prezasitio čulo sluha?
It's okay, but dang, it goes on for so long and there are lots of repeats of the same songs. I guess if I liked the original songs more, I'd enjoy the variations.
The absolute milk toast 80s album imaginable. It hits all the overplayed tropes. If you fed an AI every notable 80s synth rock album from the decade you would get exactly that. Completely unoriginal and a snooze fest.
lots of 80s going on (non-derogatory)
favorites: promised you a miracle; new gold dream; glittering prize
Når der på coveret er et kors, så jeg jeg negativ fra starten. Så ren forventnings messigt var jeg på en 1er i udgangspunktet. Når jeg så ser bort fra dét, så er lyden af 80erne tung synthesizer som faktisk er ret okay. Åbneren er decideret god.
Hmmm. Lidt New Order, lidt Joy Division. 80er synthet, men ikke så meget som jeg havde troet og frygtet.
Opvallend: twee nummers van deze plaat zijn de afgelopen tien jaar vanuit het niets de Top 2000 binnen geslopen. Is het omdat de jonkies de jaren tachtig steeds beter weten te waarderen, of omdat allerlei ouwe lullen die in de jaren tachtig groot werden tijd hebben gekregen om te gaan stemmen? Maar goed, wat vinden we er zelf van. Eerlijk gezegd vind ik het allemaal nogal op elkaar lijken, ik hoor hier meer een tijdsbeeld dan een eigenzinnige plaat die alles anders doet. Wel aardig gedaan hoor, maar het enige nummer dat me echt opvalt is het fijne instrumentaaltje 'Somebody up there likes you', maar vooral omdat ik zweer dat ik het ergens van ken. Ooit gebruikt in een tv-programma, documentaire, reclame, radiojingle? Het zal wel een raadsel blijven, vrees ik. Al met al: best leuke muziek, in ieder geval véél beter dan allerlei bagger uit dezelfde periode die we al te verstouwen hebben gekregen. Dus ben ik maar weer eens mild.
Wat doen die jaartallen in de albumtitel? Ze worden in elk geval direct bevestigd door de eerste tonen van het album. Was de band van mening dat ze met dit album het theatrale geluid van de begin '80's gingen neerzetten? Dan hebben ze wel aardig gelijk gekregen. Het moet je smaak zijn, maar de uitvoering is netjes. Zet ik het nog eens op? Nee dat niet.
Er staat maar 1 album van de Simple Minds in deze lijst. Dat betekent dat ze niet in de snobcategorie zaten, want als ik zie wat voor kneiters van (stadion)hits ze hebben, die verspreid over meerdere albums staan, had een extra toevoeging best gekund. Nu heb je op zich met dit album een redelijk beeld als je de 80s bombast van Simple Minds nog niet kende. Dus ergens ben ik best tevreden dat de snobs een keuze hebben gemaakt. En dat deden ze door te kiezen voor het album, waarmee de Simple Minds zich definitief in de kijker speelden blijkbaar. Hiervoor was het allemaal niet veel soeps, althans niet commercieel gezien. Ik heb geen idee of het geluid anders was, want ook ik ken eigenlijk alleen maar de greatest hits van deze band. Het is typisch 80s, prominente drum en bass, een licht zeurderige Britse zang (die overigens wel erg goed is), veel galm, synths. Later zongen ze 'dont you forget about me' en je kan veel van de simple minds zeggen, maar het is geen vergeetbare muziek. DIt album voelt bijna al als een greatest hits. Ik hou wel van deze goed uitgevoerde bombast.
Депеш мод лучше
Middle of Road New Wave. A hit or too.
i really like simple minds (although i prefer their earlier stuff), this was a very good listen. great use of synths without sounding too dated
I'd never heard this one before but it is really cool and unique and works great. The mix is weird (produced by the guy who would go on to do all the late weird Scott Walker stuff... and Heyday by The Church) but I think it basically works since the vocals have less emphasis on melody than some of this stuff tends to and more emphasis on ethereal dreamy stuff. So it's great. Some synth sounds I have never heard before too.
The Good: Golden dreams! The Bad: New gold isn’t any better than old gold… The Ugly: Finding out that simple minds can’t have dreams… Promised You A Miracle! Someone Somewhere In Summertime! Yes, yes, 2 anthems of the New Wave revolution, used with such frequency in tv/film that one would almost have to say “been there, done that”. Back during those days, you had bands other bands like Depeche Mode, U2, The Cure, to name a few, which fell into this similar style of rebellious pop. I’ve given up on trying to follow who was which style… for me it was all considered New Wave back in those days. It came with a dress code, hair-style, and social groups… Me, I was into Prince. Due to this I did not pay much attention to this kind of music—see my comments regarding Songs From The Big Chair by Tears For Fears. By the time the ‘80s were starting fade, I went on a trip Down Under, and I took with me my trusted portable cassette player (I’d say Walkman, but it wasn’t a Sony…). There I bought several “albums”; Brother’s In Arms, Faith… and Once Upon a Time… by Simple Minds, with the greatest anthem of the ‘80s “Alive And Kicking”. Why am I sharing this? Because, for me, Once Upon a Time is the must hear before you die album by Simple Minds. It flows much better, most songs have their own character, and for fuck’s sake, look at side A’s line-up: Once Upon a Time All The Things She Said Ghostdancing Alive And Kicking You can’t ask for much more… except that that album would be included on the list… but no, instead I got to listen to one too many shit/way below average albums. I fear to see what tomorrow’s album will be. For now, I am just enjoying the trip down memory lane with the album that should have been on this list! 3 1/2* upgraded to 4*
Bändillä on hyviäkin lauluja. Ne ei vaan ollut tässä
Kyllä tätä ihan kuunteli ⭐️⭐️⭐️
80s synth pop has got to be the most annoying crap ever.
