Reviews (page 6 of 8)
A bit pompous
Znowu wyspiarsko, tym razem synthowe brzmienia prosto ze Szkocji grupy Simple Minds z ktorymi wczesniej sie nie spotkalem, ale to zaskoczeniem nie jest biorac pod uwage w jak brytyjskie niuanse muzyczne lista pozwala sie zaglebic czlekowi, plyta z 82 jest piatym studyjnym krazkiem grupy, lata 80 wiec elektroniczne szalenstwo synthow polaczone z poszukiwaniem eksperymenntalnego brzmienia, cos jak happy mondays, ale tutaj te poszukiwania poszly w kierunku brzmienia koscielno organowego, albo takie mam wrazenie na podstawie artow z plyty i chocby samej okladki, ktora nawiazuje do tych motywow, ale ciezko je wylapac bezposrednio z liryki, zespol skladal sie z 7 czlonkow podczas nagrywania tego krazka, z czego az trzech to drumerzy, chociaz jakos szczegolnie nie czuc nacisku na ten instrument, bo raczej brzmienie tego syntha charakteryzuja klawisze od ostrych melodycznych brzmieniowo jak w muzyce tanecznej, po koscielne organy, wokalem grupy jest pan Jim Kerr, ktory z jednej strony spiewa dobrze, ale z drugiej nie ma w sobie czegos charakterystycznego z czego moglbym go pamietac za kilka dni czy tygodni, jako tworcy liryczni poszczegolnych trakow zcreditowana jest banda jako calosc, hajlajtowymi momentami byly openingowy someone somewhere i promised you a miracle, ktory po dwoch pierwszych melancholijnych trakach wnosi pewna optymistyczna euforie, ktora juz zostaje na albumie do konca jego trwania, calosc w orginalnym wydaniu ma 45 minut i jest rozbita na 9 kawalkow, potezna wersja na spotifaju ma ponad 4 godziny i 48 kawalkow, wiec od zatrzesienia dodatkowych tejkow i remixow, na plejke dodam dwa wspomniane wczesniej utwory
This has some great singles and a neat title track, but also has a few boring songs that go for way too long (Colours Fly for instance). Musically wise, I like the bass a lot plus the delivery in the vocals, but the guitar is pretty low in the mix and the keyboards are pretty dated. The medieval album cover design is cool though. On a side note I found out through the Wikipedia page that Herbie Hancock did a solo on Hunter and the Hunted, a peculiar fact.
I never dove into simple minds, sort of discounted them. Better than I expected but not on the same level of similar artists at the time.
Generic 80s rock.
3.75
Kind of a tail end disco feel. I was pleasantly entertained
Not as iconic as I had imagined, outside of "Don't You Forget About Me"
"Hey it's the 80's" - Daniel Laruso. Karate kid part 1
I dig it
The video for Promised You A Miracle shows the band playing guitar, bass and drums but I swear I can't hear any of those instruments. And that's part of my problem with this album, everything is synthesized. It really dates it. Sure, it's listenable enough and I suppose it's quite cool in a retro kind of way. Singer sounds like countless other singers from the same period. Some of the keyboard sounds do remind me of something or other, so I think there is a bit of 80s nostalgia that is appealing. Sounds strange, but I honestly don't know if I liked it or not.
A bit bland, but an extra star from me purely for nostalgia
very 80s
Nice 80s sound
Decent album
It seemed very dated but an okay listen.
Unexpected selection and pretty solid. I gave it a few listens and particularly like the bass lines compared to ‘dont you forget about me’ solid 3
I don’t know why I like synth pop, but I do.
2.5
Lovely stuff
I was not really expecting to like this, but it was better than I thought. The cover was definitely offputting. I usually don't really like 80s/new wave, but this was alright.
ambitious, full of hope and wonder, packed with sonic details specific to the time of recording.
Irish folk ist mir etwas lieber als Irish Pop
I had a dream about smothering by bollocks in gold and presenting them to the Queen on her long overdue deathbed. She thanked me and licked them before passing away with a smile on her face.
Hmm. It simmered, but it never seemed to pop for me. I love my 80s so it gets some credit there. Still - it didn’t live up to the hype.
