Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I'm gonna go 3.5 on this. I don't think it's the most original sounding thing, but it's pretty good.
3.5
Bit of a smeary, dreary, bleary effort. Almost has a glint of sparkly magical 80s sound and a couple or so songs do approach gems but a lot of the others are pretty rudderless and dour and too often the vocals are way beyond dank and muddy. Singer Jim Kerr gives some very jaded and wan performances so yeh the wan Kerr vocals on this do jerk the score down a bit. Jazz legend Herbie Hancock gets to provide some background synth squiggles on Hunter And The Hunted and it might as well have been by Barry from Eastenders for all the consequence it adds to the song. Promised You A Miracle is probably the best one here and it’s still pretty average in terms of actual melody. Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) somewhat sparky and fine. Simple Minds really did have to wait until the Breakfast Club soundtrack and Alive and Kicking to arrive at their two fully decent songs.
Kind of mopey, a bit samey, a bit monotonous. The singles on the album save it from a lower rating. Another puzzling entry for this book. 3 stars
This was very average. Started off alright but then got boring and same-y as it went on. The first half is definitely stronger than the latter half. Everything kind of falls off after the instrumental track. This wasn’t awful, but I’m sure there are 80s new wave albums that were better than this and deserved a spot on the list.
meh
The bassist is rad!
who made it to disc 5?
PRE-LISTEN: I did not know anything by Simple Minds beyond the MTV stuff (the obvious Breakfast Club hit, but I know there was another video in heavy rotation that still gets shown on MTV Classic and I can't remember what it was,) so this was an interesting selection to me. According to Wikipedia, Herbie Hancock guested on this album (solo on "Hunter and the Hunted.") POST-LISTEN: I did not recognize any of the songs but they still sounded so familiar, like soundtracks to '80s movies I've forgotten I watched. Especially the instrumental track - it really seemed like something you would hear while Andrew McCarthy brooded over some girl. An odd but cool sensation. If I were ten years older I bet I would have liked these guys a lot growing up.
3/4
Boring. They made one of the best pop songs ever though. Have trouble locking into this stuff though
Not into this at all skip!
The big hit from this album was Promised You a Miracle. That song pointed to what Simple Minds would be later on - melodic new wave infused alt-pop. That wasn't the best music on the album however. That would be the synth driven techno dance music of the title track, New Gold Dream. The opening riff alone sent flocks of club goers to the dance floor. The entire album is like this which, in hindsight, makes it seem transitional. At the time, though, it just felt eclectic. Many of the songs, including the opening track are techno, while others more alt-pop. Ultimately, this makes New World Dream (81-82-83-84) a great album to listen to and to dance to. Simple Minds eventually figured out their sound with Don't You (Forget About Me) from the Breakfast Club soundtrack, one of the most 80s of 80s songs. In that respect, New World Dream (81-82-83-84), is transitional. It succeeds too as an exercise in electicism. It's a wonderful slice of the 1980s music scene on it's way to alternative.
Everything I could see here made me dread this listening experience. That front cover is just horrific. Why would you want your album to look like an 18th Century Celtic hymn book?! And it's more 80s synth-tinged New Wave? Please, spare me. Maybe lowering my expectations to rock bottom was a clever strategy. The listening experience was... not terrible. The bass and rhythm section is somehow on the better side of what the 80s was capable of and there were times that I didn't want to rip my ears off. I still have no earthly clue how something like this becomes popular or significant to the bigger picture of music but it was at least, listenable.
Kind of a poor man's Depeche Modre. Good songwriting, but the mix lacks some punch, which is where Depeche Mode shines. I'm not huge on 80's synth wave, but this was listenable for what it is.
5 sterne
Awesome 80's
Totally average new wave music
Talk about finding a sound and committing to it. It could have been one long song for all I can tell. Zzzzzzzz
Meh
Listens: 2 Stand out tracks: none Largely unremarkable. Not particularly good, but not offensive to the ears. 2.5
!!!
One of the worst-mixed records I have ever heard. Generic and inconsistent. No thanks.
Firstly, I’ve definitely been confusing these guys with Simple Plan. Secondly, it's not just their name that fails to stand out; I think I’d struggle to identify their music from the hordes of other 80s British pop/new wave/post-punk/whatever bands on this list. But (thirdly) that’s not to say it’s bad - I did actually enjoy this album. And I’ll say to their credit that Simple Minds strike a good balance of having shiny, crisply produced pop songs with catchy hooks, while at the same time sounding musically sophisticated and a bit ‘alternative’ rather than cheap and tacky.
This is quintessential 80s. I find it dated, but it is supposed to be.
Yeah...it's very of its time. I get it. But...that time was AWESOME. Call it a guilty pleasure if you want, but I'm hear for the 80's synth/vibe/pop whatever you want to call it on this album. This album was 100% new to me...and it was pure 80's gold.
It instantly brings me back to the early 80’s but not necessarily in a good way. Largely forgettable synth-pop.
I enjoyed echo and the bunnymen, killing moon, crystal days and seven seas all good catchy 80s. Can't say the same about simple minds album. Seemed a very bland and going through the motions
Boring.
I enjoyed this, was like a slightly more timid Depeche mode. Promised You a Miracle the stand out but after the 3rd or 4th version I was done with it.
Bit non descript
The border between somber, mellow and emotive
“Promised you a Miracle” is a classic. I get it….. it’s not doin it for me. 2 stars.
"Ny Gull Drøm" av Enkle Sinn er helt tidstypisk. Produksjonen, instrumenteringen, syngestilen, klaskebassen osv. er så åttitalls at det nesten gjør vondt. Jeg finner ikke mangt å si om dette albumet. Det var akkurat slik jeg forventet: uinteressant, men ikke til den grad at det provoserer. Midt på treet, i grunn.
Very 80’s so iconic. Couple of songs that I recognise
Fun pop from the 80s. Definitely sounds of the era. Somebody Up There Likes You (instrumental) and King is White and In the Crowd were my favourites.
This album felt like being trapped at an empty disco on a night that never ends. No body is dancing, nobody is talking, everyone is just looking for the door. Guitar riffs were the only aspect of the sound I enjoyed.
Old Gold Daydream.
dated in every sense
Got to say, didn't think too much of this apart from the singles, but then the last 3 tracks happened. They were stupendous, worth listening to the first ¾ for. Not good enough to raise it to a 4 but certainly enough to make it a 3.
An absolutely stunning album. Simple Minds were probably the first band I got really into and all because of this album. The combination of that bass, the dreamy/atmospheric synths, Charlie Burchill’s magic and Jim Kerr’s vocal is just beautiful. It’s still a Go To album for me, as it’s just full of joy and positivity. 100/100.
