New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)

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.

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

Not horrible, but just bored and couldn't finish.

Empires and Dance is the good Simple Minds album. Goes so hard you'd think it's a different band entirely. Reel to Reel Cacophony also rips. This one sucks. Defined 'sell-out', these fellas.

Completely forgettable 1980s rock album. Won't be revisiting. I absolutely hated the mixing. Couldn't make out the singing at all.

irish soda stereo

It was ok

Meh - same thing over and over.

Good ol 80s electric pop cheese. A few little standouts but nothing remarkable

Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: ✝️♥️🔥 Production (2003 Remaster): 🤷‍♂️😐👍 Music: ✨🎛️🤷 Rating: 🪙🪙/5

Meh.... this was about as a defining and generic 80's sound as you could possibly get. This could have been any one of a dozen bands from that era that all sounded the same. It's music like this which gives me a much greater appreciation for the music from the prior two decades.

I’m dedicated to this project but not dedicated enough to listen to 50+ tracks that this album has. I listened to a shorter version and I had zero interest in it

Some elements sound like Franz Ferdinand songs I don't like. The remainder merely fades.

Boring.

I've tried Simple Minds a couple times and can never get into it. Did not change this time round. There's no weight behind any of it, it feels like it's trying to move me somewhere but it's so weak that it passes by me like a light breeze Rating: 2.0

Not into it. Too 80s synth.

Ya echaba de menos otro álbum de synth-pop ochentero. Pues qué decir, más de lo mismo. Tiene un par de temas muy buenos; sobre todo, "Hunter and the Hunted" es un temazo que va in crescendo, creando una atmósfera cada vez más llena de texturas y acaba resultando una orgía de sonidos electrónicos etéreos ochenteros. La guitarra es más virtuosa de a lo que este género me suele tener acostumbrado, aunque los sintetizadores y la voz llorona son lo mismo de siempre. Un álbum que no es que sea malo, de hecho está muy bien producido y es pop-synth ("new pop") de calidad. Muy entretenido, pero me podría haber muerto fácilmente sin haberlo escuchado.

The best thing I can say about this album as it wasn’t actually the four hours I thought it was when I first opened it in Apple Music.

Super generic and kinda boring 5/10

In one ear and out the other. The instrumental track was alright.

2.5

||Yeah... I don't get this... It's like take what The Cure was doing and do it with out passion or catchy melodies. It just as sounds like faceless early 80s synth new wave. To make things worse some of these songs go of for fucking ever without going any where So many bands at the time were doing this better. Soft Cell, Depeche Mode Siouxsie & The Banshees.... (5.3) ★★½

Too symth heavy. Very 80s production. 2 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.

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.

Talk about finding a sound and committing to it. It could have been one long song for all I can tell. Zzzzzzzz

Listens: 2 Stand out tracks: none Largely unremarkable. Not particularly good, but not offensive to the ears. 2.5

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.

Bit non descript

“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.

not for me man Will I listen to again: 0%

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.

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.

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.

Pretty bland album. Not really interesting to me. Another album that hasn't aged well. 2/5 Won't listen again

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

Boring 80's synth pop, getting a bit tired of these echoey vocals

2.5 stars. 80's synth pop that doesn't really age well.

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.

Super boring, nothing in this is particularly worth being an album you must listen to.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Meh, sounds like 80's pop music......

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.

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.

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.

its fine, i got kinda bored halfway through

Listened to it three times, really like Glittering Prize, but the rest of this sounds meh?

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.

Meh. Alright. Not anything special really

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.

Nicht mein Musikgeschmack. Zu theatralisch.

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.

simple synthie britpop. in my mind not reallly remarkable.

booooring

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.

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

I was excited to listen to this but it was just boring

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The definition of bang average. Taking a point off as it bored me just about to tears.

2 I didnt like either the general sound or how they remastered it, felt like a chore to get through

This sounds like my early high school years, which were good, but not great.

Did not enjoy. Felt it all blended in together.

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.

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.

Intetsigande

2.4 1x catchup 11/8/24

boring 80s

The cover is a good representation for what you're getting, shite. Half the time it sounds like fkn geometry dash

Really, really struggling to see how this album earned a spot on this list. I will remember nothing from this album other than it being new wave. Is it outright bad? No. Is it at all unique or memorable? No.

I found this to be fairly boring. I don't particularly like the big single off this (miracle), and the rest of the songs don't do much for me either. Competently executed but unexciting.

Oh boy more UK-esc new wave music. Nothing memorable happened on this album.