It was alright. I was expecting more of the bangers that Simple Minds have made, but none of them showed up here. The songs were good, but buying to get me hooked.
good stuff.
As a simple minded American, yes I only know their one song they've ever made from The Breakfast Club. But did our fellow simple minded Americans also know that Simple Minds made more music, that was much popular elsewhere a good amount of time? I sort of did. New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84) is seen as the Simple Minds' magnum opus of sorts, by the fans, critics, and the band themselves. Can it stand out from any other 80s new wave album? There's part to this album I like, the cheesy and very on point synths of the early 80s and some of the song structures. The other problems of this album is that it's just not very interesting. Some songs don't necessarily have climatic moments but just sort of the same sequenced synth beats over and over again for several minutes while the (quite lively and good) bass exists as the synths and vocals are trying to bury each other in the mix on the quest of which will sound the "lead" role of the song as the guitar kind of acts more as a rhythmic thing, which is neat. What's not neat is trying to hear the kick ass Herbie Hancock solo in Hunter and The Hunted while the singer's whaling is still louder than him in the mix but hey, probably sounds good on Dolby Atmos. I think the earlier Simple Minds are more worth their time because of the overt punk/post punk influence that gives the songs some BEAT to them. New Gold Dream (idk why the numbers are there) is so much of a new wave cliche that it doesn't sound fun. Take Rio by Duran Duran: that is the objective of what a new wave album ought to sound like. This is almost like Rio, if you were on just enough quaaludes to function at the strip club, or a walk on a beach at 3pm. I don't think this album ages well in the sonic department. The songs are at best fine and at worst they drag on a little too long. It's importance and significance isn't as held up compared to that big hit single that changed the band to make more of this sound and less of their earlier sound, for better and for worse. I don't know where the problem lies between the production and the execution of the songs because the band members sound fine and capable. There could be better selections for this list than trying to remind Americans that this band isn't a one hit wonder.
Ei ehkä se simple mindsin paras levy mutta ihan mukavaa kasaritunnelmaa. Välillä lähtee hieman laukalle, mutta sallittakoon
Aattelin et nyt tulee kunnon kasarisettiä, mut alotin kuuntelemaan levyä eri kohdesta varmaan 4 kertaa, mutten saanu loppuun joten kertokoon se tarpeellisen. Tuu points
Kasarimeininki aika vahvana, toki ymmärrettävästi... Mutta pelkkiä täytebiisejä, ei erotu mikään edukseen.
Tää pändi nyt ol tuttu niistä parista isommasta hitistään, jotka kyl ihan maistuu. Ehkä sinänsä yllättää miten pitkän linjan pumppu onkaan kyseessä. Tällä levyllä tuntuu teemana olevan suht vapaa ilmasu sekä sovituksellisesti että lauluraidoissa. Jotain uuden aallon britti-tierin evoluutioo tää on. En tiiä sitten lähtiskö aukeemaan useemmalla kuuntelulla, mutta jotenkin ei kyllä jaksas yrittää. Ol seassa semmostakin tavaraa, että mietin jopa kolkkia, mutta pääasiallisesti liian ison pensselin maalailua ettei vaan aukee.
Tää ei ihan omaan hermokeskukseen iskenyt. Vähän liikaa kasarimeininkiä omaan makuun.
Some 80's-y pop, nothing hooked me but kinda nice.
Heard the Krautrock influence and the songs were well composed, but it felt a bit meh, and I couldn’t quite tell if they’re secret Christian rock band with the album imagery and the themes of the songs, which I can’t quite get behind.
1. zomeone - 1.5 2. uuheel - 1.5 3.miracle - 1 4. Sleep - 1.5 5. Up - 1 6. Gold - 1 7. Prize - 1 8. Hunter - 1.5 9. King - 1
It’s blandly enjoyable. An album that makes me think: it’s better than silence. Not sure if this is the best Simple Minds album to include. Would “Once Upon a Time” be better? 3/5
Between the album cover and only knowing Don’t You Forget About Me, I didn’t think I was going to like this one. Surprisingly, it was pretty good.
A very enjoyable album, but I did prefer their earlier work. Sons and fascination in particular. This was a pivot to a much more stadium friendly sound. 4 stars. Fave track - glittering prize.
Very very very not for me.
This is really good. 80 synthy goodness works for this very well. THE BASSLINES take notes ears. The vocals are smooth and fantastic, mixed in slick and richly layered soundscape that creates a very strong ambient feel with a hint of darkness. I couls tell this is scottish (that is a testament to the development of my ears!). Has echoes of the blue nile in the way it is ambient and sad somehow. Very cohesive record
Simple Minds - New Gold Dream Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ This is basically the sound I associate with disliking 80s music. The synths just come across as cheesy and it takes a lot to get past this. Not for me.
