Simple Minds Album by Album Thread

Hahaha... You would think the commercial decline of SM was due changes in the line-up, musical climate and the collapsing recond industry. But it was the anaconda all along.

 

Thanks to the anaconda, its appears that it was Patsy who ended up with the brass in pocket.
Who ends up with that reptile now will have to live with its age, all wrinkled, fat gorged and all stiff-less now.

 

Now there's some imagery for you. Time to summon the virtual plastic surgeon.

 

I can't say I'm happy about that imagery Havoc - I could have happily gone along without thinking about anyone's anaconda, let alone Kerr's...

And in fairness, I've never had a scantily clad babe as my avatar either so it isn't a sexist thing. I'm hear for the music!

 

Same here. I only have the X5 box, SITR, the first four Themes Volumes and the "Glittering Prize" and "Best Of" compilations, but I really enjoy reading about all those later albums, especially after so many years, which surely clears up much of the criticism and many of the negative reactions SM received since the 90's

 

I'm here for the music too, but now I know a secret- friend , invisible member and reptile of Simple Minds was behind all those wonderful lyrics.
In case of Morrissey, it was his puddy cat.

 

That's not a bad collection! The post noughties albums have elements of both the minimalism of the early albums and the 80s bombast. I'd say we're soon onto greater things, as good as Neapolis and Secrets are. They are close but no anaconda. Sorry.

 

OK, maybe I will bring us back to the topic at hand? Our Secrets Are The Same?

I remember reading an article with Jim back around that time where he was sharing his frustrations with the album being blocked. I don't remember his exact words, but he said something to the effect of the album being a "personal milestone" or a "career high" for the band. I wish I could remember, but basically, I remember reading that and thinking "Wow, that must be some album." As time went on, it looked like the album would finally get a release, and the artwork was shared online. Anticipation grew for me. Then they finally decided to put it in the Silver Box. It was a frustrating wait, but I finally got to hear it.

And I was disappointed.

All I can say is that I like a couple of songs, but that's one album that just didn't resonate with me. I think it's just OK, but to me, it does sound like what I'd expect a "shelved" album to sound like. Perhaps I should listen to it more, but they have so many other albums I'd rather hear.

 

Jim was never extremely subtle in his statements about the band, was he .
In retrospect Jim and Charlie wasn't happy with the way the album was recorded, and it sounds slightly raw and a bit dated now.
But I really like the songs, they are well-crafted, melodic and occasionally quirky, possibly their best batch of songs of the 90s, a continuation of the creative rebirth starting on "Neapolis".
"Space" is wonderfully epic and currently in their setlist. "Jeweller To The Stars" is great but was re-recorded in a superior version for "Black And White".
There's not a skipper on the whole album for me. It's just a shame we can't buy it.

 

Oh we're all here for the music but we can't ignore the anacon......uh....elephant in the room. That clove loving chick I was in line with for the OUAT show in Oakland mentioned Sigmund the serpent...(can we please just call it Sigmund?)and how she planned on spending the evening with him on more than a few occasions. It made for a special night.

It just didn't have that effervescence that their other albums have. There's a special something that lifts it to a higher plain that OSATS just seemed to lack. I was expecting something different when reading Jim speak of it as one of the best thing's they created. It's a decent to good record but it felt like a "Burchill, Kerr, Nash & Young" album instead of Simple Minds. Add to that the fact that there was no run up to it, no tour.....it's like it got coughed up and even though I realize it wasn't the band's fault......well maybe Sigmund played a role, it's always been difficult to think of it in terms that put it on the shelf in between Neapolis and Neon Lights.

 

"Neon Lights" up ahead?

 

Couldn't read this and not post this:

 

Neon Lights 2001

The history reads something like this..................after the band was fired from EMI and had it's possible "Pepper" shelved, leaked and compromised the band almost hung it up. Jim got into the hotel business in Italy while Charlie bounced between Italy and Scotland. While Jim was beginning his new life as a hotel owner he was approached by several local musicians asking for advice on how to record as well as up and coming producers telling Jim that Simple Minds had too important a legacy than to let things end they way they were looking they had. This recent storm of musical activity swept Jim out of the comforts of his hotel and out of retirement. He and Charlie signed a limited contract with Eagle Records who were making a name for themselves promoting veteran artists. It was decided that a covers album might be a quick way to reintroduce the band and to create some momentum behind their return to recording.