One of my top ten albums of all time. The criteria for the top albums: it's got to not have a duff track. It's got to survive continuous plays without it becoming a chore. Every play you have tingles and goose bumps. You can appreciate it as a whole or focus on different elements and sometimes discover something new. This fits the bill. It is a perfect album in every way. The drums are often metronomic and then can go in irregular patterns. Derek Forbes, one of my top 4 bassists, is on fire here, sometimes complex, sometimes subtle, but always something that holds the songs together. The swirling keyboards often take the foreground with Kerr's vocals, but aleays backed up with Burchill's effects laden guitar, which adds to this chilled atmospheric work. My review will never do this justice. 100%.
3.5 I had this at the start of the week when it didn't rate so highly. The last two days however have had A-ha and Pet Shop Boys which has given this a new lease of life. Hearing how bad new-wave could get definitely puts this in perspective. Tails off towards the end but some solid tracks towards the start.
The sound mixing on this album is absolutely atrocious! It's like DRUMS BASS vocals SYNTH. Maybe the reason Simple Minds didn't have more hit singles was because no one could actually hear them singing? It's fine. Incredibly 80s and not super memorable, but not bad either.
not for me man Will I listen to again: 0%
Not usually a fan of these 80s albums, but I found this one quite catchy Nothing amazing or groundbreaking here - but it was a pleasant sounding album that I surprisingly enjoyed 4 ⭐️
Totally fine. Atmospheric. Cool.
Maybe this would make more of an impression in context, but it just sounds like Generic Synthpop Album #103.
Shitty 80s shit
I'm not into this. Tries way too hard to sound like the most important thing you've ever heard and suffers as a result. The muddy production adds insult to injury.
Pleasant
Album 738 of 1001 Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84) (1982) Rating : 2.5 / 5 While nothing offended my ear, it was just meh. There was really nothing that made me say, "yeah, that is great". Where is the energy?
God I hate the 80s... This was better than I thought it would be.
Very basic 80s synth pop. Im sure it was new and fresh when it came out, but I had trouble finding a lot of value listening to this album
I would hear Someone Somewhere again but the echo effects is telling me no.... Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel Feha Fekra Big Sleep starting in an interesting way but then went in a direction that I don't prefer. New Gold Dream has potential but Habada also Glittering Prize where I can actually finally hear what he is saying In most of the songs the music is louder than his voice its hard to hear what he is sayinnnggggg. Im too triggered its a 1
Ok only songs I care about are the singles I guess. Honestly I like the soundscapes a lot it’s mostly just the lyrics and repetitive nature of things that kinda bother me. Just feels like it’s on the verge of being great but just isn’t. Fav tracks: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) Glittering Prize I fw this a lot just wish it was a tiny bit better and less repetitive: Promised You A Miracle
Songs: Promised You a Miracle
80's music was NOT good. I was bored. this didn't age well
Wasn’t too bad, but didn’t like it enough to give it a 3.
A few decent singles, but doesn't leave much of an impression overall.
What an underrated band. I'm adding this to the mix of the albums I regularly listen to. I was already a fan some of these songs, but I particularly enjoyed the last two tracks. They're beautifully orchestrated and performed. 4 stars for now, but it'll likely turn into 5 stars over time.
Didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. 3
Pretty bland album. Not really interesting to me. Another album that hasn't aged well. 2/5 Won't listen again
Simple Minds were all over the radio when I was a kid so I am sure I had heard at least one of the songs on this album in my youth, but I am unfamiliar with their music outside of the ever-present "Don't You (Forget About Me)". This is a great record, I can see it was their breakthrough.
Oeeh een new wave album! Heel nice! Lekker die dikke 80s synths, vind dat altijd zo vet klinken, instant sfeer ofzo. Ik had hier echt zin in, het album begon ook heerlijk maar valt echt een beetje van een cliff daarna... De 2e helft van het album is vrij saai en niet meer zo lekker 80s dikke new wave als waar ik op hoopte. Ik ken de Simple Minds best goed, maar vooral hun nieuwere werk eigenlijk. Ja nee, het is een lekker compact album, maar ik kan niet zeggen dat ik dit geweldig vond, het was een prettig album in het begin maar ik merkte dat ik eigenlijk ook vrij snel de muziek 'kwijt' was ofzo. Dat het meer achtergrond muziek werd in plaats van mn aandacht pakte. Jammer, het blijft een prima album hoor, maar ik vraag me af of ik deze had gekozen om op de lijst te staan, ik denk dat andere albums van hun beter zijn daarvoor. Maar goed, het is deels geclassificeerd als Rock, dus er komen vast nog meer albums van de Simple Minds langs! FAVO: Someone, Somewhere in Summertime, Promised you a miracle,
Unmistakable 80's synthwave sound. First few songs each sounded like they incorporated a different genre's influence. Interesting approach, but ultimately I found the album boring
This one brought the nostalgia trip. Yeah I know the keyboard sounds are cheesy, but it's my cheesy. The bass player is great, the vocals are great. Thoroughly enjoyed this album even though Don't You keeps playing in my head.
A bit samey and boring. Felt like a bus ride through suburbia.
Boring 80's synth pop, getting a bit tired of these echoey vocals
Some really nice songs, some more mediocre ones High 3
Maybe I'm just greedy of all thing 80's, but this is surprisingly good.
I liked this, but not enough that I'd play it repeatedly. No particular songs stood out, but the overall vibe is pretty good and quite consistent throughout. The bass playing is particularly great on this album
Pretty average new wave album. I like new wave so I enjoyed this album but if don't there's nothing here for you. Certainly better than the one with "Don't You Forget About Me" on it. Favorite track: Promised You a Miracle A very high 3/5
2.5 stars. 80's synth pop that doesn't really age well.
Feels like there's been a lot of new wave recently, and mostly I can leave it. But this got a couple listens, and the layered sound grew on me, and I began to really hear it. Still feel I kind of need to go back to it some more.
It's okay
Too long. Couldn't get through more than six songs
Album is so long and though some songs are good, others feel like generic 80s songs (Journey, A-Ha) and there's just too much, also not a fan of the whispery singing and repetitive instrumentals, 2/5.
Took a few listens but I actually really love the vibes!
Super boring, nothing in this is particularly worth being an album you must listen to.
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84) is just another alright album from this project. From it's title, i nearly assumed that it was a series of songs recorded from 1981-1984 (i thought that before i remembered the release year) and yes, this all seems to be music made for this album. I only think that there is one standout track, that being Glittering Prize which is actually a pretty solid song. The rest of the tracks, while not bad, either don't have anything interesting or do but those interesting things get a little boring due to the length of the songs. Its an alright album, just not better than a lot of the other new wave albums out there. Best Song: Glittering Prize Worst Song: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)
My goodness, does anything scream 80s synth pop more than this album cover?