Fine but not memorable.
Pretty standard 80s new wave with some inoffensive if unremarkable songs. Nothing too crazy, and easy enough to listen to. But probably not something I'd ever revisit. Top tracks: Somewhere Somewhere, Somebody Up There Likes You, Glittering Prize
Same song over and over, didn’t vibe this at all
I give it one star because I can’t give negative stars. It’s the worst kind of pretentious tripe. Elevated elevator music.
I only knew the one song by these guys (the one everyone knows). So, assuming this was a one hit wonder band, I went in with relatively low hopes. But wow, this album completely blew me away. I checked and literally every second song on here I had saved to listen to again later - that is RARE for me to get more than two songs off an album. This thing put me in such a chipper mood I was dancing all over my room listening to some of the incredible songs on it such as Someone Somewhere, Promised You A Miracle, New Gold Dream, Hunter and the Hunted, etc. By the time the first song came on I was hooked, and the songs on the album just kept getting better and better. What an absolute fucking masterpiece, no skips, no worries. 10/10. This is the best thing I've listened to since CHIC, which was almost a year ago and about 216 albums ago.
Amazing opener, excellent production, very very 80s (not a bad thing at all). Really the only bad thing you can say about this is the album cover, it reminds me of a late 90s maths textbook. Highlights: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime), Somebody Up There Likes You, Glittering Prize
Enjoyed this. Quite a few catchy enough to make it into my permanent library.
Nop, no me gustó
Inte Simple Minds på sitt bästa. Lite för få bangers, men så var de kanske ett singles-band. Jag gillar de tidigare, rockigare skivorna. Detta är lite för syntight. Men en jämn och bra platta ändå, en svag fyra.
Mostly a snooze fest, but the bass line on "Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel" is the best part of the album. "Glittering Prize" is cool, too. So for those reasons I'll give it a 2.5
don't like the album cover, thought it was just a bit boring
This is so very 80's. So, so 80's. Jim Kerr's voice is smooth. the instruments are brilliant. The songs have great depth to them. It's a great album, but so very 80's in terms of its sound
This album is OK. It sounds generically 80s, which may mean that it was ahead of its time coming out in '82, but there's just not a lot to go on to rate this higher than I have. It's like the 80's version of elevator music. 2.5/5
Some iconic songs.
Pretty good.
Eerie & emotionally driven retro-futurism.
Hideous album art. Reminiscent of a lot of my 80s favorites like Tears for Fears and Talking Heads.
Helt kurant, ikke for meg da. 🧠🧠🧠
Heilt OK, men gav meg lite. Litt for 80s sound for min smak.
behagelig første album 2-3, jeg likte det men det inviterer ikke sånn veldig til gjenhør for meg.
Really dull, had decent bass at parts but just nothing memorable or gripping. I listened twice and just felt like I wasted my time.
Not sure I get it.
Listening to this I was also reading up on the band's biography. Wow, how many line-up changes can you have. But that only started a few years after this album was released. Two things I'm taking away from this. 1) Derek Forbes is a great bassist. 2) My parents and some friends of theirs liked Simple Minds and had this and another album plus a greatest hits compilation playing occasionally. I remember Simple Minds as wholly unmemorable, except for two or three of their hits. Coming back to them decades later, I have to give it to my much younger self - that assessment still holds up today.
i like how every time i finished listening to a good album a mid album immidieately follows up. sometime there will be extremely good streaks of good albums but most of the time its just like this. anyway i like my synthpop upbeat and theatrical and more № 1 in Heaven or The Lexicon of Love like and theres only two to three songs that satisfies the criteria. 3.5/5
Pretty good honestly
actually a very pleasant surprise! no shocker that with my third to last album, there had to be one final (i hope) British new wave album, but it is surprising that it's actually pretty good! kind of like watered down New Order, nothing I'll ever want to revisit but i at least didn't begrudge the time spent listening to it
Some cracking tracks on here, but in the end, I thought this album was merely pretty good. Maybe it was the disgusting weather outside that affected my opinion on this album?
It's alright I suppose. Nothing really stood out though.
2.5 - ok
liked jt
3, but a high 3. I enjoy new wave and this was pretty good!
muuy repitivo
They were so committed to their target audience that they named the band after it. Like this is so boring, exactly the kind of thing you put on in the background when you need some white noise but can't be bothered to actually focus on the music. I appreciate that music like that has it's place, but for me personally I just don't see the point. Maybe I'm just too pretentious to understand it, but to me music is art that should be listened to with intent, but this is just so innocuous that you can't do that with it. But it's weird, there is nothing actively unpleasant about this, but the fact that it's so generic makes it unpleasant in a way. If this album came out today I would probably accuse it of being AI generated, it really is on that level.
This was ok I guess. A frantic day and I didn’t really pay much attention to it. Decent enough background music I guess. I did keep seeing how much longer it was because it felt long.
Boring
I enjoyed listening to this, but I don't think it's one I'd rush to add to my collection.
Typical 80s pop. Not great, not horrible.
Simple tunes for my simple mind
Not much to say, not my jam, but not bad
hate the cover lol meh mucis
better than expected 80's stuff
Okay, but uninspiring, slick 80s pop. My standout track was New Gold Dream which had a bit of a psychedelic vibe going on. The rest was quite forgettable.
