Minds still matter

Simple Minds are one of Britain’s most popular bands and their new album sees them revisiting some of their best loved songs acoustically... sort of. Normally when artists go down the acoustic root songs are stripped back to their skeleton, but Simple Minds version sees a layered yet subtle treatment, although the synths are gone.

They have had their critics and their music has often been labelled pompous or bombastic, but this album confirms that they sure can write a pop song. Founder members and creative hub singer Jim Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill are the nucleus of the band and this album’s a labour of love. Some of it was recorded in Gorbals Studio in Glasgow where the pair played their first gig as teenagers in a school glam-rock band.

Jim said: “Our songs mean a lot to people so we had to be careful. We had to show respect to the songs and retain everything that made them good in the first place – and we wanted to create a Simple Minds party album, not a traditional introspective acoustic album.’’

The band’s finest album, 1982’s magnificient New Godl Dream is well represented with four songs including the wonderful Promised You A Miracle which features vocals from KT Tunstall.

Other big hits redefined here are Waterfront, Alive and Kicking and the song that gave them a massive hit Don’t You (Forget About Me). There’s also a lovely cover of Richard Hawley’s Long Black Train.

All in all it’s a nostalgia fest but one that looks forward, not back. To be in with a chance of winning this album answer this question. What was the band’s 2014 album called? Entries to Simple, Nigel Thornton, Peterborough Telegraph, Unex House - Suite B, Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough, PE1 1NG by December 1.

Simple Minds