To me, the highly stylised artwork of this record was a sign of a rather cynical cash in. This album was released on the back of a number one hit in the USA ("Don't (You Forget About Me)") and I can just imagine the A&R team at Virgin Records losing their minds at the thought of Simple Minds working with the same people who had produced U2. No matter what, this record had to look appealing to the American public.
Unfortunately this record isn't nearly as good as the two albums that preceded it. Opening track "Once Upon A Time" is standard AOR fare that has nothing to recommend it. Things don't improve with the dismal U2 pastiche "Ghost Dancing" which is so dull I find it hard to listen to.
Things pick up with the single "Alive and Kicking", but its constant use in promoting the launch of the Premier League back in 1992 mean it soon becomes tiresome to my ears. The only track I do genuinely like is "All the things She Said" which has a great hook and offers flashes of the real Simple Minds who seem to be hiding behind the sonic veil thrown up by the producers.
Things don't improve much on the b-side as the lyrics of "Oh Jungleland" are amongst the worst I have ever heard from a normally impeccable Jim Kerr. The dull rock of "I Wish You Were Here" and "Come a Long Way" drift over me and only the single "Sanctify Yourself" offers something close to originality.
To my mind this whole record contains nothing but insipid rock designed for American radio. I guess something had to be sacrificed in order to appeal to their new American masters, but for me, the band sold its soul. Derek Forbes's bass is sorely missed and the female backing singers are totally at odds with everything else that is going on. This isn't one for me. 2/5
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