I knew, sorta, that Simple Minds was more than just the one mega hit which isn't on this album. But I had to do some reading to see just how big they were outside of the US. That said, this album is fine. It's textured and the mix of guitars and synths are good. The lyrics are probably deeper than I give it credit for on one listen, but I just don't know how much I'll want to relisten to it.
Solo conocía el grupo realmente por el nombre sin ubicar una sola canción de ellos. Los consideraba como otro grupo más del montón ochentero de new wave que atiborraron la radio con el mismo sonido en su momento y... en parte es cierto. Es new wave sin mucho más que decir, pero creo que es un new wave muy muy decente. No se si merezcan estar en la lista, no tengo idea de su importancia "histórica" o al menos no pude encontrar ninguna en especial. La música si un poquito más sobresaliente que del monto, brillante y agradable. Me gustó pero pienso hay mejores expositores del género.
This did not do a whole lot for me. The overall affect seemed fairly flat and none of the lyrics really stood out. I didn't dislike it but it kind of faded into the background.
Very eighties with heavy synthesizer and some new wave/dance melodies. A handful of potential hits including promised you a miracle and someone somewhere. Others didn’t stand up as well and seemed to lack direction. Promised you a miracle, Hunter and the hunted
Aika mones hyvin samankaltainen kasarilevy listalla. Soundi on ehkä hieman verrokkeja "tyylikkäämpi" ja jopa nykyaikaisille hipsteribändeille sopiva. Toisaalta sävellysten laatu jää jälkeen Duran Duranille ja ABC:lle. Ehkä Talk Talk on lähin referenssi listan aiemmista bändeistä. Biiseistä positiivisesti jäi mieleen erityisesti Glittering Prize, mutta suuri osa levystä oli aika mitäänsanomatonta, vaikkakin ihan miellyttävää rallattelua. Peruskolmonen, joka on kuitenkin selvästi lähempänä nelosta kuin kakkosta.
Nice album but apart from the singles the others didn’t really hit the mark for me.
Tof album. Hoewel jaren 80 klinkt het wmb niet gedateerd.
just started listening but I think I might like
This album was pretty good. I’m not a huge fan of this production style from the 80s.
A cool new wave album with some of the best songs of its era. Lacks the big single it would’ve needed to make a wider impression and it’s for this and some other reasons that I can’t give this anything better than a 3/5.
Was expecting more from Simple Minds
Didn’t listen to it. No interest in Simple Minds whatsoever. 3 stars as an average.
Synth-y pop 80s band. Interesting beats. Not really my type.
Is this Tears for Fears again? What? It's not? I generally like 80s pop although I could do without the vocals that sound like they're echoing out of a well!
Some fun hooks but wasn’t my favourite
Ao ouvir este álbum ganhei uma nova referencia na minha vida, agora posso afirmar que ouvi o álbum mais genérico dos anos 80. Tudo aqui soa a anos 80, parece que saiu daqueles filmes com protagonistas adolescentes tão típicos dos anos 80. A sonoridade deste álbum é toda ela repleta de semelhanças entre as várias cantigas tornando assim a sua audição um bocado monótona e cansativa. Dei por mim a ouvir umas músicas a mais do álbum sem me aperceber que ele já tinha acabado de tão próximo que era a sonoridade de todas as músicas da banda. Encontro-me num leito de indiferença no que toca face a esta coletânea sonora, não posso dizer que o álbum seja mau, mas não morro de amores por ele. Tendo isto em conta destaco a primeira música, o Someone Somewhere (In Summertime), visto que não tiver tempo de me cansar do resto do álbum. A nota da indiferença é sempre um 5, sendo o resultado que levará para casa esta obra. Nota:5/10 Data: 15/01/2025
I dunno. Pretty ok new wave album. Could take it or leave it.
I was surprised to see this was their 5th album! This album was lots of fun back in the day but, for me, it hasn't aged particularly well. I know 40 years is a long time but other LPs from that era, like Zenyatta Mondatta and Fear of Music, have aged far more gracefully. I would have given it a 4 if asked on the dance floor in 1982 but not in 2021.
A kind of catchy vibe with annoying british joy division vocals.
This felt very 80's in a good relaxing way. I had the album on while I was working and breezed right through it, although, nothing really stood out to me. The album cover makes absolutely no sense to me either but at least the music was good!