Not my cup of tea, but not bad
I was never a New Wave fan. Too much focus on appearance, too much focus on dance, the same old low/not quite baritone vocals, and a favouring of bass guitar - the least important instrument in a rock band's line-up. What the best of the genre often got right was atmosphere. The use of keyboards and synth to generate a mood, and an instance on slowing the pace when necessary creates and evocative, nostalgic early 80s vibe which is difficult to recreate. For those of us who were there or experienced that era, this music has the innate ability to transport us back to a time of neon lights and throbbing mystery. This album contains the best and worst of the genre. It has the vibe and atmosphere, but it has the dull and yelping vocals sounding like the boring school kid with the pretend balls-dropped deep voice taking his turn to give a speech on soil erosion. Like much music from this period, it sounds both dated and of its time - dated in that sounds and tech and style have moved on, of its time in that you would never again have music that sounded like this again. There are no turds here, it's just decent music. But it's missing a banger, a standout song. And to have an instrumental song in a nine song album is almost unforgivable. So, it's fine. No peaks, no lows, just another album.
Country clawing it’s way through the 70’s fresh, vital and important.
I can dig it. Promised You a Miracle slaps! Giving this album closer to a 2.75
Oh yeah, I remember that album so clearly, I was totally annoyed. All my friends were Simple Minds fans. I had to listen to Simple Minds everywhere I went. It was just awful. The voice really grated on me. That kind of synth-pop wasn't for me. Hey, I like synthesizers and guitars, but Simple Minds, no thanks. "Promised Me... Nothing"- if I have to listen to that album again "drehe ich am Rad"
Simple Minds Simply Put Simply Stinks.
This is 80s pop/rock that if you were not there doesn't seem to age very well. Although the voice is still compelling and overall I like it.
отдаленно напоминает the smiths. переслушал 2 раза, в целом приятно, несколько песен прям понравились
Ok
The bass in this is great, but the album as a whole is slightly forgettable, I keep waiting for a big song but it never comes.
“Big Sleep” would’ve been a better title track for this album. Apparently it was kind of ground breaking for the 80s pop sound but in 2026 I found it endlessly boring. I would’ve rather just listened to don’t you forget about me a few times.
3.0 Dont really care for the music too much, Bass player Derek Forbes lays down some wicked lines though. Watched a couple of videos of him, got some small, stubby fingers for being a hell of a bass player
A solid good fun album with some great ups and very few downs. Sometimes simple really works well.
Another classic 80s sounding album. Really enjoyed the instrumentation and it was used incredibly well in the instrumental track. Overall, a really solid album.
Again didn't listen to all of it. They are ok not a great fan of Jim Kerrs voice but it's of the time
They're one of the better bands that sound exactly like this. This 80s stuff just isn't my cuppa. It's not their fault. They're decent at what they're doing, but it's not for me.
First song is my favourite. I wed to be watching Trainspoting, or at least walking down a wet cobble stone street in the up to truly appreciate this album.
Day758 - definetly an underrated new wave band/album. i can’t get promised you a miracle out of my head
some good songs. too long
Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel is a jam. And I can get down with Promised You A Miracle as well. Big Sleep has a Police-like feel to it. Really enjoy Glittering Prize -- reminds me of something I can't put a finger on right now. Though I enjoyed the front, I felt like this lost some steam through the back half. Not bad, per se, just losing focus. For me this toes a 3/4 line, but falls on the left side.
Pretty good, but kinda just came and went. No notes.
Pretty run of the mill 80s synth pop album which I would have sworn we have already had an album by this group before. Wasn't great but wasn't bad. Pretty much as 3 as possible.
Weird to have a Simple Minds album and it doesn't have Don't You Forget About Me on it. Had some moments but was overall too 80's sounding for me.
Big sleep
Favourite Songs: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Ik heb een zwak voor dit genre. Misschien omdat ik de 80s aesthetic heel serieus nam als 16-jarige. Daarom voelt het ergens heel nostalgisch, terwijl ik eigenlijk nooit echt naar simple minds geluisterd heb (behalve de bekendste natuurlijk). Sprongen er nummers uit? Nee, niet echt. Werd ik extreem warm van dit album? Nee, ook niet echt. Toch hou ik er ook wel van.
Yeah that's pretty good
niet onaardig maar niet echt mijn ding. Glittering Prize is wel n banger!
niet m'n favoriete simple minds maar erg goed
Feels like a bit of a mixed bag - the darker broody stuff rewards repeat listening while ‘Promised You A Miracle’ and ‘Glittering Prize’ point the way to the band they became but it doesn’t completely hold together, and some of it feels muddy.
dunno i expected something less boring. also strange album title
New wave is one of the worst eras of music we've ever suffered
Not 100% my style of synth pop but some of the instrumentals were sick
Jim Kerr's vocals always had a preachy quality to them that somehow reminds me of Bono - which isn't necessarily a good thing. The music is par for the course for the era, but the songs just aren't there yet. Simple Mind's best known songs were yet to come. Meanwhile, this is 2.5/5.
