Simple Minds: Big Music

Creative DNA is no more and no less the very thing that makes artists of every stripe fit for any kind of purpose, and so we say a nostalgic hello to Simple Minds, the Scottish band that rose to immense heights 30 years ago with the kind of anthemic, fist-pumping songs that raised roofs. The band has, of course, gone in and out of fashion over the years, but latterly they seem to be riding yet another wave of popularity. And so the music on their bullishly titled new album is unafraid to cover the same territory it once forcefully stomped on. There are a few highlights – the choruses of songs such as Let the Day Begin and Kill or Cure are vice-like in their intent to have you humming along whether you want to or not. Overall, however, this is old ground sorely in need of much stronger foundations. simpleminds.com