Simple Minds’ Neapolis released

First posted 10/10/2020.

Neapolis Simple Minds

Released: March 16, 1998 Peak: -- US, 19 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: alternative rock

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Song for the Tribes Glitterball (3/14/98, 18 UK) War Babies (5/30/98, 43 UK) Tears of a Guy Superman v. Supersoul Lightning If I Had Wings Killing Andy Warhol Androgyny Total Running Time: 45:00 The Players: Jim Kerr (vocals) Charlie Burchill (guitars, keyboards) Derek Forbes (bass) Mel Gaynor (drums)

Rating: 3.195 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings) Awards:

About the Album: After Virgin Records released them from their contract, Simple Minds decided to reinvent themselves yet again. Since 1991, original members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill had essentially recorded as a duio with session musicians. Prior to this album, they reunited with original members Derek Forbes and Brian McGee. McGee’s involvement didn’t go past the rehearsal stage, but Forbes was reinstated as an official member. They also brought back Mel Gaynor, who’d first started working with the band in 1982. The move meant a return to the more new wave sound of their early ‘80s work instead of the more arena-rock sound they’d crafted since then. One would have thought such a reunion would have revived the band’s fortunes and garnered more attention. However, the album failed to chart in the U.S. when the band’s new label, Chrysalis, opted not to release the album there. WK In the UK it peaked at #19, a long way from the band’s previous six albums which had all peaked in the top 3. Two singles were released from the album. Glitterball reached the top 20 in the UK while War Babies fell just short of the top 40. The band toured to support the album, but health problems and contractual fiascos dogged the tour. WK After the tour, the band parted with Chrysalis Records and dropped Gaynor and Forbes from the band yet again. Notes: The Japanese edition also included remixes of “Don’t You Forget About Me” and “Waterfront” as bonus tracks.

Resources and Related Links: Simple Minds’ DMDB Encyclopedia entry WK Wikipedia

Simple Mind’s Real Life released

First posted 10/10/2020.

Real Life Simple Minds

Released: April 8, 1991 Peak: 74 US, 2 UK, -- CN, 13 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.3 UK, 0.95 world (includes US and UK) Genre: alternative rock

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Real Life (10/26/91, 34 UK) See the Lights (3/23/91, 40 US, 10 AR, 12 MR, 20 UK, 10 CN, 10 AU) Let There Be Love (3/23/91, 6 UK, 15 AU) Woman Stand by Love (6/22/91, 42 AR, 4 MR, 13 UK, 70 AU) Let the Children Speak African Skies Ghostrider Banging on the Door (intro) Banging on the Door Travelling Man Rivers of Ice When Two Worlds Collide Total Running Time: 52:15 The Players: Jim Kerr (vocals) Charlie Burchill (guiar, keyboards) Mel Gaynor (drums)

Rating: 2.999 out of 5.00 (average of 7 ratings) Awards:

About the Album: Simple Minds brokethrough in the American market in 1985, thanks to the #1 hit “Don’t You Forget About Me.” The follow-up album, Once Upon a Time, hit the top 10, but then the band went back to relative obscurity, peaking at #70 with 1989’s Street Fighting Years and at #74 with 1991’s Real Life. Simple Minds – now officially a trio after the departure of keyboardist and founding member Mick MacNeil – maintained success in the UK, peaking at #2 with the album and landing four top-40 singles in the UK. The lead single, Let There Be Love, reached #6 while in the U.S. the first single was See the Lights. It did squeak into the top-40, but found greater success on the modern rock (#1) and album rock charts (#10). “The catchy” AMG Stand by Love was also a top-5 hit on the modern rock charts and reached #13 in the UK. Some of the songs were reworked version of previous material. Let the Children Speak was based on “Theme for Great Cities” from 1981’s Sister Feelings Call. WK Travelling Man shared similarities to “Waterfront” from 1983’s Sparkle in the Rain. WK Similarly, When Two Worlds Collide is based on the title track. WK From a critical standpoint, All Music Guide’s Alex Henderson noted “how much less inspired their writing had become by the early ‘90s. Though some of the songs are decent…the majority of them aren’t very memorable.” AMG “Casual listeners would be much better off sticking to the band's mid-‘80s work.” AMG While Real Life wasn’t terrible, it didn’t compare to the band’s trio of strong albums from 1982-85: New Gold Dream, Sparkle in the Rain, and Once Upon a Time. AMG

Resources and Related Links: Simple Minds’ DMDB Encyclopedia entry AMG All Music Guide review by Alex Henderson WK Wikipedia