Simple Minds at its peak. Derek Forbes' bass playing is so strong and melodic throughout. The band wasn't the same after he left. Liked Songs Added: Someone, Somewhere (In Summertime) Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel Promised You A Miracle New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84) Glittering Prize
Fantastic city pop
Unimpressive synth-pop, an altogether unimpressive genre. Better than Scritti Politti but just a little. I like the band, but their earlier stuff just had so much more edge. Maybe they were cashing in on a trend, which is their right. Not awesome.
I did not need to hear this before I died. In fact, as this made no impact on my brain or ears while it was playing, I might argue that I still have not heard it.
Didn’t do it for me
Might only really be known for their Big Hit, but this still some damn good 80's pop in its' own right. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
I’m at a 3. Ultimately, it’s just fine. I don’t really feel like I have much to type about this album because it just never fully hooked me into what it was trying to do, or even really reveal what it wanted to say / do in the first place. These are inoffensive, occasionally catchy synthpop tunes, and it succeeds as a showcase of the style for the era. I think I just have more issues than notable positives here, but I don’t want to get overly negative about the album. It just disappointed me a lot more than I was expecting, based on the strength of their other big hits like “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” & “Alive & Kicking”. Those are tightly crafted synthpop tunes that feel closer to a Depeche Mode / Eurythmics style, whereas this feels like an undercooked Cocteau Twins album. I’m not opposed to the style if it’s done well, but this is… well, it’s just not done THAT well, sorry. I guess I do have stuff to say after all. My immediate first thing comes in the overall mixing; I think the vocal filter muddles the emotional tones meant to come out of Jim Kerr’s vocals. I know he has good vocals, because they do occasionally shine through the filtering / reverb here, but they’re not showcased in a way that helps to sell each track. Past that, I just think the instrumentals themselves aren’t super compelling, with many going for longer than they need to, overstaying their welcome, and suffering from that “first minute” syndrome I so often mention; when you can go from the first minute to the fourth minute and the soundscape feels EXACTLY the same, then your tracks just don’t have a good sense of progression, and I’m saddened to report that this album just doesn’t have that. I think it needs more structure behind it; surprisingly, I’m complaining about this album not having a typical verse / chorus / verse formula, but it really would’ve worked in its favor here. I wouldn’t be super mad about either of those if the lyrics had something more concrete to say, but this is where that “undercooked Cocteau Twins” comparison comes in; I don’t have a fucking clue what most of these songs are about, given that the lyrics just don’t feel very vivid, other than the loose moods / vibes they’re trying to evoke. I think the moods are achieved well, but just capturing a mood doesn’t do enough for me if the other aspects of a track are weak. It’s like going to a haunted house with the most eloquent decorations possible, but having all the ghosts be sock puppets. This album just fails to stick the landing on a lot of its tracks despite some really strong first impressions on them, & that persistent sense of being underwhelmed leaves an air of disappointment that slowly builds across the 46 minutes for this album’s runtime. Hence, a 3. A solid 3, but an unremarkable one that just doesn’t feel like it needs to be on the list. I’m sure there’s other great Simple Minds albums out there; maybe “Once Upon a Time” (with Alive & Kicking on it) would’ve been the more refined album to pick, but that might just be a copout with a popular track on it. I don’t HATE this album, but it just never picked up in its energy in a way that made me care about it. I’m just disappointed, that’s all. Sorry.
Enjoyable, but not memorable. ★★
They were never that good and this is too many versions of the same mediocre songs
Pretty good, seems like the kind of music they would use in Stranger Things. I like it for what it is, but it's just not that interesting to me.
4 hours of fucking music? Ain’t nobody got time for this 80s shit. Defaulting at a 2.5/5 since I don’t have the time for this shit and first song was mid as.
The smiths if they had synths 3.75
The title of the album is complex, and unique. The contents of the album are simple, and abundant. Favorite Track: "Big Sleep".
track 3
Good 80s shit, nice basslines
Iconic. So many songs I had forgotten about (sorry). A time capsule of my youth.
Simple
Nice to listen to in the background. Pleasant atmosphere, nothing really stood out to me
boring, yawning
Ok only, very much of its time
9/10
First time hearing this album. I've always loved new wave and synth-pop, so to me this is up there with the likes of Duran Duran's Rio or Depeche Mode's Violator.
This album may be historically important, but listening to it on its own, without that context, I find it hard to evaluate it objectively. I’ve never been particularly drawn to synth-led new wave, and that bias probably plays a big role here. What’s interesting is that I do enjoy electronic-driven music in other forms — something like The Prodigy works for me — so it’s not the use of synths itself. I’m not entirely sure why, but some kind of atmosphere or sense of its era clearly affects my taste.
Groovy as hell. I liked it but it is a little similar to more mainstream stuff (Bronski best, the Cure, a little U2). I may return to it.
bru
Werid album name. Weirder Album Art. I had never heard of this band before. Some solid 80s vibes.
Another exceptional album over forty years later following Sons and Fascination. Heavy with synthesizer reflecting its prominence as a musical instrument at the time; nevertheless, the bass lines of Derek Forbes and Jim Kerr's singing also stand out. I was fortunate to be able to hear them perform much of this album along with Sparkle in the Rain at the Kingswood Theatre in Toronto in July 1984
A second listen helped me appreciate a bit more as I leaned into the grooves, especially the keyboard usage.