Начинается супэр сильно, но будто бы никогда не достигает тех же высок. Это приличный ньювэйв альбом с просто охуенной первой же песней. Лучшая песня - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime).
Has a strong 80's feel which is not my favourite but the bass makes it a pretty good album.
New gold dream is a really well made new wave album that sums up the popular sound of the 80’s with some great musical performances. The album kicks off with someone somewhere (in summertime), a melodic, synth heavy track with echoing vocals and is quite catchy. The funky bass carries the next track “colours fly and Catherine wheel” which is an enjoyable track. The same can be said for “Promised you a miracle” but this track comes through with a much more infectious energy and just has more going on in general, with some underrated guitar work. “Big sleep” comes through more laid-back but a good track nonetheless, although it feels the track kept building to nothing. “Somebody up there likes you” ends the first half of the album with a nice instrumental. The second half of the album opens with the title track “new gold dream” with comes in with a great synth rock energy. The same can be said about “glittering prize”. The final 2 tracks “Hunter and the hunted” and “King is white and in the crowd” have a darker vibe and end the album on a good night with, again, brilliant synth, guitar & bass work. If you like the 80’s new wave sound, like I do, you will have a good time with this album. It is a batch of 10 really well made new wave pop / synth rock tracks with some great melodies, production value & musical performances. It is missing enough standout tracks to be one of the better albums of the era, but each song is at least good and does a good job of providing that new wave sound. 4/5.
Should re-listen.
Largely forgettable, but not terrible at the same time.
Listenable. Never a big fan of
Wasn’t familiar with this album, only the later stuff. A good harbinger of things to come.
Someone Somewhere // Promised You A Miracle // Glittering Prize //
Альбом интересный, тот самый звук 80-х.
It's certainly got their distinctive sound. Didn't know anything off this. I certainly liked it, and would probably listen again, even if it's not spectacular.
decided that new wave is my least favorite genre. 1/5
Synth-pop not to my tastes. I have respect for their organization, but little for their musicianship. I do not hear people voice inspiration about their playing. Vaguely like other synth-pop bands. If I heard any of this on the radio I would not be able to say who it was.
The time The place The emotion These all aligned for me. Simple Minds were a weekly feature of my life at one point so the familiarity is welcome. Warm, cosy, comfortable.
For some reason, I wanted to be a fan of Simple Minds. I owned this and "Real to Real Cacophony" on vinyl (the latter is a strange record) before "Don't You (Forget About Me)" took over the world in 1985. I think "Sparkle In The Rain" and "Once Upon a Time" were more interesting albums — at least they were to me as a teen. And this is all a long prelude to say, back in the day, and again on this listen, I found this album rather boring. The production doesn't help, and Jim Kerr's vocals being buried in the mix is an odd (and unsuccessful) choice. Even on the tracks I remembered from my attempts at liking the album in 1982, there's no spark. Ultimately, I'd rate this as below average and not the best in the band's catalog.
The music was actually pretty cool and atmospheric. The singer, though. His delivery reminds me of Matt Berry's acting: stressing words in the weirdest way possible, making it hard to actually understand what he's saying. Of course, Berry does it for comic effect. Sometimes, giving a star rating seems besides the point. I guess I'll give this a 2 given how much I think this belongs on this list. But I didn't dislike it. It was fine.
Did this really merit a spot on the list? I don't think so. Yet I can't give it a 2.
3 stars
I don't know you're welcome, it was ok.
A good album, though very long. I wasn't quite able to finish it all but I liked the music style. My favorite songs were Someone Somewhere (In Summertime), Big Sleep and Glittering Prize - Extended Theme.
Reminded me of some other 80s era new wave-y stuff. Enjoyed the listen without feeling too blown away. Solidly a 3.5+ for me so we'll go 4 this time.
It was fine, nothing special for me.
Gillar rösten. Ganska bra lyssning. Men gillar Alive and Kicking bättre. Kommer nog inte lyssna igen. Förutom på AaK Men den är ju på annan platta.
Ogillar sången. Det är nåt med det där sättet att sjunga som inte klickar med mig. Lite som man kan reagera på när nån river med naglar på svarta tavlan. Däremot gillade jag musiken. Varierat och intressant. Lite mer lattjo än annan new wave. Den får en fyra ändå, men det är på håret.
Det här var en kul överraskning för mig (inte hört något annat än Don’t you från dem tidigare). Gillar genomgående atmosfären, som jag tycker har lite synthiga men framförallt basdrivna The Cure-vibbar. Mest imponerande är dock att i princip alla låtar (inte bara singlarna) ”har något” och att det är väldigt lite utfyllnad. Kommer definitivt lyssna mer på dem om sisådär tre år när det här vansinnesprojektet är över. Solid fyra.
The 80s just like I remember them. Kinda dull. 3/5
mio padre impazzisce per i simple minds io un po’ meno
Actually kinda good, especially for new wave 80’s
It was good! Not amazing, not bad. I'd listen to it again.
Some people should not try so hard. In fact, there’s a lot of people who would benefit from just playing by the rules. Their own hubris and belief that they can break the rules is often their own downfall. Not everyone can be an ✨artiste✨; some of us need to be middle managers. That is how I feel about Simple Minds, especially on New Gold Dream. I fully get what they’re trying to do. They’re viewing post-punk from a new wave perspective, and trying to write post-punk songs that sound like new wave pop tunes. On paper, I like that. I don’t know if it’s really my personal style, but I like the concept a lot. In practice on New Gold Dream, I really dislike it. Minus the opening track and a moment or two sprinkled throughout the rest, this album is a mess. It’s not that the idea is bad, but Simple Minds simply don’t have the minds to make it work. It truly sounds like everyone is playing a part to a radically different song, on every song. There are moments where I sincerely thought, “Are they not playing along to each other’s backing track?” because one instrument would sound so radically out of sync. I think sometimes Simple Minds back into something interesting as a result, like on “Promised You A Miracle,” where the bass sounds off beat, like, literally speaking, yet my brain adjusted and found some positives. But maybe that’s also just Stockholm Syndrome. What’s worse, the new wave approach means a heavy reliance on synths, and to say that the synths being used here sound dated would be severely unselling how antiquated they actually sound. And the whole time, you’re just sitting there waiting for that one big, ginormous, inescapable pop smash à la “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” I hate to break it to you– that never comes, not on this album. However, the mere existence of that song, which is a pretty standard-fare ‘80s pop tune, sheds light on New Gold Dream’s big flaw. Had Simple Minds been humble enough to accept that they just needed to write a set of normal new wave track without trying to push boundaries and blend genres and merge aesthetics, they would have had a great album on their hands. You can see how, with a little bit more restraint, New Gold Dream could be one of the great ‘80s new wave records. Instead, the band overextends their own abilities, and fall flat as a result. Now, you’ll find some people online who retrospectively praise this album for the very fact that it did try to overstep conventions, and you’ll find nerds on Rate Your Music or whatever yapping about how the elements that make New Gold Dream a failure are actually why it’s a masterpiece, and you’re the pleb for not agreeing. To those people, I simple say, I don’t care. I didn’t enjoy listening to this record very much. I respect the attempt, but execution is half the battle. In fact, the attempt is the only thing preventing me from trashing this record more, because I can see a world where this *is* a strong album. We unfortunately do not live in that timeline. Huge waste of time, and a train wreck all the way through.