A classic 80s album that you can’t really hate on.
This entire genre, what I have started calling "Inoffensive British 80s Pop" is way over-represented on this list. It's all fine. It's probably even good. But it's WAY over-represented on the 1001 albums, and it shows the original author's obvious biases. Simple Minds. More of the same. I don't mind it. May even add it to a few playlists. But, like, I couldn't hum any of these songs or tell you anything about them. They pass over me like a warm ocean wave, and are immediately forgotten.
Took a while to get into this one. The last 3 tracks really stand out to me. Did enjoy listening
I like the other album more. This is fine 80s but beyond that, eh.
Needs another listen but not as fun as dont you forget about me
Simple
It didn't pull me in
85
Not sure about this. I like some simple-minds. But it's not easy music.
Decent but at the end of the day fails to excite
Mostly too typically 80’s sounding, but by the end I was digging it all right.
pretty decent 80s stuff
Some catchy songs. The songs seems very similar or just bleed into the others
Not bad new wave fare. 3.5 because I'm not sure it has high relistenability for me
Slightly distracting but fun
Alright
I'm torn between two and three stars here. I was the audience for this music in the early 80s, but didn't like it much even then. It was just too electronic. There were certainly a few songs I liked from them, but mostly later. While I wouldn't have used these words at the time, it just doesn't have soul. The electronic sound makes it feel shallow and, in my opinion, doesn't hold up 45 years later.
Well, I made it through. And the best song for me was 'somebody up there likes you', since it was an instrumental.
Too 80s sounding for me. Not a big fan of the synths in that poppy era
idk man, not bad but not for me ig bruh
Sounds like the majority of 80's albums. :/
So, a synth-pop artist I was into in the early aughts did a cover of "New Gold Dream (81, 82, 83, 84)" in 2003. Until today I'd never heard the original song (harder to investigate on a whim in the early 2000s). That gave me reason to approach this one with interest, despite the cover looking like a book out of the church library. Verdict: Mostly a disappointment. Maybe good for 80s texture but none of the individual songs matter. Even the title track wouldn't have stood out to me if I wasn't already familiar with the cover. Something about the production on this album makes me feel like the songs are being performed in the next room over, especially the vocals. The album almost gives me a vaporwave sort of vibe.
I guess I'm just not a new wave kinda guy.
It's ok.
I’m probably not going to like this because I hate red heads. Or is it Simply Red I’m thinking about? There isn’t anything for me to love with this nor is there anything for me to really hate. Depeche Mode it is not. More like the Cure
Surprise surprise! It's the most over-represented genre on the project.
++: Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel, Promised You a Miracle, New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84), Hunter and the Hunted +: Somebody Up There Likes You (Instrumental) +-: Someone Somewhere in Summertime, Big Sleep, Glittering Prize, King is White and in the Crowd 5,5/10
Unremarkable 80s synthpop final boss
not bad, i guess, just completely forgettable. i guess when you let british people compile a list of must-hear albums, they're bound to include some shit that literally no one else in the world (aside from scottish people in this case, maybe; idk how they feel about this record) wants to listen to. that makes me wonder: did they include this and o'connor (and whatever else i'm forgetting) to placate their neighbor countries who hate them?
Just not for me. First song is a classic, though!
WHY DOES EVERY BRITISH SYNTHPOP GUY SING LIKE THAT
2/5
This entire album plays like B-sides for an 80s movie soundtrack. Not so much bad as unmemorable and thus: Why?
80s dreck. Does not even belong on a list of subpar 80s music to listen to before you die.
Meh
Novice songwriting; timid performances; thin, unimpressive synth sounds. Promised You a Miracle caught our ear back in the day. It holds up OK. The rest of this, to these ears, is weak soup.
Just not the vibe for me
Very forgettable early 80s pop. Reminds me of Duran Duran or Spandau Ballet.
Pretty dull. Lacks the florish and interesting exploration that an album should have. This is basically one song on repeat
こういう曲調で、こういう声で、どうも好きになれない。こんなんいくらでもいるやんと思ってしまう、多分自分が浅いだけなんだろうなー。 自分の好みからは圧倒的に遠いからここまで来るのにすごい時間かかりそう。
Okay album will not listen again
I just don’t like this style of synthpop. Very floaty and lacking in melodies (except for some annoying synth lines), with a breathy moany singer. I’ve never liked their one hit single either.
