Album Club, October 2016: Simple Minds - 'New Gold Dream'
The Album Club choice for October comes courtesy of Alan (Audio Al) with Simple Minds - 'New Gold Dream'.
As always, please listen to the album in its entirety before you reply and vote.
Simple Minds - 'New Gold Dream'
OK Here goes , this has been a Boot Sale find in the past, I now have 3 copies: 2 Booty finds and an Abbey Road half-speed master 180 gram In my opinion one of Simple Minds best ever albums.
Simple Minds are:
Jim Kerr - lead vocals
Charlie Burchill - guitars and effects
Michael MacNeil - keyboards and effects
Derek Forbes - bass guitar
New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) is the fifth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds. The album was released in summer 1982 by record label Virgin, and was a turning point for the band as they gained critical and commercial success in the UK and Europe. Released in September 1982, the album made No. 3 in the UK Albums Chart. In the US, A&M issued some limited edition translucent gold with maroon colored marble vinyl pressings of the album.
The record generated a handful of singles: "Promised You a Miracle" (released in April 1982), "Glittering Prize" (August 1982) and "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" (November 1982).
Stand out tracks for me are
Someone somewhere in summertime.
Promised you a miracle
Big Sleep
Somebody up there likes you ( Instrumental )
New Gold dream ( Has a banging beat )
Glittering prize
Hunter and the hunted
King is white and in the clouds
I really like this LP Al, and in my opinion it marked the high-tide of quality output from Simple Minds. Dug it out and listened again last night.
The run of LPs that culminated in New Gold Dream all felt exciting and innovative at the time (I got the Berlin era Bowie influence but they also opened up earlier 70s Krautrockers like Can, Neu, Faust and New York electro bands like Suicide). I think that the first 5 LPs were reissued a few years ago as a great value cd box-set and all warrant going back to.....great wide soundscapes, lyrics deep in the mix, brilliant music for a long car journey.
I also feel that Simple Minds never approached this output again - whilst they went on to become stadium superstars and tabloid/celebrity fodder in the 1989s and beyond, I think their new music suffered eg Belfast Child etc (see also U2!!).
Anyway cut to the chase....9/10 from me.
Some great tracks including at least 3 classic singles, all of which struggled to break beyond the lower echelons of the Top 20.....
The Album Club choice for October comes courtesy of Alan (Audio Al) with Simple Minds - 'New Gold Dream'.
As always, please listen to the album in its entirety before you reply and vote.
Simple Minds - 'New Gold Dream'
OK Here goes , this has been a Boot Sale find in the past, I now have 3 copies: 2 Booty finds and an Abbey Road half-speed master 180 gram In my opinion one of Simple Minds best ever albums.
Simple Minds are:
Jim Kerr - lead vocals
Charlie Burchill - guitars and effects
Michael MacNeil - keyboards and effects
Derek Forbes - bass guitar
New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) is the fifth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds. The album was released in summer 1982 by record label Virgin, and was a turning point for the band as they gained critical and commercial success in the UK and Europe. Released in September 1982, the album made No. 3 in the UK Albums Chart. In the US, A&M issued some limited edition translucent gold with maroon colored marble vinyl pressings of the album.
The record generated a handful of singles: "Promised You a Miracle" (released in April 1982), "Glittering Prize" (August 1982) and "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" (November 1982).
Stand out tracks for me are
Someone somewhere in summertime.
Promised you a miracle
Big Sleep
Somebody up there likes you ( Instrumental )
New Gold dream ( Has a banging beat )
Glittering prize
Hunter and the hunted
King is white and in the clouds
and remember generous volume when listening
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do, its a regular on my play list.
Tried the YouTube link and it says video not available. Any other links. Thanks
Not my cuppa I'm afraid, I wasn't that keen when it was released and nothing has changed. The tunes are more familiar after many years of airplay but still not good for my ears.
I'm not sure if history will look back kindly on '80s pop music, and whilst not 'my decade', I have personal reasons to regard the '80 with some nostalgia. So I was looking forward to listening to this album, since I have very little electro-pop in my collection, and was interested in being reminded of an important period of my life.
Well it is certainly well produced and the first track instantly took me back to that period. And therein lies the problem - this album is very much of its time, and the majority of the pop music then was ephemeral: to be enjoyed and then forgotten. I found the tracks to be too similar and I quickly became bored. But I persevered, sadly though nothing appeared to change my mind.
I'll give it 5/10 as it was a pleasant trip down memory lane, but I won't be looking to listen to anything more by them.
Could be said, the band Gabriel made, Simple Minds had various stages in their development, including alas, this kind of new romantic one. I prefer their rock side personally, but each to their own and can see the attraction Al has to it.
As Barry and others say, its a bit samey. 80's was not my scene music wise after coming through the 60's and 70's. I kinda switched off for most of the decade, but remember some of the tracks as the wife liked them.
So to a vote.. as i say, i preferred them in rock mode, or even in their really early days as an almost punk band, so 4/10 for me... sorry Al
Regards,
Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse
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