Pretty forgettable. Nothing grabbed me, but again I’m half listening at also digesting the terrible news we are bombarded with each day, so it has been difficult to be in a mindset to be open to new old music.
Måske lidt harsh at give den 1, jeg syntes faktisk Glittering Prize var lidt en banger, men too little too late! meget kedeligt album!
God new wave, we love to see it. Mange ting er overrepræsenterede i den her bog og new wave er ikke en af dem #HotTake
Suuuuper boring... New wave is OVERrepresented on this list...
There are a few nice sounds on here, but the instrumentation is not my jam at all.
4 and a half hours? Christian-codes album cover? Ain't nobody got time for that. DidnMt listen.
24/1089 - Inoffensive but quite boring. The music seems like it was produced well. Definitely "80s" sounding (and quite influential) which I dislike, but there aren't too many reverb-caked snare drums in this which is nice.
Chill 80s synthwave vibes
High 3 (close to low 4) 80s vibe +++ "Somebody up there likes you" is too long, breaks the flow "New gold dream" build up is good
The bass in this album is tremendous, and the production is quite solid, even though it bleeds from the 80's sound. In addition to the production, I also enjoyed the feeling of mistery that the album presents
Good background music if you ignore the theme...
Nisam inače veliki fan, ali ovaj album mi ima dosta kul kljavice. Živciraju me druge stvari, poput bubnjeva i malo vokal, ali sviđa mi se 80s zvuk. Zbog toga će biti 3/5, 5/10.
Rainy 80s Nostalgia
So many repeated songs. 😮💨
Neat 80s disco vibes jo, very cool use of synths covering the majority of tracks along with singing playing a major part aswell, some nice guitar use without taking away much attention from the main theme (f.e. Promised You A Miracle, Big Sleep and Somebody Up There Likes You), bass guitar got some funky vibes matching the "smoothness" of the album perfectly demonstrated in "Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel" :) Wouldn't vibe to it on a regular basis, but I bet people had a lot of fun with this sound back then and I like it too so yea, 3 out of 5 seems a bit rude maybe but I can't give 4 :/ Favorite tracks are: - "Somebody Up There Likes You" because of the psychedelic kinda sound, I also enjoy the guitar here a lot - "Promised You A Miracle" for some really catchy tata ta ta taaa taa ta! disco vibes hehe - "Glittering Prize" showing how simple bass lines can add so much to a track! "New Gold Dream" from Simple Minds gets 3 out of 5 starts!
I always digged the voice, I don't even know why. The tunes Are a bit to chill for my taste, but I guess there's a time and a place for it 🤔
very eigthies very synthy, unfortunately not much stood out for me
I started listening to Simple Minds around the time this album was released. I was impressed when I watched their '82 Cologne show on TV (Rockpalast). I lost track a few albums later but once in a while, I pulled out one of their albums I had and always liked their music, to this day.
Quite ok…
Incredible stuff. I love this style of new wave. I honestly had only really ever heard Don't you Forget about me. But I really enjoyed this whole album.
idk i think this is just not really for me. it's not bad exactly? but it's not helping me write
Brutal. I know that part of what I miss is not having lived through this, but I cannot fathom how this kind of music was thought to be the best we could muster at the time.
everyone else is only listening to the tracks on the original release too, right? Straight up didn't like this.
Oh, 80s synth pop… no thanks.
This felt like one long, very dull song. Nothing stood out and I was only happy when it was finished. Can’t fathom how this album would rate an entire 4 disc box set. Wouldn’t listen again.
Meh, sounds like 80's pop music......
Quintessential 80’s vibes. Really liked a few songs including Colours Fly, New Gold and in particular Glittering Prize. Fun bass lines and groovy and hypnotic synths throughout. Not surprised they have one of the biggest hits of the 80’s. Feels like a band that actually just jams out well together and knew they had a good sound. 80’s pop has such an upbeat and optimistic essence to it and this band nails that. I saved this album for later because it was fun to work to. High 3 low 4.
just wasn't my style - the further I got into it, i was really hoping something would jump out but alas... its gonna be a no from me, dawg
Similar to last album. Album was ok but nothing stood out. 2 star.
There were a couple solid songs, but it’s pretty generic 80s pop at the end of the day. Nothing I’d complain about having on in the background and also nothing all that notable. Middle of the road album if you enjoy 80s music vibes.
Want to know what the 80s sounded like? Here you go. I did really like this. Super easy to listen to with that fun 80s sound. Not super memorable though. A nice 3.
🎧Surprisingly good 80s synth/new wave album. Favorite tracks: Somebody Up There Likes You, Glittering Prize
This is the most 80's thing EVER. This album might be more 80s than the actual 1980s
I like the smooth synths' relaxing vibe and jazzy pop feel but felt like it didn't have enough to dig into. A lot of elements that other adjacent take much futher and to a more satisfying conclusion.
