One record at a time: 405. Simple Minds - Sparkle in the Rain

Having propelled themselves up the charts with their previous album, Simple Minds decided to go for the jugular with the follow up "Sparkle in the Rain" in 1984.

Whilst received wisdom tells me this album is more 'rock' than previous efforts, it actually sounds pretty 'pop' to me. Steve Lillywhite's production has a radio friendly sheen and the commercial potential of tracks like "Speed Your Love to me" is pretty obvious.

Things kick off with a flourish of Yamaha CP-70 piano and some thunderous drums which propel the single "Up On The Catwalk" along. I wasn't really aware of this track previously as it doesn't seem to appear on many compilations, but it is a really great song with some neat synth work courtesy of Mike MacNeil.

Another single "Waterfront" is instantly recognisable and the metronomic bass of Michael MacNeil is something wonderful to behold. To be truthful, there's not much to this song (I don't think it has a single chord change), but this really doesn't matter. Songs like "East at Easter" and "The Kick Inside of Me" might fly under the radar of casual observers, but I have no doubt devotees must treasure them as the jewels they are. Unfortunately some songs do stray towards the sound of contemporaries U2, but I can forgive such a misstep as there are more than enough original ideas here.

When it comes to acquiring a decent copy of "Sparkle in the Rain", I'd advise aiming for one with intact gilding on the edges of the sleeve. Experience tells me that if a previous owner has looked after the sleeve, they have probably taken care of the record too. 4/5

One record at a time: 404. Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)

When "New Gold Dream" was released in 1982 the LP was housed in a gold coloured inner, but later pressings were issued in a purple bag. I acquired the newer pressing from eBay a few months ago but, when I stumbled upon an original in a shop last week, I couldn't resist buying it too. 

In truth both records have picked up some scars during their forty three years of existence and they don't sound quite as exciting as they could. Not only is the music reproduction a bit flat, but there is background noise throughout; a situation almost analogous to a modern GZ Media pressing - but for a quarter of the price.

I'm no expert on the history of Simple Minds, but from what I understand, it was the commercial success of this album that propelled the band into superstardom. Listening to the music on this record it is easy to see why it was so successful. There are more hooks than you can shake a stick at and the genius of Charlie Burchill is tangible.

The catchy single "Someone, Somewhere in Summertime" (or "Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)" if you prefer) finds the band in perfect harmony both figuratively and literally. I was expecting the quality to drop of markedly at this point, but the second track "Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel" doesn't sound out of place nested between the impressive intro and another single "Promised you a miracle". 

Until I listened to this record I didn't realise that the phrase, "incorporates elements from New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)" is of the biggest understatements I have ever read on a record sleeve. As a fan of dance music back in the early nineties I enjoyed a tune called "Open Your Mind" by U.S.U.R.A. - what I didn't realise at the time was that the track was a wholesale lift of a Simple Minds song. I don't mean, "they used a couple of samples from the song", I mean they stole the whole thing and simply stuck a kick drum under it. At least when Utah Saints had the same idea a little later they were respectful enough to retain the song title (along with some of Jim Kerr's vocals). I can only hope Simple Minds took all of the publishing for the U.S.U.R.A. record.

There's another good single on the flip side called "Glittering Prize" which shows an increasing reliance on synth sounds to drive the music rather than just augment it. Unfortunately the last couple of songs seem to fizzle out a bit - but there's no doubt this is a good album with plenty to recommend it. 4/5 

One record at a time: 403. Simple Minds - Sister Feelings Call

As a newcomer to the Simple Minds back catalogue I was a little confused by this record. After some digging I found that it is a companion piece to the album "Sons and Fasciation" and was released at a budget price.

It seems that on completing their new album in 1981, the band had a large amount of material left over that they felt was too good to discard. What this doesn't explain, is why the lead single from the project is included on this record and not the principal album. All very confusing when you're coming to the party almost forty five years late.

Given its provenance it not unreasonable to describe the music on this record as something of a mixed bag. The single "The American" is a fantastic display of original ideas and catchy grooves that bursts from the speakers. Whilst being b-side material, "20th Century Promised Land" manages to keep its head up and survive the faint disco influences that infiltrate its rock styling. Also worthy of mention is "Wonderful Young Life" which points to the sound the band would adopt in their commercial peak. As with all early Simple Minds records, the golden thread of Derek Forbes's superb bass and the undeniable genius of Charles Burchill remains constant.

