Simple Minds 'Black and White 050505' album

One of Scotland's most successful bands, with a career spanning nearly three decades, Simple Minds have sold over twenty million records, had five number one albums, a no. 1 single in America, three American top ten singles and been voted by the influential Q magazine as one of the world’s best live acts. They have influenced bands as diverse as current favorites Bloc Party and Muse, as well as Moby, Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics along the way. Most recently Yellowcard paid homage to their biggest hit, ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ at the MTV Movie Awards.

Scotland’s Simple Minds evolved from a post-punk art rock band influenced by Roxy Music into a grand, epic-sounding pop band. The band grew out of a Glasgow punk group called Johnny and the Self-Abusers, which featured guitarist Charlie Burchill and lead singer Jim Kerr. The inaugural 1978 lineup of Simple Minds featured a rhythm section of Tony Donald on bass and Brian McGee on drums, plus keyboardist Mick McNeil; Donald was soon replaced by Derek Forbes.

Their early albums leaped from one style to another but soon the band began a transition to a more accessible pop style, including New Gold Dream, which became their first chart album in the U.S., the well received Steve Lillywhite-produced Sparkle in the Rain and Once Upon a Time, which went gold and reached the U.S. Top Ten.

Now after a brief hiatus Simple Minds are back with Black & White 050505 (thusly named when recording ended on May 5, 2005). To be released on September 13th by Sanctuary Records, Black & White recalls the sweeping, vast sound that characterized their biggest hit albums, Sparkle In The Rain, Once Upon A Time and Street Fighting Years. Black and White, recorded in Italy, Holland and then mixed in Los Angeles by the legendary Bob Clearmountain, is a return to form for the band and should see the emergence of a whole new generation of fans as well as satisfying their current ones.

Lead singer Jim Kerr’s distinctive voice comes through strong in their first single, ‘Home.’ Together with co-founder and lead guitarist Charlie Burchill, they have produced a song that should lay to rest any rumors that this is a band that have had their day. ‘Home’ recalls classic Simple Minds with a driving rhythm and the distinctive Burchill guitar sound. Kerr says “There are a number of songs on the album that will make great singles but I feel that the way ‘Home’ kicks in with Charlie’s signature soaring guitar riff, there could be no better way off announcing to the world that Simple Minds has recaptured the musical spirit that defined our best work. Lyrically, ‘Home’ is a pop song with a spiritual heart, taking us on a secret journey through the thoughts of someone who is desperately seeking out their own inner crusade."

Songs such as ‘Stranger,’ ‘The Jeweller (Part 2)’ and ‘Different World’ give their past hits a run for their money and reminds us that here is a band that can do "big emotional pop on a grand scale" as well as anybody and probably better than most. Never afraid to tackle the bigger issues as demonstrated by their classic international No.1 single ‘Belfast Child’, the current CD’s title track ‘Black and White’ is a somber electro ballad about the madness and shame displayed by an increasing amount of world wide Holocaust deniers. Similarly ‘Dolphins’ closes the CD on a gentle though cinematic note. Distinctive pop at its best, Jim Kerr’s voice resonates with brittle emotion, with the lush backing building slowly until it fills the room. Somehow it seems the perfect ending to what is definitely their best recording in a very long time. Bursting with melodic energy, Black & White 050505 harkens back to the band’s classic days, when NME declared Simple Minds band of the year.

“We wanted to make an album once again that was full of dramatic and atmospheric pop music. We felt that we needed an album that proved as much to ourselves as anyone else, that the big beating heart of Simple Minds was very much alive and driving us on once again. Having delivered Black & White 050505, an album that we believe is ‘classic Simple Minds,’ albeit with a whole new energy, we can honestly say that we are delighted with the results and look forward with a totally revitalized outlook to this next phase of our on going creativity.” says Kerr, “We feel with some certainty that people who grew up with Simple Minds will share our enthusiasm for this new work, while at the same time, believe that these new songs are good enough to interest a whole new contemporary audience. Needless to say, in the tradition of all great rock bands, we are extremely excited at the prospect of playing this album live on stage and look forward to doing exactly that in the near future."

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Simple Minds - Black and White 050505