Me gustó para tener de fondo, es un tipo de sonido que en lo personal me gusta escuchar, no sé si se destaca tanto como para recordar alguna canción y no hay ningún tema que haya dicho wow me cambio la vida, simplemente me gusto
"New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)" is the fifth studio album by Scottish band Simple Minds. It is regarded as one of the defining albums in the new pop movement of the early 1980's. The album also marked a turning point for the band as they had failed to get any commercial success with their four previous albums and this made it to #3 in the UK and #69 in the US. The album was produced by Peter Walsh. The bandmembers on the album were Jim Kerr (lead vocals), Charlie Burchill (guitar), Michael MacNeil (keyboards), Derek Forbes (bass), Mel Gaynor (drums), Mike Ogletree (drums) and Kenny Hyslop (drums). The album opens with "Someone Somewhere in Summertime." A melodic guitar intro. The vocals, synth and a ticking drum come in. This is very synth heavy with it carrying the melody. Echoing vocals. The song becomes louder with the drums. It's about yearning. Hey, there is one song that I've heard and that is "Promised You a Miracle." Poppy with the synth keys. Very 80's sounding with drums. Oh, more echoing vocals. Side B begins with "New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)." Layered synths. A rock beat and a hypnotic one at that. A catchy and upbeat melody. Lots of imagery. Great song! "Glittering Prize" keeps the positive vibes as Kerr sings about getting a glimpse of something and going out and getting it. Glossy synths with the melody and very much bass forward. Guitars ringing. Another one of the better songs on the album. "Hunter and the Hunted" begins very quietly with a beat and eerie synths. It eventually gets louder. Wow, a funky bass. About giving in to temptation, Kerr almost whispering at points. The song was plodding along and in comes Herbie Hancock giving some funk and psychedelia on the synths. I have to admit, being an American and your initial exposure to Simple Minds being "Don't You Forget About Me," it surprised me to find out that there's whole other side of this anthemic-U2ish band. And that side is the new pop genre where they are much more like ABC and the Human League than U2. This album is very 80's synth pop but the music itself is deeper being dreamy, upbeat and lush. I honestly didn't get into this until the second spin. I really liked the funky bass. The melodies are brilliant in spots. Overall, this is really good album with the highs being quite high. Don't go into this album expecting "The Breakfast Club." The band could have cared less about US teenagers anyway.
I have seen many bands highly praising this album, but I don't get it. It sounds fine but not groundbreaking even for the time.
It was fine.
Good, but not outstanding
I had "Promised You a Miracle" on a high school mixtape from an exchange student and the jam sounds as fresh today. The rest is OK.
Un pop-rock léché et sophistiqué
oh to be a teen in the 80s
It was ok.
2.5 but I’ll give it a 3
this was certainly something i just listened to. could i write poetry to this? n
Okay, let's break this down... Simple Minds were not a "one-hit wonder." They had TWO hits! Their first (and clear greatest) hit was "Don't You (Forget About Me)." It was released as a single and was included on the "Breakfast Club" soundtrack album, making it ineligible for this list. The other hit, living in the long shadow of "DY(FAM)", was "Alive and Kicking," from the album "Once Upon a Time." This is not that album. Nothing on this recording even comes close to being as good as either of those two songs. This one may have influenced artists who went on to great success, but it would be hard to argue that it is in any way essential. Add a half-star for the cover art. Subtract a half-star for the dumb album title. Add a one-third star because Simple Minds' lead singer was married for six years to Northeast Ohio's own Chrissy Hynde.
Not necessarily bad, just boring.
It’s got all the prerequisites of classic ‘80s new wave/post-punk that I love: prominent bass, washes of synthesizer, danceability balanced with moody cinematic atmosphere, vocal dramatics, and guitar used primarily for accent. The title track rides a great motorik rhythm (with cowbell!) and totally slaps, and wow — Herbie Hancock plays the synth solo on “Hunter and the Hunted.” How have I overlooked this album? Unimportantly, I have questions about the album cover’s religious iconography, which may have subconsciously put me off of it in the past.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm fundamentally not cut out for life really, because my review of this album is that it's too chirpy, purely because it's got quite a lot of squelchy bass and staccato synth. I just find it a bit annoying. They're well written songs though to be fair, and I feel like this one's on me.
solid, simmilar to depeche mode.
its fine, i got kinda bored halfway through
I like it, pure 80s 😅... 4 stars plus 1 for the bass guitar...
Well, I thought I didn't know any of these songs but Promised You a Miracle I do of course. However I definitely thought it was by ABC. And well, it sounds a lot like Poison Arrow, doesn't it? The Lexicon of Love does it better, and came out a month earlier. So did Simple Minds go from sounding like ABC to sounding like U2? Start to reconsider my opinion with Big Sleep and then Somebody Up Their... both interesting soundscapes, from within that somewhat restrictive 80s new wave synth sound, and well that should be respected. Enjoy the title track too. Glittering Prize is just a bit too pop and glistening however. Hunter and Hunted was kind of just on. So. Mixed feelings. Life in a Day came on afterwards. I will be checking that out.
Absolute lifeless 80s trash. Suffered as anticipated from start to finish. How can anyone think this is remotely remarkable at all
Has that far away sound that most albums from its time has. Not unpleasant.
Very 80s, but fun!
If your in the mood for 80s as a genre this is it. This is an 80s album. Did you know 80s? The nineteeneightes. 5/10
These early 80s British synthpop releases all have this palpable ATMOSPHERE to them that I find very distinctive, and this seems like a pretty good example of it.
Listened to it three times, really like Glittering Prize, but the rest of this sounds meh?
Not sure that I'd ever heard these songs before.
I only knew their monster hit "don't you forget about me" and it never occurred to me to listen to their lps. This was pretty good.
I feel this 5th album is *the* Simple Minds album if you are on the East side of the Atlantic. While those on the other side know them more for their 7th album. Which means, I think I prefer their later 7th album over this one. It's fine. Very 80s. Definitely a predictor of what was to come.
I was just coming online in the 80s and am kind of glad I missed most of it but am delighted to find this one in the end!
In a nutshell: the superior 80's synthpop album. Overall: 6/10
Wow this was like so 80s it was almost hard to distinguish between the songs. But it was good fun! Some of them didn't pack much of a punch. But overall I enjoyed it
Wow, that was an 80s overload. I didn't mind some of it but it just felt like a background John Hughes film music, which isn't a bad thing, just a bit much.
Meh. Alright. Not anything special really
This album was everywhere in the 80s. I liked it back then too. Then Simple Minds and this album fell into oblivion. At the beginning of the 2000s I found the album on a bargain table, bought it and hardly listened to it. But now again. I was skeptical at first and during the first few songs. I could still remember Promised You a Miracle well. I thought that was it and I'd only listen to the rest briefly. I actually quite liked the other tracks. I may have underestimated the album and will listen to it again. 4/5
Right off the bat, without hearing a note and only seeing the cover, my initial thought is “fuck this band”. If you’re going to put out an album and its cover looks exactly like the hymnal my church used in the 80’s, I’ve got no interest in your music. Sorry, that’s closed (and probably simple) minded…I know. They’re trying to be edgy and subversive is my guess before hearing any of this record. But even then, “ooh…how subversive. You’re making your (what I’m assuming before hearing the record) synth pop edgy by disguising it as Christian music. Stop the presses, we got some real provocateurs here!” Either that or the implication is that listening to this record is akin to a religious experience. Ok, now I’m going to listen to this record and we’ll see how far off base I am… Well, after listening, I don’t know exactly what the implication of the cover is supposed to be, but I think it’s closer to the latter (that this record should be taken very seriously, like a religious text). Anyway, it was definitely synth pop, it definitely took itself too seriously and it definitely had an album cover that reminded me of going to Sunday school - which I didn’t ask for or need in my life.