This was alright, more classic Brit rock that sometimes leans towards pop, sometimes artsy, and sometimes towards more a more dramatic sound. The production wasn't bad and the performances weren't bad, but overall it didn't do much for me. If this album is on this list then I'm sure "Once Upon A Time" will be on the list as well, as that has the classic track "Don't You (Forget About Me)", which I feel is one of THE genre-defining tracks of a decade, the 80s. 2.4/5.

great music to fall asleep to (derogatory)

I don’t care for the singers voice. There are some interesting things here and there in the songs but overall I didn’t find them very engaging. Nothing about this album hooked me.

Meh, 80s junk. Some of the textures were alright but nothing I couldn’t have heard on a Prince or Police album

I am just not digging these 80’s synth music albums; just not my decade. Won’t be listening to this one again.

This album slipped across my mind without leaving any trace of it's time there.

Maso

"New Gold Dream" undeniably captures the essence of its era, and while this isn’t intended as a dismissive comment, it’s clear that its sound is very much a product of the early 80s. At the time of its release, the album likely felt innovative and boundary-pushing. However, with over four decades having passed, its distinct 80s sound can sometimes blend into the broader sonic landscape of the decade. In hindsight, other albums and singles from that period have left a more lasting impression on me. That said, the album isn’t without its merits. The bass lines are particularly impressive and add a compelling groove throughout. Jim Kerr’s vocals are a standout feature, conveying a positive and uplifting mood that pervades the lyrics. While "New Gold Dream" may not be one I’m eager to rush out and buy on vinyl, there are certainly a few tracks that I’ll return to from time to time for their standout qualities.

I listened to 4 different versions of the album thinking it was the same

This sounds super dated, which is interesting to note but not something I'd hold against the record. What I DO despise though is the terrible vocal performance - the lyrics are mid at best and the melodies don't suit the production whatsoever.

Not anything special. Just sounds like run of the mill 80s pop

one hit wonders

It’s a meh from me dawg.

Simple Minds has one great album. This isn't it. You can hear them working thru and tinkering with things here but clearly not ready for prime time.

Unfortunately, I only have room in my life for one Simple Minds album, and that album contains Don't You Forget About Me. Tragically, that song was never put on a proper Simple Minds album, it was written and recorded specifically for The Breakfast Club soundtrack. So, I guess what I am saying is I don't have room in my life for a Simple Minds album.

This is nothing music. I may as well not listen to anything at all.

I felt nothing. I don't get this. I guess you had to be there?

Not much to say about this one. Didn't enjoy it.

Clueless as to why this album is on this list.

Synthy new wave. Some nice basslines though.

Not sure how every single vocalist from the 80s sound exactly the same

Not my type of music

This is one of those albums where the version on Spotify is four hours long and I have to go digging online to find the actual tracklist. It is thankfully much shorter. I don't know the correct way to describe the vocals of this album but they are very ethereal and echoey. The instrumentation is very synthy. This is a common sound from this period of time, and it doesn't really do it for me. The singing sounds a little like David Byrne, and there is some Talking Heads energy in the music. Unfortunately it doesn't come together in a way I enjoy nearly as much. My favorite song was "Glittering Prize". 4/10

I enjoyed nothing about this album. All the quintessential 80's sounds but bad.

Just a bit forgettable. Glittering Prize is a tune, but the rest just passed me by.

It's like Talking Heads and The Cure had an extremely uninteresting baby

Couldn't get into this at all. Atmospheric and moody (even more so than many other 80s pop records) that just didn't draw me in.

Painfully Average. Every sound sounded exactly the same.

This is timid and mild. I cam enjoy some 80s pop ballads, but this is all too familiar.

With all that time passing since, this type of booming pop drenched in tacky synth strikes as little more than irritating and dated.

Pop con sintetizadores. Un rollo. Un 2.

Good group from the 70s-80s. Good music.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. There’s some great moments, specifically synth tones, but there’s something sleepy in the songwriting that pulls me out of it.

Olisin pitänyt tästä enemmän jos yhden instrumentaalin sijaan olisivat äänittäneet kaikki kappaleet ilman vokalistia 🤷

Not bad by any means but a lot of the same. Went in one ear and straight out the other for the most part.

Wow. A 3 record mega album. That was... a long listen. Man honestly, this was a bit of a slog. By the end, every song starts sounding the same. I'll be ok to not return to this one again.

An unremarkable album by Simple Minds. It's alright when it's used as background music. I'm not into that particular genre. I hope I get a better album next time. "Gold Dream" is OK but I expected more. 2 stars for a boring album.

When I was 18, Jim Kerr came into my uni to do a guest lecture, and I must admit I had no idea who he was, but he had some pretty cool rock and roll stories. I was expecting this to be a bit more raucous, but it’s just a bunch of easy listening 80’s music that gets a bit samey after a while.

..(.

Was never really a fan. Just another deep-throated British vocalist, sounding just like all the others (all Bowie wannabes). And I was pissed off that he beat me to Chrissie Hynde. Promised You A Miracle and Glittering Prize are the standouts.