Benefitted tremendously from not being part of the run of consecutive 80s albums thrown at us
I've only ever known Simple Minds for one song and I think that I understand why
Idk didn’t do much for me. Generic new wave
Скоро креститься планирую, кстати
I accidentally listened to it twice and still can't remember a thing about it
I don't mind good New Wave, but does there have to be so many mediocre New Wave albums on the list? The first track is the only one that grabbed my interest in a good way, and it only barely did. There's some good bass here, but the vocals are just bad.
This may seem like a very dated synth pop album from the 80s - overly earnest vocals, cheesey synths and oodles of reverb. And yes, it is all of that, but there is something that makes this stand out from the crowd, and that is the top tier bass playing. It's really really good, even if the album is just a bit bleh.
Chefs kiss. I could listen to this all day long.
2.4/5
Depeche Mode but make it less interesting
Big fan of SM, Few great tracks, particularly the title track. But a lot of filler. Not their best work imho.
A very underwhelming album. Not offensive, but almost instantly forgettable.
Inoffensively generic 80's music. The hits are fun and remind me of music my parents would toss on for long car rides. The misses are boring enough that it slips into your subconscious. Overall, a perfect representation of "2.5 stars" if I was able to rate it as such.
Commits the Unforgivable Sin of music, namely, being super boring vocals are buried in the mix and a huge wash of reverb. song construction is non-existent, like a guy who just learned the bass came up with some riffs and then built up a bunch of other instruments around them over the next few years. Bleh
one of the most UK 80's sounding albums I've heard. It has all the hallmarks, mainly synth and dour lyrics with religious tones. Most of it washed over me but I noticed I still paid attention while going about my work, it kept my interest, and its actually composed fairly well. It just didnt stick out in any particular area though.
I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting! Sometimes it hits just right
I had only ever heard "Don't You" prior to listening to this album. It's definitely a time and a place (tons of synth) but overall it does hold-up. The beats are catchy, and vocals are solid.
The numbers on this album is the amount of times I got caught asking “is this album almost over?” This was B-O-R-I-N-G. A snooze fest. A certified temperpedic bedtime album.
I was expecting to really enjoy it but I’m feeling surprisingly neutral about it. very bass-y album; really the defining elements are a trio of bass and synth and warbled scottish man voice. it doesn’t feel like music to be focussed on, not to be examined directly. This feels like a distillation of Eighties Pop but it’s not a distillation, it’s part of the foundation!
Funky upbeat pure 80’s synth pop gold.
Way too long! Gets repetitive
So looooooong
a commercial but gooood album
Cover: religious theme from the font choice to the cross Music: - 80's sound - synthesizers - Somebody up there likes you: feels like a very long synth song, but it's only 5 minutes. - It's the 80s sound but it didn't catch my interest. Finished the album but won't listen to more from this band.
Toller Einstieg
I liked the popness of it. Very new wave sounding.
Wonderfull
I've never listened to Simple Minds before (bar that one) but I have two stories. Firstly, in like 2003 on New Year's Day I ended up being taken to a pub by a very drunk Charlie Burchill with an American American friend as we met him in yummy street and he knew the only open pub. And then a few years later a band I liked and vaguely knew (Fortune Drive) were playing their hometown festival in Bristol, Ashton Court. They had all sorts of technical issues but after finally fixing them all and getting going they got kicked off stage so they could make sure none of that happened to the headliners. Simple Minds. So, mixed feelings. Anyway I gave this two listens as I felt it needed it. I was right. I rather enjoyed it. It dips slightly in the middle but there's loads to like here in Big Sleep, Glittering Prize and King is White. And some excellent bass lines. Why can't we hear fur vocals though?
this is a god awful cover. i thought it was in for 40 mins of religious chants. considering those expectations, i was positively surprised. fun 80s vides, don’t think i’ll come back to it though.
Hmmm. Another band I get mixed up. I always think of these and tears for fears as the same thing for some reason. This album is fairly nice sounding, but it wasn't particularly memorable. Beyond I promised you a miracle, but even then the chorus main line is the only bit that sticks in my head. He has a nice voice and I enjoy how he switches up his octaves and tone at times, but as with all pop albums the only thing I feel they can really be judged on is having catchy, memorable (but not annoying) songs and, at least for me, this album didn't have it.
Alberner Hupfauf!
Pretty cool sound but the songs are really toothless
rating the original tracklist only (not that quadruple-disc edition on Spotify or whatever) Someone Somewhere in Summertime - 5/5 Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel - 3/5 Promised You a Miracle - 2/5 Big Sleep - 3/5 Somebody Up There Likes You - 1/5 New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) - 1/5 Glittering Prize - 4/5 Hunter and the Hunted - 2/5 King Is White and in the Crowd - 3/5 Average score: 2.6/5 ⭐️⭐️ probably the most uninteresting new-wave i've ever heard
Surprisingly enjoyed this
The only thing I ever liked about this group was the fact that the lead singer was married to Christie Hynde of The Pretenders (Ray Davies of the Kinks almost married her, and they had a kid together). I don’t like his vocal style and the songs here are mediocre. I’m not even that big a fan of their hit from The Breakfast Club.