I've heard some of the songs but never heard this album. This album is fine, but shouldn't be on this list. Simple Minds is not a band I'd say anyone has to hear before they die. And this album is nothing special. The biggest song (Promised you a Miracle) was a hit at the time, but listening now it sounds disjointed and not that special. Would I rather listen to this over another Elvis Costello album? YES! But would I rather listen to an album by the (large number of) better bands left off this list? Unquestionably. Barely giving this 3 stars.
It's fine, but not great. I enjoyed it, but probably won't ever listen to it again.
I enjoy this type of music - 80's dance beats with atmospheric melodies. Although I was confused by the album, Disc 1 made sense but then the songs were repeated many times on the other sides (actually didn't finish all of it). Strange. This isn't Beethoven variations on a theme level of music here. Enjoyable but not let's not over do it.
This one grew on me... but not quite enough to be a 4, so it's a strong 3. Clearly 80's but with some inventive approaches, somewhat muddled by the 80's orchestral drama.
Solid. Not quite a 4 but very close.
Oof. That is a lot of Simple Minds.
Not what I hoped for.
Nicht mein Musikgeschmack. Zu theatralisch.
‘Open your mind’ ;)
All of their songs perfectly emasculate the vibe of the 80's, at least, the vibe we modern folk believe the 80's were like. This sounds cliché, but it is perfectly fitting music for driving a sedan down a crowded alleyway, no phones in sight, just puuure viibes.
Good but not memorable
Stone cold classic
Alun perusteella dumasin, mutta oli olihan siellä hyvääkin musiikkia.
pretty ho hum album. the highlight for me was 'promised you a miracle' which was a pretty fun number. the rest of it was a bit boring and had not a lot going for it. the production was fine but unremarkable. it was fine.
I couldn’t wait for this to end. The 80s were a hell of a time.
Really boring, just uninteresting vocals and corny synths. Not my cup of tea
Pretty dull.
So uh I guess this is one of Bono’s favorite albums. How bout that.
80s British pop. 3/5
simple synthie britpop. in my mind not reallly remarkable.
some new wave shit
I'm a sucker for 80s synthy pop. Nothing groundbreaking but I enjoyed it.
booooring
I know a couple of Simple Minds songs, but I've never listened to a whole album of theirs before. I enjoy "Alive and Kicking" quite a bit, and "Don't You Forget About Me" is really good as well, although I think its presence in The Breakfast Club really helps bolster it quite a bit. I love music from the eighties, especially things with a healthy amount of synthesizers, so I have high hopes for this album. I was really blown away by the opening track, "Someone Somewhere." I loved the dark and moody atmosphere. The synthesizers enhanced the sound perfectly, and the bass playing was great too. After this opening song, I really thought I was going to love this album. The next song, "Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel" was really good too, keeping the moody atmosphere up with another great bass line. From there, the album still had some really strong bass playing, but I felt the overall sound over the rest of the album wasn't really noteworthy, and it certainly never reached that high of "Someone Somewhere" again. For a synthpop album that's supposed to be the cream of the crop, I'd expect more memorable hooks, but I don't feel like this album had that. To top it off, the vocals sounded like they were really drowned out by reverb, which I found pretty annoying. I thought the album was fine as a whole, due to its moody atmosphere, but the individual songs were fairly weak. It's okay though Simple Minds, we'll always have "Alive and Kicking."
Disco time
Don't youn forget about me listening to this album all y myself.
Simple Minds are another band I always thought I should like better than I did—until now, ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ was the only song I really liked—but this album really works as an album if you avoid the five hundred versions of ‘Promised You A Miracle’ at the end of the deluxe edition…
I never really cared for Simple Minds and this album has not moved the dial on this. Largely forgettable apart from the singles which aren't bad but not good enough to make my extended 80's mega mix.
Good, not great. Very 80s.
Didn’t grab me but has flashes of brilliance 3.4
Kinda cool experimental pop I would call it, solid listen but not wowed
Pretty standard New Wave sound. Very 80s. I can see how this was influential to the genre, but it didnt really stand out for me. 2.5/5
idk, not my thing
A simple amount of overwhelming material but pure 80s bliss when you narrow your focus.
one of my favorite albums of the 80s. the bass is a big standout for me. and glittering prize… 🩷 4.5
Damn, even my 80’s era wife can’t stand these new wave twits. All I think about when I hear this stuff is a whiny and desperate John Cryer and his gayass bouffant in Pretty in Pink. No thanks.
https://youtu.be/TjFNdxmewKo?si=Ccfb0FmUdW2j1utx
I was excited to listen to this but it was just boring
Some pretty avg synth pop to me! Did the trick! Of being avg synth pop! Voila
Not sure why I thought I disliked this group. This was fun!
some really fun and entertaining tracks on this one! it sorta struck me ultimately as unremarkable but i did have like a great time listening to it
This was one of three cassettes Jane had in her car when we first got together (the others were The Colour of Spring by Talk Talk and The Queen is Dead by The Smiths). I really liked the other two.
My knowledge of this band began and ended with the Breakfast Club song. And, yeah, this is a full album from the people who made that song. It's good, if you like it, but there is not too much variety here. Maybe there's more to unpack on a second listen, but I think it's solidly fine.
Moving on
As someone who loves the 80’s music wise, the author and critics who put together this 1001 albums list sure pick the most generic sounding 80’s music out there. Simple Minds sound just like a bunch of other European 80’s groups with a male lead. Also this has to be one of the WORST album covers ever.
Ciekawy album. Mój główny problem z nim to to, że nie lubię synthowego brzmienia, także lata 80-te to nie jest moja ulubiona epoka muzyki. Mimo to z przyjemnością mi się słuchało. To znaczy w tych momentach, w których nie przysypiałem, bo za późno do tego usiadłem. Najbardziej zwróciłem uwagę na to, o czym Cichy mówił - sekcja rytmiczna, która jest dużo bardziej wyrazista od instrumentów "prowadzących". Basista ma naprawdę fajny groove, długimi fragmentami ma pozycję dominującą wobec gitary, dobrze buja. Perkusistę podziwiam za bardzo dużą cierpliwość i dyscyplinę. Cały album naprawdę mocno akcentuje jego instrument, a gość mimo to posługuje się bardzo ograniczonymi środkami i nawet w momentach, które zapraszają do bardziej skomplikowanego grania on trzyma się swoich minimalistycznych zasad. Moim zdaniem buduje to fantastyczne napięcie. Nie wiem, czy wielu perkusistów, którzy dostaliby szansę wyjść bardziej na front, powstrzymałoby się przed wrzuceniem miliona ozdobników. Mega zdziwiło mnie to, jaką transformację przechodzi ten album w połowie. W samym środku mamy "Somebody Up There Likes You" (swoją drogą super instrumental). Cztery utwory przed są bardziej rockowe (momentami lekko funkowe dla mnie), a cztery po już zdecydowanie popowe. Ale jakoś mi to nie przeszkadzało, bardziej zaskoczyło. Myślę, że to intermezzo mocno zamortyzowało przejście. Chciałbym wrócić do tego albumu, jak będę miał spokojniejszy czas i nie będę przysypiał podczas słuchania.