Herbie Hancock is the only reason I'm going back to re-listen to Hunter and the Hunted. I thought this was a Talking Heads album. I have a simple mind. Well, it's no Headhunters.
its fine
Not unpleasant, but not desperately memorable either.
As an avid Radio 2 listener…I recognised a number of these songs, but familiarity alone does not breed desire. This album felt very typical of an 80s sound that I’m more than happy was left behind. Not one to revisit.
This seemed to be a minor pop album to me. Mystified why it’s on this list.
This was ok, but compared to some of Simple Minds other albums (Street Fighting Years / Once Upon A Time) is a fairly dull disappointment. It might not deserve the 2 I’ve given it, but I think I’ve deducted it a point due to my enjoyment of some of their other work and thus knowing they are so much better than this.
I was very interested to listen to this, Simple Minds is yet another band which passed me by. In the end I was a little disappointed - it felt like an album of intros that never really got started.
A perfectly fine soporific.
A couple fine songs, but just too 80s.
It’s listenable. That singing style was quite trendy and I do not like it. Bass lines are solid.
Pretty much what you’d expect an album from this time period to sound like. All of the styles are more varied than expected, yet I kept expecting the next lyric to always be Don’t You Forget About Me.
At first I thought the list was sending me Christian gospel music so I had to ask AI what in the heck this came from. Simple Minds famous for their fist pumping song on the Breakfast Club, Don't You (Forget About Me). Which was an amazing song for that movie, but unfortunately for Simple Minds, this album doesn't have the same statement. I'm choosing to forget about them.
This album came and went but wasn't too memorable. Nothing stood out to me but nothing was horrible, either. I suppose the worst thing an album can be is forgettable, but I enjoyed listening to it when it was on even if I won't revisit. This is closer to a 2.5/5 than a 2/5.
Not sure this 1980’s sound has aged so well, fine but not necessarily to revisit.
Pretty forgettable
Der Sound der 80er
Not unlistenable but just forgettable. That Frankie Goes to Hollywood album was a far better way of doing this synth sound in a memorable way. This album on the other hand just has no ear wormy hooks or anything interesting going on, plus the vocals being completely drowned out in the mix doesn't help either. 2/5
as far new wave goes this is decent but there is a reason these guys were one hit wonders.
This is definitely new wave pop of the 80s. Not much variation of sound.
I wanted to like this album, it started strongish, and felt of it's time and more to the point, like I was in an 80's soundtrack but I just couldn't get into it. The music just couldn't get past 1st gear. The lead singer is great. The synths are on point for the 80's but they remain a One hit wonder for me and that one hit wasn't on this album.
4/10
Unmemorable. A day later and literally nothing from the album stands out.
Overly synthed up and boring
ok
By the end it all just sounded the same.
Bunch of new wave bollocks
Hmm... I'm not crazy about this album, but it was nice to listen to...🙂 Honestly, I was feeling bored until I heard Somebody Up There Likes you❤️One of the best songs despite being purely instrumental. My favorite song must be Hunter and The Hunted! Herbie Hancock's synthesizer solo was great!!! Oh and I also enjoy the cover art💛💛 Thank you 💛
I like some Simple Minds songs, and this album has a very intriguing title, but I simply didn't like it very much. It was just kind of... boring? I'm not sure how to describe it, but nothing really stuck and I wasn't expecting that to be the case with this one. Maybe they chose the wrong album from this band? I don't know. Key tracks: Someone Somewhere in Summertime Promised You a Miracle
"Simple Minds, OK, I know a song by them." *proceeds to look at the track listing and find nothing familiar* "OK, maybe not." This album isn't actually objectively bad. It's actually pretty ok. It's totally fine. The entire album really feels like it doesn't go anywhere though. Very strait up the middle, not super emotive, early british 80s new-wave. A lot of bands did it better. A lot of bands did it worse.
I'm not sure I've ever really given Simple Minds a fair hearing - I just mentally filed them under 'poor man's U2' and left it there. Based on this album, they are less U2-esque than I orginally thought, but this album is essentially a couple of decent singles and quite a bit of filler.
