Re: Early Simple Minds

[rosen@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Rob Rosen)]

>Date: Fri, 4 Apr 86 12:53:16 cst
>From: Glenn Bruns <bruns@mcc.arpa>
>Subject: Early Simple Minds

>I've been surprised to see the Simple Minds flames lately; I guess
>they're too mainstream for most of you.  More surprising are the
>many comments (most recently by Robb Leatherwood) stating that their
>early work (notably "New Gold Dreams") was superior to their later
>stuff.  

     "New Gold Dreams" is EARLY WORK??  What does that make
     "Sister Feelings Call" or "Reel to Real Cacophany?"
     There's a definite style progression with SM.  RtRC, Life in
     a Day, and the one that came after that (or was is before?
     I forgot the title, it's the one with the backwards R's all
     over the place) have a different feel than Sister Feelings Call
     and Sons and Fascination (they're more synth-based and moody but
     still have the raw feeling that the first couple of LPs have), 
     which in turn are different from NGD (a little more glitzy, more
     pop-oriented but still hanging on to the complexity that the previous
     albums have), which is different from SitR(which seems to be a return
     to the rawness of the first couple of LPs while still retaining the
     complexity of the last couple; Lillywhite's production stands out).

>I like most of New Gold Dreams, especially "Somewhere in Summertime",
>but the songs seem to lack the coherent, distinct style that
>Simple Minds displayed on their following album, "Sparkle in the Rain".
>New Gold Dreams contains several synth-based tunes that
>sound like NewWave meets ProgressiveRock (i.e., dull and boring).  
>The best example is the longish song featuring Herbie Hancock as 
>guest noodler.  Compare this to, say, "Up on the Catwalk" on Sparkle 
>in the Rain.  The sound, though still quite electronic, is 
>organic - it doesn't sound like cliched synth-sounds layered in  
>the studio.  If I kept my albums at work, I'd give more examples.
>
    I think the production helps to get this feeling across, although
    now that I think about it I can't remember whether it was Lillywhite
    or Bob Clearmountain who produced SitR.  Maybe it was both??

>Their new album?  After about 6 listenings I don't think it
>has the style or songwriting quality found on Sparkle.
>
    I agree.  Sounds overproduced and under-thought.  Not nearly
    as musically complex as the last couple LPs.  Maybe that's why
    it became a top-tenner.

    --Rob
-- 
		       --Rob Rosen

		       ...ucbvax!rosen
		       rosen@ucbvax.berkeley.edu