I think it's something that requires bpth time and effort to fully apreciate. I will come back to this one day and enjoy it properly I hope.
Ok, od zera do (prawie) bohatera. New Gold Dream to imo jednak dobra płyta. Przede wszystkim przemówiła do mnie muzycznie, potrafi wprowadzić w trans, bujać (efekt podbija faktycznie pasujący do tego nieźle wokal). Niemniej jest dość powtarzalna i zastanawiam się, czy i jak szybko by mi się nie znudziła (okaże się ??). Pomogło mi też, o dziwo, olanie zupełnie tekstów i docenianie jedynie słów w kontekście fajnego brzmienia w rytmie. Top tracks: Someone somewhere (in summertime) Glittering prize Hunter and the hunted
Fantastyczny album - emocjonalna podróż, pełna introspekcji, marzeń i refleksji nad przemijaniem. Jego piękno polega na połączeniu bogatej produkcji z osobistą wrażliwością. Mój ulubiony kawałek na płycie to "Someone Somewhere" Ten utwór to kwintesencja marzycielskiej atmosfery, która przewija się przez cały album. Piosenka o ulotnych chwilach, które zostawiają ślad w naszej pamięci. Powtarzająca się linia basu i perka działa niemal jak bicie serca, podczas gdy syntezatory tworzą aurę nostalgii i nadziei. Wokal Jima Kerra zdaje się opowiadać o formatywnych momentach, które zostają z nami na zawsze. Prosty koncept, który w swojej ludzkości bardzo ze mną rezonuje. "Somewhere there is some place that one million eyes can't see And somewhere there is someone who can see what I can see' 4, album wchodzi do mojej stałej rotacji
Love them
Not bad. Fun but Forgettable
This is some HOT new wave. The cheese tone on the title track is a little aggressive.
Hard to hear the vocals because poor mixing. Surprising because the overall production is pretty solid, so you can’t say they weren’t paying any attention to it. Lyrics are cliche, cheesy, and boring. Writing is fairly original, but I wouldn’t go as far to unique. They aren’t nearly branching out far enough from their contemporaries here. It’s a fine album, but I leave uninterested. 3/5
This lush synth is beautifully done but not impactful to me. I used to own this album and barely listened to it was hoping to find it was better than I thought but that was not the case.
This album has a couple ok songs, including "Promised You a Miracle," their greatest attempt at a Cure-esc new wavey Brit-poppy hit. Otherwise it's mostly forgettable despite their admonishment.
Classic 80's vibe. Synth Pop at it's finest. One of my favorite 80's groups.
No ha envejecido bien. Los 80 pasaron
Sucker for 80s pop. Promised you a miracle will be stuck in my head for the next month
Couldn’t make out a single lyric on my bike but got me in a good groove. Slappa da bass man
I enjoyed the title track and the Herbie Hancock cameo was cool. Overall forgettable 80s to me
The sound and vibe reminds me of a lesser Tears for Fears. Some good and memorable songs, but overall, pretty forgettable.
I’m offended as a visual designer, and a lover of 80s new wave music. Not terrible, but it sounds like a caricature of 80s music.
I really liked the songs. Music accompaniment for the movie scene where the hero looks at VHS tapes of the family he’s lost
Some good clean 80s fun
Very 80s, but quite cool - dark and atmospheric
So I only knew Simple Minds from their one big song and that song wasn’t on this album so I was fairly apprehensive going in But this is a pretty great synth pop record A generous 4
The only song I know by Simple Minds isn't on this album so I kind off expected more like that song and that is what I got in many ways. Atmospheric songs with electronic melodies. It feels like a great album to have on in the background when cooking or something like that, nothing I will listen to every day though.
Yeah, nah, this is sub-mediocre 80’s new wave shite.
This could be the most 80’s sounding album on this list.
Basic 80’er
Bra men når inte riktigt ända fram.
The top comment right now describes it perfectly. I've forgotten this album and I just listened to it. It does nothing remarkable nor notable and it just exists.
Great bit of early 80s new wave. Title track was a standout. Not much more to say.
Very 80s, kinda samey but thoroughly enjoyed regardless
Those coming to Simple Minds when they became a stadium rock band often don't know their roots as an influential and important part of the new wave electronica scene. Until this their albums were packed with instrumentals. This is really the bridge to their popular phase but I still really like the nods back to it with "someone up there likes you" and the more proggy/electronica tracks. I like this a lot. It's got depth.
Used to like this album in the 80's but it's very of it's time and not nearly as good as I remembered it to be.
Starts sliw but picks up in middle. Instrumental and title track display the kind of groove that would go on to work for the Mondays. Does feel like an album to be appreciated more than enjoyed though and ultimately they are a rock band that rarely rock.
The definition of bang average. Taking a point off as it bored me just about to tears.
They can play. The singing is better than average from that era. They probably sound exactly the way they want to sound, but nothing about the album is spectacular. Favorite song: promised you a miracle
This album gets the award for the shittiest cover ever. But with that said, cool stuff! Love the vibe of the more toned-down vocals leaving plenty of room for the bass and synth.