Lush new wave and synth-pop built from shimmering keyboards, melodic bass lines, atmospheric guitars, and soaring vocals feels like staring into a glittering kaleidoscope that never stops turning—beautiful at first, but eventually dissolving into a single blur of color and light. The album is obsessed with atmosphere, layering texture upon texture until individual songs begin to lose their shape. Its dreamlike consistency is admirable, though for me it comes at the expense of memorability and emotional impact.
Intetsigende og kjedelig synthpopmusikk som er så plantet i åttitallet at det virker helt meningsløst å høre på det nå.
Only knew 3 songs from this album and they made it into the charts. They were middle of the road. The rest is nothing special. Not stood the test of time. Stuck in the 80s.
Dodgy 80s drums, synths and voice filter. Has not aged well. I'm not sure there was many songs, it just sounded like a dirty noise.
I’m not sure how much of this we’re meant to listen to, but I cannot abide nearly five hours of Simple Minds. I simply cannot do it.
80s disco synth picks: someone somewhere, promised you a miracle
Bring back the old wave.
no es lo que me gusta pero es más o menos aceptable
Confusing title for an album that’s not a retrospective compilation. Every song is too long and not interesting enough to warrant their length.
Fine. It's kinda boring and just sort of whatever. They're only on here cuz they British.
boring, boring, boring
One of those “it was probably good at the time” or “this influenced a lot of stuff to come.” I thought it was very meh and didn’t even include the one song everyone knows them for. 2.25
What a load of rubbish. Not a 1, but barely a 2.
Didn't love this
honestly, i wish i loved this album. i appreciate how the band was able to illustrate the relationship between past and present, getting more progressive with every song, i think. but at the same time, i didn't resonate with any of the songs. if i had to pick a favorite one it would probably be "somebody up there likes you", alternatively "promised you a miracle". except from that, i felt like all songs were in the same tone (but not in a good way) and i wasn't a fan of the voice of the main singer :( so that's why it's a 2 for me, but i would give it a 2,5 if it was possible
I cannot get behind this production style That seems to be so popular at this time, where everything has too much reverb and the whole mix is muddy, drowning out the individual parts. The style of singing is equally as frustrating. One of the highlights of the album was the bass playing, but it's a shame the bass part was drowned out half the time. Somebody up there likes you was decent cuz it had no vocals and the B section is pretty funky
I can't imagine something more of-its-time. Opposite of timeless nice bass playing I didn't need to hear this. . . .the most interesting thing is probably the Herbie keyboard solo
I love the 80s. It's my childhood, being that I'm a Xennial. So it's not some anti-synth bias that makes this so very, very forgettable.
I find synthesiser sounds like this scary - probably some repressed memory from my childhood.
Turns out Simple Minds was a one-hit wonder for a reason (well two-hit wonder if you count Alive and Kicking).
This album is as “vanilla” as it gets. I didn’t hate it but didn’t care that it was playing either. As a side note, props to any fan who would endure 4 hours and 45 minutes of this monotonous music. Simple Minds has one good song (IMO) and it wasn’t even in this selection. Overall, I was disappointed in the listen (and the time spent) despite the decent 80’s music being produced.
Albums like this are the reason that the 80s deservecsuch a bad musical reputation. This album is to music what Z-Cavariccis are to fashion.
The main singer had a unique voice but I thought every song sounded the same - not my favourite Just a quick gripe that this album is included but not let go by avril lavigne????????? Not sure about that
I also thought Simple Minds was a 1 hit wonder... maybe because I really only knew that 1 hit from the Breakfast Club. Turns out, this album did not change my feeling on that.
I listened to the whole thing.
Music for GTA Vice City
I never had any good dreams when I was in my 80s.
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
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've heard this done way better before.
Really didn’t care for it tbh
I didn’t care for this. I didn’t particularly like the booming percussion in particular.
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.
Bändillä on hyviäkin lauluja. Ne ei vaan ollut tässä
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.
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.
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.
Same song over and over, didn’t vibe this at all
don't like the album cover, thought it was just a bit boring
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
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.
It's alright I suppose. Nothing really stood out though.