Conversely songs like "League of Nations" sound like unfinished ideas that were given a cursory dusting before being paraded before us. Personally I am not a fan of the instrumental "Sound of 70 Cities" as it has a really annoying synth noise that I can't navigate past. So whilst interesting and no doubt essential for fans, this album isn't quite to my taste and I look forward to moving on to the band's more commercial work. 2/5

One record at a time: 402. Simple Minds - Empires and Dance

I haven't yet acquired a copy of Simple Mind's second album "Real to Real Cacophony" so we are forced to skip to their third effort "Empires and Dance" from 1980. I bought this record from eBay quite recently and it sounds good with very little extraneous noise.

The moment this record begins it is clear the sound of the band has moved on from their debut. The synth rhythms of "I Travel" are redolent of sweaty European night clubs where the PA resonates to the sounds of Giorgio Moroder and Kraftwerk. On this record Jim Kerr's voice has evolved into the baritone we are familiar with and the guitars seems to have taken a step back when compared to earlier efforts. 

Whilst still not matching the band's best, the songs on this record are much 'groovier' and have a distinct studio polish. Much of the groove is provided by bassists Derek Forbes whose superlative work features most prominently on tracks like "Today I Died Again" and "This Fear of Gods". 

Elsewhere there is a good deal of time devoted to experimentation with "Twist/Run/Repulsion" or "Kant Kino" being some of the more prominent examples. For fans of electronic music, the song "Thirty Frames a Second" is probably the most interesting with its Korg 770 bass refrain complimenting Charlie's distinctive guitar sounds. 

The most commercial recordings are the afore mentioned "I Travel" and the only other single taken from the album, "Celebrate". Whilst both are good songs, neither have really chimed outside of the band's fan base and they remain a kind of buried treasure for those of us brave enough to wander into uncharted territory.

Because various styles of music are being thrown into the melting pot, this album doesn't really have a strong identity. Unfortunately I can help but judge "Empires and Dance" alongside more successful entries in the band's back catalogue and unfortunately it suffers from this comparison. Even when I try to look more objectively, I can help but thing this record is just too quirky for anyone other than those with an interest in the history of Simple Minds. 2.5/5

One record at a time: 401. Simple Minds - Life In A Day

I had always been familiar with Simple Minds and their hit singles, yet I considered their music to be somewhat too 'rock and roll' for my liking. Although I acquired an album called "Street Fighting Years" in 1989 and a compilation of their hits a few years later, I never dare delve too deeply into their discography. This changed in 2024 when I watched a documentary titled "Everything Is Possible," which piqued my interest and led me to explore the works of Messrs Kerr and Burchill more thoroughly. In this post, I will be listening to a copy of the band's debut album, "Life In A Day" which was reissued by Virgin Records after they achieved wider commercial success.

The opening chords of "Someone" do not bode well for enthusiasts of electronic music. The combination of acoustic drums and piercing guitar resembles a form of glam rock that could be dismissed as a lesser imitation of Roxy Music. However, after approximately thirty seconds, keyboard sounds begin to surface, hinting that something more intriguing and original may be on the horizon.

In fact, even the instrument that created these sounds is quite intriguing. You can tell the sound has an acoustic element and is clearly polyphonic; so it can't be from a synthesiser of the period. So what is it? Well, after some poking around on the internet it seems group member Derek Forbes played something called a Baldwin Electric Harpsichord on this record. The instrument used was actually owned by Abbey Road studios and had even been used by The Beatles. 

As the record unfolds some typically seventies shrill mono-synth sounds emerge and the guitar work becomes increasingly impressive. Whilst some of the lyrics are a bit cliched and the mix is unbelievably flat and monaural, it doesn't seem to matter. And that's the magic of this album, it is raw and unsophisticated but the hooks are strong enough to carry the day. The most amazing thing to me is that the principal songwriters, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, were only nineteen or twenty when they wrote and recorded these songs. 

Standout tracks are "Pleasantly Disturbed" (which reminds me of ELO), Chelsea Girl (I am told this is a thinly veiled imitation of Velvet Underground but, as I have never knowingly listened to them, I have no idea) and the title track (even if the timing of the various band members does seem to be slightly out of step). Whilst this record has absolutely none of the hallmarks of their later material it serves as a testament to the budding talents of the principal songwriters. 3/5

One record at a time: 400. Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release

After coming across a positive review of "Attack Decay Sustain Release" in Q magazine, I felt compelled to purchase the CD. There seemed to be a lack of fresh electronic music at that time and the description of Simian Mobile Disco's debut was very promising. As it turned out, I loved the album from the first moment I heard it and I played it continuously during the summer of 2007.