Liked
Ha simple minds mega gern, finds aber bis jetz bitz langwiilig. Ok somebody up there likes you isch sehr geil, eifach instrumental. Hani sehr gern Title track isch au seehr cool Die nöchste paar hani wieder schwächer gfunde, i glaub da züchts uf es 3 abe au wenns weh tuet. Entscheide morn morge
someone in somewhere slappt hert ich ha e rechti schwä hi für simple minds. etz nöd en riese song aber de sound isch afoch geil. so extrem 80er. big sleep räsoniert sehr mit mir ich au mengmol 81 82 83 84 isch insane langwilig gsi etz glittering prize coole bass, aber han irgendwie meh extravaganz erwartet vo simple minds. hönter and the hönted au sochli dark und so. s tönt scho seeeehr cool. aber d songs sind nöd so catchy. king is white and in the crowd usch no funny gsi. i like. i bi zwüsched 3 und 4.
hahaha oke mega 80er someone somewhere isch na cool, ich lieb wie klar d hi hats sind aber jo nüt megaa krasses colours fly findi jz recht langwilig promised you a miracle isch cyndi lauper core oops mega nöd zueglost aber ja somebody up there isch jz kein banger poah das zieht sich brutal?? new gold dream hani de synthi no fun gfunde aber finds gad recht ahstrengend hunter and hunted isch fun! king is white isch na en coole uufbau wo denn au d drums innechömmed hey han mengisch recht gstruggled, und die typischi 80er perkussion und synthis halt ich amigs nöd so lang uus aber s het doch immer wieder cooli sache gha, ws git es knapps 3
2 I didnt like either the general sound or how they remastered it, felt like a chore to get through
Oh goddamn this takes me back! Sounds best played loud in the car, windows rolled down, while singing along at full volume. Particularly Glittering Prize. Promised You a Miracle is definitive of the 1980s style. It’s hard to find a better example. It’s perfect. 4/5
Blind album, know the artist. Album was pretty good for 80s which I generally don't see out a lot.
I just really like sumptuous 80s new romantic synthpop, okay? And like, this tails off a bit towards the end, and peaks with literally the first track thanks to Someone Somewhere, but it's really really good soundtrack to my day.
That was pretty good, heard a bunch of the tracks before obviously, but I liked the last two tracks.
Honestly fine 80s synth pop - good background, not too mopey, kind of like what The Cure would be if Robert Plant was on sertraline. Also, it took 10 seconds before I went "Oh, it's THIS song!", so that's a record I guess?
This sounds like my early high school years, which were good, but not great.
Did not enjoy. Felt it all blended in together.
This was fine. I have mostly neutral feelings about this album as the songs seemed mostly forgettable soon after I heard them.
I found this to be the most unassuming and subdued collection of music I've heard on this list. Nothing stood out and had I not KNOWN I was listening to it, I may not have noticed it was even there.
This has aged better than a lot of 80s music. I really like these guys and most of the tracks on this album have aged pretty well and sounded really good when they were new. "New Gold Dream" is one of my personal favorites, and brings back great memories. "Glittering Prize" and "Somebody Up There Likes You" were the favorites for this listen.
Not bad. Never heard of this group before.
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) It’s one of the obvious things that you don’t think much about, but doing this list you realise that pretty much every British band is influenced either by The Beatles or Bowie, or both. The 80s synth/new wave albums we’ve had in particular have been clearly Bowie influenced, and this is the same. It grew on me a lot over repeated listens. Initially I was struck by the overall hazy and dreamy atmosphere of songscapes, rather than the catchy tunes their pop rock pomp later in the decade. Along with Bowie there seems to be quite a bit of Cure and ABC - a not uniteresting mix. As I listened more, more melodies and moments emerged and I realised what superb bass playing there is on here, and how many of the songs are both melodically and rhythmically driven by the bass, with guitar and keyboard providing texture and embellishment. Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) sets the tone with its insistent groove and atmosphere, the guitar riff sounding a lot like Echo and the Bunnymen. Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel is great, excellent bass with a nagging groove and a nice chorus. A real grower. Promised You a Miracle I know as the single, and it’s definitely the most immediately catchy, although it does sound very ABC. Some great synthesiser parts though. Big Sleep, again some great bass and another grower with its slightly edgy but delicate atmosphere. More atmosphere on Somebody Up There Likes You, this time more hypnotic and mesmeric. I like this one. New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) is probably the 2nd most immediately catchy track. Up to now it doesn’t seem obvious that this is the same band as Don’t You Forget About Me and Alive and Kicking, but you can hear the genes of those songs in this, a sense that a massive stadium song is about to burst into life, but is being held back, a great bit of tension making a great track. Glittering Prize is very reminiscent of The Cure, and it sounds slightly odd after New Gold Dream, flatter and less atmospheric, poppier but not as catchy, despite some great bass. Alex James must have heard the bass in the intro to Hunter and the Hunted, a definite Boys and Girls-ness to it. It’s another atmospheric and moody track. Big big Bowie vibes to King is White and in the Crowd, the bass as always is great, and yet more spectral atmospherics. After the first couple of listens I liked this, but found it hard to pick individual tracks, and I felt I couldn’t remember it, but then it started to get its hooks into me, and I found it’s slightly nervy dream-like quality quite seductive, finding new little interesting parts and moments in it with further listens. I don’t think I would have listened to this without doing the list, but I’m very glad it came up. Not quite sure it’s a 5 (yet), so I’ll go for a solid and intriguing 4. 🧠🧠🧠🧠 Playlist submission: New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
Hella jesusy cover.... I always struggle to listen to more than a few simple minds songs in a row..... Reverb drenched vox and big synths stress me out.
Just not for me.
meh not bad not good either 3/10
Never really got Simple Minds. Found this to be an incredibly bland pop album. But clearly they did appeal to a lot of people at the time
Very 80s, very much not for me.
Nothing of interest here for me.
I honestly think the 80s were the lowest decade for music and this hasn't helped sway my opinion
Jævlig bra
Intetsigande
Not bad, but not something I'd return to. 3/5
Samey
sure
2.4 1x catchup 11/8/24
Not bad. Loved it in the day
80s glam, not my jam
Until 2021, I had never heard of Simple Minds until one fine day a taxi driver wearing fluorescent glasses and a button-down shirt half-open revealing a hairy chest passed by the street where I work, driving his taxi slowly playing Don't You Forget About Me at the last volume that car stereo could emit. Since then, this song and those from the album Once Upon a Time have been a must-have in my daily playlists. However, I had never heard another album besides this one and it was a pleasant surprise to discover that even 3 years before the band's Big Hit Album, they already sounded in this spectacular way, a very characteristic 80s sound, but of course, without all those big hits with the exception of the first track. Anyway, I loved it! I'll leave 4 stars!
Not my thing. But well made.
Sollidd þrisstur. Ekkert spes fyrir mitt leyti, en alls ekki lélegt heldur.
Aðeins og mikið eitís meira að segja fyrir mig. 2-3 góð lög en restin eldist ekkert rosalega vel.
Oof I hate the song I know from this band so I'm not looking forward to this but we'll see! I am shocked to learn this is not only not a one hit wonder band (the song from The Breakfast Club), but also that song isn't even on this album. I tried to find stuff to like in here but ultimately hated it.
Took me back to my teen years
Talented vocalist and musicians. Just not a style I enjoy, and I have heard better songs by this band.
More complex than Depeche Mode, but it still didn’t grab my attention.