Once upon a time --- Simple Minds --- 1985 (Virgin)
I was never, truth to tell, a big Simple Minds fan. I got the greatest hits of course, and had a listen to one or two albums along the way but back in 1985 you really couldn't turn on the TV or radio without hearing one of their hits, all from this pretty seminal album. In the end I decided what the hell, four singles, the album must be good and I bought it. I wasn't disappointed, because it really is quite an excellent album. It didn't spur me to buy their next one or indeed go back through their catalogue, an impression some artistes have had on me, but I certainly did not regret buying the album. Their most commercially successful, it followed the big hit single "(Don't you) forget about me", and although that wasn't and isn't on this album, the song is forever inextricably linked with the album and the singles that came from it, and this was certainly Simple Minds' golden period.
It was their second number one album in the UK and the only one ever to chart inside the top ten in the USA. After this they would have two more successful albums taking them up to 1995, but then sales would begin to slide and would only recover for their last album released in 2009. They would never again trouble the US chart, their best effort after this peaking at number 70, for 1991's "Street fighting years", another number one for them here. Their singles, too, from this album did phenomenally well over here, and quite well in the US, in the latter case most of them breaking the top twenty barrier. But again, after this they would sink without a trace.
But 1985 was their year and they were on top of the world. Literally. Anyone around my age will remember the powerful video shot to accompany the single "Alive and kicking", at the top of a mountain and the sun going down over the shoulder of said mountain as the song faded to an end. It was, I recall, very effective and very impressive.
It's the title track that gets us going, with jangly guitar and echoey little keyboards before the latter set up a nice little AOR-style fanfare, the percussion thumping along as Jim Kerr's distinctive voice cuts in, the song not without its share of funk and dance but still with a rocky little punch. Quite similar in ways to the work being put out at the time by Tears For Fears I feel, a certain sense of new wave about it too. Kerr is in fine voice, and his voice is strong, easily rising above the guitars drums and keys and ably supported by Robin Clark, whose voice would become integral to such hits as "Alive and kicking" and "Sanctify yourself", later in the album, and who really added an extra dimension to Simple Minds' music. Nice guitar break then Robin comes in with a solo vocal piece, more vocalise really, kind of "Whoa-whoa-ooh-ohhh" that fades the song out and we're into one of the big hits, "All the things she said", with a synthy opening and a pulsing bass and guitar, again with an edge of soul or funk about it.
On this Clark backs Kerr on the vocals rather than just adding vocalise, and there's a kind of suspense about the melody, as if it's waiting for something to happen. Some very nice piano on this from Michael MacNeil, powerful percussion too courtesy of Mel Gaynor. Great little instrumental break then about halfway in, before the vocals return to take the song to its conclusion. Charlie Burchill's rapid jangly guitar carries "Ghostdancing", and it's a much faster song than either of the two before it, almost in the vein of "See the lights" or "Speed your love". Touches of gospel too in the vocals between Robin Clark and Jim Kerr, and Burchill's guitar takes on a distinct flavour of U2's The Edge as the song goes on. There's a big finish then as Gaynor gets in on the act, trundling away behind the drumkit, and the song fades out into the other big hit single.
If Simple Minds were known for anything around this time, other than that song from "The Breakfast Club", it was "Alive and kicking", and with good reason: it's a powerful song. With a soft, lush atmospheric keyboard intro it runs into a great duet between Clark and Kerr before he takes the chorus solo, with a rippling piano and keyboard line from MacNeil, and if "All the things she said" seemed like it was building to something, this definitely is. The passion and intensity increases until the duet spills over into the bridge and on into the chorus, and there's a stunning solo performance from Robin Clark at the end, backed by Mel Gaynor pounding away with gusto at the skins. But not before a beautiful piano solo by MacNeil that then leads to the climax of the song. Perfect.
Everything takes off at a gallop then for "Oh jungleland", some very new wave keyboards from MacNeil with more funky guitar from Burchill, a sort of shuffle really in places, and suprisingly "I wish you were here" was not chosen as a single. I know there are strong tracks here, but I would have taken this over the final single, "Ghostdancing", any day. It just seems that more commercial, and has a hook reminsicent of the best of Spandau Ballet, who would have been around and doing well too at this time. But I suppose every track can't be released; I do think this would have improved on the eventual poor showing, in comparison, of "Ghostdancing" had they gone the other way. Again there's a great sharp piano line leading the song with some fine vocal harmonies, then we're into the last single from the album --- actually released second --- with "Sanctify yourself", a big, frenetic, energetic number that really allows Jim Kerr his head and also lets Mel Gaynor cut loose.
There's a real flavour of gospel on the song, with a great vocal chorus and an almost messianic performance from Kerr, then the album ends on the appropriately-titled "Come a long way", with a big booming drum opening, sparkling keyboards and chugging guitar, and a really Depeche Mode keyboard melody along the way. Great bass line running through it too, and it's a good closer if not the strongest track on the album; still a powerful end to what has gone down as one of Simple Minds' best and most popular albums.
TRACKLISTING
1. Once upon a time
2. All the things she said
3. Ghostdancing
4. Alive and kicking
5. Oh jungleland
6. I wish you were here
7. Sanctify yourself
8. Come a long way