Fast forward seven years and I decided to purchase the vinyl to compliment my growing collection. Looking at the invoice on amazon.co.uk I can see this LP cost me £16.82 which seems like an extraordinary price and makes me a little depressed when I realise I have become accustomed to paying almost double this for even the most mundane vinyl release today.

Anyway, when it arrived I found this record was actually the version released in the USA by Intersope records. I have a suspicion Amazon were selling lots of imports around this time as I unexpectedly received the American versions of a couple of other albums I ordered from them in 2014.

There are some significant differences between this American disc and its British counterpart. The American version features an extra track titled "Clock" and the song "Hustler" is censored with all uses of "the F word" muted out. The British version came with a patterned bag to hold the record but my copy has a simple poly lined inner. Sonically it's not a fantastic pressing, but it does the job.

The record opens with the wonderfully relentless pounding of "Sleep Deprivation" which sounds like a club night condensed down into five minutes. There are lots of nods to electro influences in "It's the beat" and "Tits and Acid" but the wonderful melodies on tracks like "Wooden" point to a talent that far exceeds one genre.

Whilst I loved everything on this record at one time, I'm not too impressed by some of it today. The vocals of "Hustler" are tedious and seem to paint a picture of a man who blames his father for turning him into a foul mouthed shoplifter. "Love" has some nice disco tinged bass guitar, but the vocals are so repetitive they begin to irritate me a little. "Scott" is a nice improvised interlude but is nothing more than album filler.

The highlight here is the wonderful single "I Believe" which features the vocals of Simon Lord. Whilst much slower in tempo, this song is fiercely electronic and thumps along in a shower of staccato synths and rumbling basslines. Thanks to the bonus track "Clocks" we finish on a melodic high that you may miss on other pressings. 4/5

One record at a time: 399. Sheep On Drugs - Greatest Hits

I used to buy a lot of CD singles back in the nineties. Sometimes I bought them because they were cheap; sometimes I bought them because I had heard of someone credited on the sleeve, and sometimes it was simply because the artwork looked interesting. One such purchase was "15 Minutes of Fame" by Sheep On Drugs.

I ended up liking this single so much that I decided to buy the compact disc of the band's debut album when it was released a couple of weeks later in March 1993. Twenty-five years later I found this LP in a secondhand record store, and whilst it isn't in the best condition, I couldn't resist buying it.

One contemporary review of this record described the title as "cheeky". Today we would have to say that naming the album "Greatest Hits" was actually more prophetic than impudent. Nothing the band released after this really matched it for fun, weirdness and downright mischief.

Sheep On Drugs used to be the duo of Duncan X and Lee Fraser, and their apparent lack of regard for the establishment meant their music was edgy and interesting. This is a record that sounds like it was made by some delinquents that the record company didn't even realise they had signed. Yet this is no boring experiment in ambient sound or industrial noise; there are some catchy tunes and genuinely innovative dance sounds on this record. I have no doubt that the principal reason this record succeeds sonically is because it is produced by Gareth Jones. If anyone knows how to wrangle the talents of unruly young men, then it must be the former Depeche Mode collaborator.

The rave stabs, breakbeats and rumbling sub-bass of the first track, "Uberman", sound like typical nineties dance music until Duncan's vocal drawl emerges to tell us he's "as bad as bad can be". As you hear songs like "Acid Test" and "15 Minutes of Fame", you realise this music isn't easy to pigeonhole. Everything is heavily influenced by dance music, but there's more than enough mad punk sensibility to make this something unique. Duncan's lyrics seem to be key to this mix, as they are both disturbing and memorable. I'm not sure if "Suzy Q" is about tattoos, IV drugs or falling in love: maybe it's all three. A personal favourite is "Chard", in which a dirty guitar is given centre stage whilst Duncan tells us he is variously a liar, a dog, a son of a gun and an island.

My only criticism of this album is that almost all of the songs follow the same recipe. To modern ears the kick drums lack a little bottom end, but then there's a constant sine wave bassline occupying the lower frequencies anyway. Early singles feature versions of "Mary Jane", "Motorbike" and "Acid Test" that were produced by the band, and whilst they are less polished than the album mix, they do offer a little more variety.

The band's second album, "On Drugs", has some highlights, but it wasn't nearly as good as this – so when Island Records finally realised these delinquents were actually signed to their label, they promptly dropped them. The band struggled on for a few years, but the original duo split in 1998, and "Greatest Hits" remains their definitive work. 4/5