I liked their earlier albums but never liked the material like this that brought them their moment in the sun
One of the interesting things about genres with an abundance of albums on this list is that hearing so many of them allows me to have a sort of hierarchy of albums within the genre in regards to my own personal feelings. Take new wave as an example. I would say that this album list has too many new-wave albums, most of which I've heard. This has allowed me to form the aforementioned hierarchy of new-wave albums. Remain in Light? S Tier. Peak music. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret? D Tier. "Tainted Love" saves it from F Tier. That leaves a bunch of albums that fall somewhere in between the extremes, like, for instance, this one. New Gold Dream is a good album. I have no hesitations saying that. However, I would hesitate to call it much better than that. I don't have any major qualms with it, but it's not exactly a special album by any means. The music itself is certainly above-average. The bass especially is quite nice. Jim Kerr's vocals are solid. They're on the deeper side, which is a welcome change of pace. Some of the songs are pretty good. "Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)," "Promised You A Miracle," and the title track are particularly enjoyable. This is a respectable endeavor, and is far from the worst new-wave album of the list. However, I can't call it the best. It's like a B- or C+ Tier or something like that, which equates to about a High 3/5.
Quite 80s.
45 minutes of chud from the one hit wonder that brought you "Don't You Forget About Me". Next.
= the Beatles
"I think it was probably around 82, 83 was it? 81, 82, 83. No, 82, 83 I'd say, 84. Around that."
Well, not my fav, but well produced, good vocals e guitars.
Nah, not really my thing A bit dull
3.5. This was surprisingly good.
2.75. So I’ll round up
🥱
Surprisingly good. The musicianship is excellent.
Yup,, it's the 80s. And the 80s can be fun, there is a reason radio stations do 80s at 8, or an all 80s weekend. I'd just prefer the kept this album off of that playlist. It's like 80s but lighter, and softer and not in a good way. Another day, another 2.
Very early British pop of the 80’s,
Early 80’s new wave
Meh
Great album, ethereal 80s synths and reverb drums. 5
This was so 80s but not in a good way. Dull synth not held up
pretty cute
I feel like this is one of those bands that I need to read about so I understand something larger than life they are responsible for hence being on this list. But in the interim, here we are: one star.
One or two songs have potential to be decent covers by different artists.
Rounding up for the glitter
Seems like you had to be there..
a bit late for this realization but maybe 1001 albums is too many albums
I love Simple Minds, so big thumb’s up for me.
Nicely produced, but other than that I can't say that I got a lot from most of these songs. The first one and the title track were really great though.
The cover is horrendous, but the inside is quite comfy and nice. Great New Wave with a lot of layers.
The most "okay" New Wave I've ever heard. Nothing bad, tho, so I guess I should give it a 3.
Çok az dinledim ve baya oldu dinleyeli, ara verdiğim bir dönemdi. Ama bir kaç şarkısını yakaladım onlar da playlistte zaten
Straight up not listening to 4 hours of this be so for real
Didn't really stand out for me. It's decent, classic 80s pop where every song sounds pretty much the same and I can't understand half the words.
yea i dont care this record fucks
Rating: 7/10 Some lush New Wave goodness. I feel like a lot of these bands might be considered ‘singles bands’ and it kinda checks out here, the first track on each side with Someone Somewhere in Summertime and the title track are beautiful, with some other good tracks around them. Pretty decent stuff for a band coming off the Joy Division post-punk wave and being part of the turn of the 80’s synthpop sound in the UK
I used to listen to this mf a lot a few years ago so coming back felt pretty good. Someone Somewhere is a fucking siiiiick way to start an album, and Promised You A Miracle still bumps. Meshes together well but it's a lot more vibey and drawn out than I remember 6.7/10
Another 6 simple plans out of 10 lizard wizards
I guess they did other stuff than the Breakfast Club soundtrack. Not a bad little synth pop record.
Good album nothing special just ok
Pretty thoroughly enjoyable.
kerr's vocals are a pass from me, but there's so much good music here i can survive it
there are some good synth sounds in here, but this is largely on the "nope, not for me" end of the 80s scale. 1.5
Some of this is a little boring but some of it is fun 80s synthpop
An all-time favorite of mine, which includes my favorite song of theirs and it is NOT Don't You Forget About Me! It is Glittering Prize, one of the best coming of age songs of all time!
Boring.
„New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)“ entstand 1982 und wurde unter anderem in den Townhouse Studios in London und in den Odyssey Studios aufgenommen. Die schottische Band setzte hier stärker auf schimmernde Synth-Flächen und einen ruhigeren Puls, der ihre frühere Post-Punk-Phase hinter sich ließ. Besonders bekannt wurden Stücke wie „Promised You A Miracle“, „Glittering Prize“ und der Titeltrack, die den Übergang der Gruppe in eine zugänglichere, aber weiterhin atmosphärische Form des New Wave markieren. Der Klang wirkt sorgfältig geschichtet, und die Band zeigt ein hörbares Interesse an rhythmischer Präzision und melodischer Klarheit. Insgesamt ein stimmiges Album, das den späteren Erfolg der Gruppe schon andeutet.