2.5 - ok
muuy repitivo
Boring
Typical 80s pop. Not great, not horrible.
hate the cover lol meh mucis
Not my cup of tea, but not bad
I can dig it. Promised You a Miracle slaps! Giving this album closer to a 2.75
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.
dunno i expected something less boring. also strange album title
Not 100% my style of synth pop but some of the instrumentals were sick
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.
Didn’t do it for me
Enjoyable, but not memorable. ★★
They were never that good and this is too many versions of the same mediocre songs
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 title of the album is complex, and unique. The contents of the album are simple, and abundant. Favorite Track: "Big Sleep".
Simple
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
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.
2.4/5
Depeche Mode but make it less interesting
A very underwhelming album. Not offensive, but almost instantly forgettable.
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.
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.
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
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.
Quite 80s.
"I think it was probably around 82, 83 was it? 81, 82, 83. No, 82, 83 I'd say, 84. Around that."
🥱
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.
Meh
This was so 80s but not in a good way. Dull synth not held up
One or two songs have potential to be decent covers by different artists.
Seems like you had to be there..
a bit late for this realization but maybe 1001 albums is too many albums
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.
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
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.
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
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
boringg
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.
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.
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
The album cover and the presence of 5 discs on this are not giving me great hope but let's take a look. Jim Kerr you sound strange. I can't quite put my finger on it. It's a bit uncanny. You don't sound strange like David Byrne, who's wacky voice is charming and endearing. You sound strange like you're a robot merely pretending to be the front man for Simple Minds. I'm keeping an eye on whether or not he's a reptilian, but in the meantime, Someone Somewhere is a pretty decent song, something about the way he's singing is just pissing me off a little bit. Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel is a bit better, it's got some funky groovy vibes, but the question I feel like I need to ask is... is anyone having fun? Everything feels just a bit too clean. Nobody feels like they're really playing with any passion or creativity, they feel like they're reading the sheet music in front of them as on beat and to the rhythm as they can muster. This feels like AI. The album's not bad. There's nothing about this music that's offensive, but halfway into the first track of the album I wanted to turn it off. My amygdala gland was firing and I went into full fight or flight mode, and I fought the urge to turn it off and take flight by fighting and calling Jim Kerr a reptile. I stand by what I said though - something about this is just not right. I hope somebody else feels this way or I might just have schizophrenia. I think this album just gave me psychosis. It's not supposed to sound like that. Somebody Up There Likes You is fucking me up even more now. No Jim Kerr, their reptilian leader has taken the backseat, but this feels like one of the most ominous tracks. Nothing about this song makes me feel like Somebody Up There Likes Me, I feel like I'm being stalked through an alleyway by cyberpunks in 2148. And not in a good way. Oh fuck he's back, he's back and he's as terrifying as I remember him, the "Low, low, low" he opens up New Gold Dream with almost stopped my fucking heart I just don't think he should sound like that guys I don't know. I don't even want this review to just be Jim Kerr slander but I just looked him up... and he looks like he might be a reptile... no shade Jim, but you and your band of misfits are sending me spiraling into a panic attack. Penultimate track is titled Hunter and the Hunted. It all makes sense now. This might be it for me, boys. It appears that I was the Simple Mind, all along. I was about to say all jokes aside to start my conclusion, but I'm not joking. This was my genuine reaction. This album is fine, it just felt soulless to me in a disturbing way. To me it was almost equally as unsettling as Suicide self-titled, just in a very unintentional way. This album genuinely isn't bad, it's completely fine, there are some points in it that I would actually say I kind of enjoyed. But, with all that being said, it's a 2 because there was nothing about it that was offensive per-se but it was all just so fucking boring. I had to entertain myself by creating a conspiracy theory about it. Jim Kerr I'm sorry if I offended you I just feel like you're up to no good. Suicide self-titled was a 2 because it was painful to listen to but it was at least trying to do something. This is a 2 because it's completely decent music but it feels incredibly uninspired and unambitious. I had an uncle (non-blood related, importantly) who was a Jehovah's Witness and a very strange fellow. He was also a very bad person who did very bad things that I genuinely should not reveal in this review. I feel like he would love this album. That should sum up my feelings on it.
Yeah. Don’t think I would listen to these songs again, but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world I guess
Could have been wrong long track. Shouldn’t have been but could have been.