Jim, Charlie and producer Gordy Goudie discussed the music that Simple Minds had grown up with and had admired while in the early stage of its career. Obvious influences like David Bowie, Patti Smith, Van Morrison and Neil Young came to mind as well as contemporaries such as Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division and Human League. The three musicians had recorded the album with Charlie and Gourdie taking care of all instruments including the programming of electronic percussion and bass guitars which solidified Charlie's place as a very accomplished master of the new musical technology that had been quickly emerging.

Neon Lights was released to little fanfare and on a relatively small budget with the help of Eagle Records who originally had not included the album in its deal with the band. The album generally received below average reviews as is normally expected of covers albums, especially from a British press who had all but chiseled out the lettering on the band's gravestone and was reluctant to take back the epitaph it been wanting to write for many years. The album features a very thoughtful array of songs (the best line-up this Havoc has seen on a covers album) and is well performed with great musical contributions and competent vocals that range from inspired to emotionally subtle.

I personally like the album and play it regularly. I think the versions of Gloria, The Man Who Sold the World, Dancing Barefoot and Homosapien are great interpretations as well as the interesting and creative takes on Love Will Tear Us Apart and Bring On the Dancing Horses to name a few. The album sounds fine to me sonically and I have little to no complaints about It was an odd time in the band's history and I was just happy to see their name on the front of a record again but I think it would have been just as good if it was a normal release. In short..............me rikeeeee.

Neon Lights

Produced by Simple Minds and Gordy Goudie

Vocals- Jim Kerr
Guitars, Keyboards, Programming, Bass Guitars - Charlie Burchill
Guitars, bass guitars, programming- Gordy Goudie


1. Gloria
2. The Man Who Sold the World
3. Homosapien*
4. Dancing Barefoot*
5. Neon Lights
6. Hello I Love You
7. Bring On the Dancing Horses
8. The Needle And the Damage Done
9. For Your Pleasure
10. All Tomorrow's Parties
11. Being Boiled
12. Love Will Tear Us Apart

* Released as Singles

 

What???.....You worried that Sigmund was going to dominate the discussion?

 

sorry, as someone who followed Simple Minds from the very early days, I first saw them in 1978, this album is an utter abomination with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever, bought, played once, filed away as part of the collection never to be seen or heard again......dreadful.

 

I can totally understand why those who don't like the album feel the way they do. I would never proclaim this album as one with universal appeal, no need to apologize. It just works for me for some odd reason.

 

It's...OK I guess. But my love for them doesn't make me love everything they do. This one was a bit of a bummer to me. I don't hate it, but I don't believe they brought anything new to these songs.

 

I like a fair number of the cover tunes and if nothing else it's an enjoyable dry run for "Cry"

File under fine covers of great songs from bands I'm not really into:

Pete Shelley's "Homosapien", Bunnymen's "Bring On the Dancing Horses", Human League's "Being Boiled", Roxy Music's "For Your Pleasure", Kraftwerk's "Neon Lights"

File under OK but not very necessary covers of established favourites:

Patti's "Dancing Barefoot"
Jimbo's "Hello I Love You"
Neil's "The Needle And the Damage Done"
VU all time classic "All Tomorrow's Parties"

File under awful cover of established favourite, produced by lightweight Italian DJ :
"G-L-O-R-I-A"!

 

At the time of release I didn't know what to think; the Minds releasing an album of covers? Impossible, way too derivative. This highly original band who reinvented themselves with each album releasing a bloody covers album?!. Of course there's been the odd occasional cover song through the years, Street Hassle, Sign O The Times, Jerusalem (ehrr) et al, but an entire album consisting of other peoples songs seemed like an unlikely endeavour.