Favorite Songs: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime), Hunter and the Hunted, King Is White And In The Crowd Least Favorite Song: Somebody Up There Likes You (Instrumental) My first introduction to 80s synth-pop and I loved it. I found some of the tracks in the middle to be a bit boring, but the last two songs redeemed the whole album.
they sound a lot like the cure
147 Era tan, pero tan simple, que pasó sin pena ni gloria.
Weird-ass title followed by a totally forgettable 80s album. Not bad but not memorable but definitely one that I could have died without listening to.
excellent
Okay, liked track one though vocal balance was odd on disc one. Not keen on the rest though see some appeal. Not a fan of the dude’s voice.
Really good album for SM before they went hits crazy with the mega follow up. Nice balance of guitar and synth on these tracks and Promised You A Miracle is a great pop single. Kerr's voice really strong on this LP too. Well worth a listen.
This album kinda rules
Oh no, this isn’t for me. I’ve heard a couple of Simple Minds songs and thought they were okay but this is 80s to the point of being nauseating
This was alright. Favorite here was probably Glittering Prize. In my (simple) mind this is sort of what all early-to-mid-80s music sounds like. I think that speaks more to it being highly influential than to it being derivative.
Fairly forgettable except Someone Somewhere and Glittering Prize - the main tune is dull in both but adorable backings, and the riff in the latter is very cool.
More generic 80's New Wave. At least it was easy to listen to. 4/10
I liked it just didn’t need so much of it!
Unremarkable
This whole exercise is really making me reconsider whether or not I actually dislike 80s music as much as I thought I did…
Not particularly exciting. They've found their sound and don't deviate from it at all. It's genuinely fine, but not the best of the era.
I like this a lot! I knew SM from back in the 80’s and knew the hits. But an entire album is a new discovery. Thanks!
4 Stars (11/15)
Pretty damned decent for an 80s album. Not too synth, not too poppy -- I'd say it has aged pretty well.
By the numbers, but very relaxing this cold December morning.
I wanted to like it but I didn't
Interesting album took me a minute to get through. 5.1/10
80s is probably my least favourite decade. And although this has some great tunes it does nothing to dissuade me of that notion. An ok listen.
boop beep beep boop, "oy what do you reckon this button will make the keyboard sound like" - The Album
The SUPER-1980s-ness of the production is almost too much to overcome. I skipped quite a few songs on this one because they were too grating. I get why people of this generation liked this - it sounds very... futuristic. But the production is so muddy. The vocals are grossly undermixed, and the effects used overshadow the instrumentation. I won't return to this. It's a thing that exists, but it's not for me. 3/10
Pretty cool synthpop Standout track: Promised You A Miracle low 2/5
You fab, totally rad, new wave earworms won't get your cheesy hooks in my brain today!! They aren't quite Sharp enough to dig in. It makes me want a can of orange Nacho "cheese" & a hot pretzel real bad. 2
It’s a 5 all the way . My mum had this when I was growing up and I fell in love with SM . This album is a master piece
With every one of these I feel worse and worse about how I rated Tears For Fears. I listened to this three times and can recall the chorus to Promised You A Miracle and that’s about it.
Nostalgic sounding. Some of the keyboards reminded me of p/g keyboards.
boringg
I wanted to like this. Hey, some early 80s stuff, long enough ago to have matured into itself. But no. I hated this. Of all the albums I've listened to, this one made me wonder what I was doing with my time. The tired drum repeating, the synth just humming along, I kept waiting for it to go somewhere and it just never did. Tedious.
Yes! I love this early/mid 80s sound. Fits this rainy morning perfectly. Someone Somewhere (the first track) far outshines the rest
Great 80s vibes. A solid listen. 3 songs saved
I was telling my wife that as I progress through these 1001 albums, I’ve realized that my favorite era and genre is probably 80’s synthpop. I’m a baby from the 80’s, so perhaps it brings me back to preconsciousness or something. The 1001 generator must have overheard me. It said ‘hold my beer’ and then gave me the most 80’s album of the 80’s. I mean look at that album cover. Jesus. Literally. I don’t doubt that this probably deserves several listens to be appreciated. I trust Simple Minds enough that perhaps I’ll give them that benefit someday. But I don’t quite understand, after one listen, why this is revered. It seems almost there, so close, but not. The vocals are so damn subdued. Nothing stands out. It’s like a glaze of soft 80’s noises, and then it’s finished. Hmm, yes, I’ll need to come back to this….
Some cool mixes but really couldn't get into this one. Probably wouldn't listen again
Yeah. I didn’t need more New Wave in this list. There’s plenty.
a solid, gentle wave of synthy memories—nice enough, but not exactly essential listening unless you’re already in the mood
These were not good
Kind of like I thought. 80 s style. Good to me!
Very.good
Familiar with their US singles - Alive and Kicking and Don't You (Forget About Me) - but this album was completely under my radar. All the singles from this album were released in the UK and I don't hear anything exciting.
Like it 3/5
so this is def a genre i've grown to like since the cure first listen.. I did enjoy this and it sure sounds like robert smith at part but i cant fight the feeling that something is a miss from my first love
przesluchalam tylko połowę, bardzo spokojny i fajny taki do przesłuchania sobie w tle ale żebym coś więcej zapamiętała to niezbyt
Definitely pretty good, gets too similar to all the other new wave stuff of this time period definitely some enjoyable songs on here
One great song.
7/10 Fine but only a few songs really stand out
Another nice new wave album. Glad that I’ve been getting a few like these. 4 stars