Listened to the original 9 track version. This was fine, it kinda sounded like a David Bowie or Pet Shop Boys album from the 1980's.
Langweilig. Es tut mir leid.
Not to my taste in any way shape or form
Not very notable to me
Some serious 80s brit pop bias on these albums.
Not sure what to make of this. The kind of album that would have been futuristic at the time but now sounds dated. Very much a stepping stone to later work. Compare the title track to Utah Saints rave rework and there's not much difference. Not offensive, just feels a bit of its time. A high 2
It sounds like the time, but, there is nothing special about this album that isn't either done again or better by another band on this list.
I like Simple Minds, but this is merely an okay album and far from their greatest album (Once Upon a Time), and it does not have the cultural sway, nor should it really, as their performance and recording of "Don't You Forget (About Me)" from The Breakfast Club soundtrack. I think the list missed out on their 2018 album WALK BETWEEN WORLDS. ::chef's kiss:: especially the standout track "The Signal and the Noise". And while I love 80s album, particularly the synth albums, this is honestly not one of the better ones. As an aside, I have make the following complaint once more: not including soundtracks and scores on this list is one of the silliest rules of this exercise. There are so much quality songwriting, arrangement, and performances that were culturally vital and go missing because of a silly rule. The only track on NEW GOLD DREAM that I actually enjoyed was "Someone Somewhere (in Summertime)".
I didn’t dislike this but it just sounds like mid pop from the 80s
It’s like walking into an art gallery where every painting is titled “Emotion” but none actually have any. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) Glittering Prize
👎🏼
More mind and less simple next time, please
Expected to hate it but it was fine. I will never listen to it again. But it was Fine.
Not my thing
Sounds like a lot of other BS from the 80s and I don’t see the appeal.
Can’t say I cared for much of this album.
I once thought that 80s synth was my thing and was waiting for an album on this project to listen to. Maybe I was wrong.
Ok
Not really interesting. Sounds like a boring version of Simple Minds.
Nada de mais
I can't imagine that this was a must listen during the 80s. This seems like cookie cutter, 80s syth driven music. I haven't heard one song on the whole album that I am familiar with. It isn't Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit though...so it gets a 2.
Glittering Prize er et godt nummer. Jeg har det som om, jeg burde høre det mere, men det gjorde ikke stort indtryk, så det bliver en stor 2'er.
I actually quite like the music, but I so so hate Jim Kerr's voice it overwhelms any points it might have got. I don't suppose there's an album of instrumental versions?
Ei ihmeellinen, 1,75/5.
1,5
Outdated and boring.
אייטיז משעמם
Third album in a week that's more yawnable 80s rock. Why is this in the book?!
Pretty standard synth pop-rock tunes. A more little dream-like and whimsical than some of the other 80s acts from the genre. I was not moved by New Gold Dream and give title track top slot. Not sure about the 82-84 reference...maybe years they hoped to be a chart topping band? I am wondering if we are going to get their Breakfast Club album on the list if this one made it. 2.05 stars for a simple minded record.
I don't have any prior familiarity with Simple Minds beyond The Breakfast Club and "Don't You". I've always been a fan of the song so I was hoping this would offer something in the same vein. At the end of the listen, there is very little for me to take away. It's not bad, but it's not any good. Another one to add to the "meh" pile and move on. Simple Minds will continue to stand as a one-hit wonder for me for the time being. 1.96 stars
Quintessential 80's.
A perfectly adequate new wave album.
Not the worst 80's British record I've gotten on this list, but that also isn't a ringing endorsement of this record.
bland!
Decent album, with Promised You a Miracle going hard. High 2s.
I usually like this type of music but found it forgettable with a lot of filler.
I think I just don’t like synth
Synth pop, reminds me of Perry's stage, so 80s Promised you a miracle New gold dream
Not a fan of new wave
Pretty fine, doesn't excite me though.
Ugh, what a chore.
I definitely didn't need to hear this album. There were some parts that caught my attention, but mainly I found this tedious and dated.
Kinda a big ol' snoozer... 4/10
Unremarkable
Not as good as I’d hoped.