The notion of "reintroducing" the group brand reeked of the kind of compromise has-been acts makes in their autumn years. When the creative well has run dry, there's bills to pay, and the record label wants to milk the cow, the compilations come a-tumbling. And so do coveralbums. Pathetic decision in the first place, and the resulting product is at best mediocre. Arguably only worthwhile thing about this travesty, is the fun packaging of lead single Dancing Barefoot. Resembling an old 7" vinyl. The song itself is "okay", nothing special, but still one of the better tracks on the album. Imagine what the Minds could've done with Kraftwerk's Neon Lights in their glory days. Now the song just feels underwhelming, and like Dancing Barefoot, it's unimaginative arranged and produced, yet not entirely unlistenable. There's specks of light found passim, but too inconsistent.

But in 2001 I nevertheless felt reassured: it was a sign of life after all, and better yet - a new studio album was on the horizon. 2002 would belong to the Minds, I could even see the headlines: "Startling comeback", "UK media: we're sorry!" and "Poor man's U2 breaks the US top ten" Indeed, the future looked as bright as ever*

*sarcasm might apply

 

^ Yeah, the cover album usually means dearth of inspiration or contract filler.
It's ain't a masterpiece by any means, but without "Neon Lights", which was just a warmup/exercise for "Cry", Simple Minds would possibly not have survived*
No "Black And White", no "Graffiti Soul", no 5X5 tour.
Imagine if those "Italian DJ" guys had not pestered Jimi to get back into music?**
I prefer to see the album as trivial fun, not an attempt to better the original versions.



* Some people, like the challenged, beer-swilling species know as the UK music critic might wish they hadn't. They can eff off!
** Thankfully they only produced on track on NL (Gloria) but contributed to the some rather good songs on "Cry" and one on "Black And White"

 

These are all fair commentaries. I honestly don't know of a successful covers album by a band that had so much success with original material and when I had read about it coming out I had really hoped it was an error but, there it was in all it's glory in the bin at Best Buy. I accepted it for what it was and as is normal with good but not great material it grew on me. I actually liked the sonics in Gloria and thought it could have done fine as an instrumental. I liked the specter like synths on Dancing Barefoot, just little things here and there that I find myself turning to more than I ever would have thought. It is what it is and as dino77 pointed out, it served a greater purpose and for that I'm glad it was made.

Like I said, I'm easy to please when it comes to music and if it's moderately interesting then I'll look deeper into it. Duran Duran's "Thank You" was a disaster but there's quite a few moments on there that make it onto any compilation of their later albums. That goes for Neon Lights in that I'll normally put "Homosapien" and "Dancing Barefoot" on any compilation as representatives of that disc and never skip over them when it's their turn. I have some difficulty calling it a Simple Minds album as they almost seem as guest performers but it's proudly on the shelf right before "Cry" and on occasion, it's in our stereo taking some weight off my shoulders.

 

Through The Looking Glass -Siouxsie and The Banshees

Labour of Love -UB40

 

Are those worth checking into in your opinion? Not a huge follower of either band. I worked at the Banshees show in Berkeley helping with security (checking names on a clipboard while a guy that looked remarkably like Michael Clark Duncan told them "yay" or "nay". Steve Severin was a nice enough guy but Siousxie was a "see you next Tuesday". Not the reason I don't follow them but might be why I don't try harder.

 

That is a good one!

I'm so-so about Neon Lights. As a big fan of synth pop and electronic music, I do like the prominence of this aspect in many of the covers (not that it replaces the sound of MacNeil, who is still notably absent). But none of the versions improve on the originals and I don't feel that that SM "made the songs their own" in any way. I do give props to the album cover with the cool looking retro mix tape!

 

I thought Love Will Tear Us Apart and Bring On the Dancing Horses were very original interpretations and I like the techno coloring on Homosapien. I thought their version of Dancing Barefoot was every bit as good as U2's. I'll have to listen to the Siousxie disc and see how it's done. I did like The Passenger but never thought they made it their own, it was just them performing the song as themselves which, as is the case with any band doing a cover will have their own stamp on it.

"Leave Charlie alone!!!!!!!!!!!!"