I hate this on principle. Why is the only version of this album that's available on Spotify 4 fucking hours long?!?! That is ABSURD! If the original release runtime is 46 minutes or so, why can't I listen to that version?? I've managed to listen to the first 9 tracks representing the original release, but I still don't like it. It's middling at best. Everything about this is wrong: the branding, the album artwork, the naming of it, the music is just so unappealing and bland. I would prefer to forget about this, if I can, thank you very much.

if you took a Worst of New Order compilation and then removed the spark that implies the band must have some cool stuff around, it'd sound like this music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Maybe to my taste, new wave has to be a little bit gothy or a little bit punk, to be a good time.

A lot of the same over and over.

This barely escapes being a 1 with vocals that are nearly indiscernible and a total lack of variety from track to track. Listened to: at home.

I listened to this album and forgot to rate, listened it again because I thought I skipped. I totally forgot about it already (again)

Very eighties pop - it sounds like a lot of other bands in the genre, but doesn’t stand out above others.

Some decent songs here and there but nothing worth coming back to unfortunately

Didn't hate this, but I'm sure this will be polarizing. It's New Wave through and through, and it's SO DAMN LONG.

Very 80s.

Artsy, echoey, new-agey, atmospheric

1.5 per track.

Idc.

do something, bums

Idc

Yeah there was just nothing memorable about this. Boring and uninspired.

Not an album I would choose to listen to again

Not awful, but too blatantly 80’s for me.

Some good tunes and a great throwback to the 80’s!

Solid mid-table album, it would have had 3 stars. However they had an instrumental track in the middle which was just so boring. So it gets 2

Meh. The songs are okay but it's hard to get past the bad production.

I only know one song by Simple Minds and that was just because it was on The Breakfast Club soundtrack. That one is definitely a banger. Overall, this was quintessentially 80's with some generic stuff and a couple nice tracks mixed in. Track reactions: 1 - Straight into that 80's sound. I can dig it. 2 - A bit of a drop-off but I can listen to it. 3 - Nothing special, just some OK background music. 4 - More of the same. 5 - Instrumental track? It's actually quite nice... 6 - Favorite track so far. Nice ethereal vibe I can get lost in. 7 - Fine generic 80's music 8 - This one got better as I listened to it. 9 - Ended with just an ok track.

Pop con sintetizadores. Un rollo. Un 2.

Nothing special on this. Simple Minds have some great songs, but this album was overwhelmingly "eh". I still don't understand why the album and title track have (81/82/83/84)?

Big fan of Alive and Kicking and was hoping for a surprise here. Didn't hear the song I wanted and thought the rest was pretty generic, basic 80's pop. Not that is was terrible, but there wasn't anything that caught my attention, other than Colours Fly. And that's because I thought of Foo's album, The Colour and the Shape. Yea, I'm a strange dude, but I like me. Not mush else to say. Decent background music, but nothing to get excited for. I do like the guy's voice though. 2.5

2.5 Allegedly this album helped innovate the 80s pop sound that would go on to define the decade. I can’t say that I feel strongly one way or the other in regards to that claim, but what I can confidently say is that what Simple Minds did with it here is far from the most interesting version of it. Maybe it’s not fair to compare this to music that followed and likely took influence, but there are plenty of genre-defining artists I could point to that came out of the gates swinging, and these guys couldn’t even do that five albums in. Hell, even comparing this to their own work, there’s nothing here that holds a candle to Don’t You (Forget About Me). Why didn’t we get that album? The inclusion of the Breakfast Club song alone must make it a better listen than this. Trash talk aside, this really did nothing for me and was just kind of a non-presence while I was working. It didn’t give me anything to like, anything to dislike, or anything to feel remotely strongly about it in any particular way - this truly was just very vanilla. Normally I’m the first pretentious a-hole to call a group out as being better before they got big, but that is very much not the case with Simple Minds. Ok, a correction after a Google search later - Don’t You (Forget About Me) was a non-album single written and recorded for The Breakfast Club (apparently reluctantly). While I could update the above paragraph, I went ahead and listened to the album the song was later bundled with anyway, and it is indeed better than this, so I stand by my initial sentiment.

I remember giving Simple Minds a good try back then, and just not getting it. I haven't changed my mind. The mix is unnecessarily muddy and dull, a poor imitation of The Lexicon of Love or The Luxury Gap.

Ni fu ni fa

I may have not just been in the mood for this New Wave but it was such background music. I don't think there's anything that got my attention once.

This is the band that made quite possibly one of the most influential 80s songs of all time. This album is a big step below that and none of the songs on here get close to as enjoyable as forget about me. This album didn’t seem to have any of the lure of what made them great on their other album. This album was an interesting choice as it seemed they made a significantly better one. 5.5/10

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