Today's album is what I call a true '80s one hit wonder. I wanted to like it but I just didn't. But I do like that one song (that's not in this album)
Meh
Didn’t age well: one good synth / bass / drum loop per song, then dubbed over with the same non melodic singing. This worked when synths were new. Not anymore today. 🥱 One exception: New gold dream. Compared to Depeche Modes Music for the masses which had proper buildups this sounds bland.
Boring
kinda boring
When I saw the album cover, I thought I was in for a religious rock album or some shit. Turns out it was some mid Scottish New Wave. I'm not a fan of new wave as a rule, but the fact that this was a tolerable Scottish band that actually showed some talent garners them at least 1 extra star, so 2 stars it is... Favorite songs: Promised You a Miracle, Big Sleep Least favorite songs: Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel 2/5
I thought the Cyndi Lauper album I listened to recently might be the most 80's album ever. Simple Minds: "hold my beer"
#641. At this point I'm convinced it's intentional and done directly to spite me that there's so many one hit wonder's non-hit albums on this list. 2/5: nah
There are definitely parts I find interesting (bass lines most frequently), but some songs faded totally into the background for me. I liked Glittering Prize, and then the beginning of Hunter and The Hunted, but the length of song lost its impact.
If someone asked me what a generic, synth-drenched, basic-ass 80s album sounds like, I’d say: New Gold Dream, hands down. Too bad I can’t stand that cheesy 80s crap. 😂
Spotify had me worried when it showed it as 4 discs and I was thinking that was 3 discs too many. But the one actual disc by itself isn't bad. But it kinda all blends together into a general new wave sound.
This is a little too "new wavy" even for me.
- It's fine, it's just not that interesting. -
Not really my thing. Some songs were good but overall I didn’t find any song as a standout or one that I would come back to.
Such mediocre existence of what I personal think is the most mediocre time in modern music history, the 80's (the decade I was born). The post punk/new wave genre that dominated the early to mid 80's is one the genres that did not age well/carry over to new generations. I say this the day after giving The Smiths a 4 star rating for an ablum that stood out in the crowd, this album does not do that. I literally forgot I was listening to it, while actively listening to it. Overall immemorable, never out right bothered me or caught me off guard, just bland meh nothingness, a generic saltine cracker. 3.8/10 101/1001
My god, this is boring.
Slow 80s rock vibes - not my thing
A lot of the production was interesting but the songwriting just did nothing for me
lots of people have done this better i think
Standard 80s fare but I ain’t listening to all that
Kinda boring actually and not the record with their hits
So long but fine
En daar gaan we weer. New Wave. Jaren '80, galm, koorknaap, synthjes. Je wil zo'n album niet binnen 10 seconden in dat hokje proppen en afserveren, maar ik merk dat het zo snel bij mij wel kan gaan als ik er iets teveel van krijg in een te korte periode. Ik vind het ook heel moeilijk om aan het geluid te horen dat dit Simple Minds is en niet die Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark van laatst. Of George Michael, of a-ha, of Talking Heads, of the Human League, Spandau Ballet of noem er nog 10 meer die ongetwijfeld allemaal in deze lijst staan. Andere mensen zullen dit waarschijnlijk bij rap hebben, of die gooien Slipknot, Limp Bizkit en System of a Down op één hoop. Of Soundgarden, Nirvana en Pixies. En hoewel ik het dus wel enigszins kan plaatsen en verwoorden heb ik toch moeite om dit album los te trekken uit deze lijst en er van te genieten voor wat het is. Het is niet slecht maar ik ervaar dit als 2 sterren waar ik misschien als ik overdreven schappelijk zou zijn nog 3 sterren van zou kunnen maken. Maar dan heb ik toch liever de twee albums die ik hiervoor kreeg en al een 3 gaf. Ohja, en dé hit staat hier niet op hè. Twee sterren dus.
There was nothng here to hold my interest. 2 stars or D-.
I really thought Simple Minds was better than this compilation of boredom.
Idk anymore honestly. Gives old vibes and like that type of music was done before and alot better
I really couldn't get into them, they just sounded like a worse version of stereophonics
Not a fan of this at all. All literally sounds the same and there were no recognizable songs. 4/10
Deducting points for length.
Very 80’s. Each one sounded like the last. No likes to take away but I’m sure someone in the world appreciates it so not just one star