Big Music

When Simple Minds released Black and White in 2005, it was obvious they'd been doing some creative soul searching in light of the success of bands clearly influenced by them, namely, the Killers and Manic Street Preachers. 2009's Graffiti Soul saw the return of drummer Mel Gaynor to the fold. He brought a familiar, tight, propulsive foundation to Charlie Burchill's guitar playing and Andy Gillespie's imaginative synths. Jim Kerr's alternately whispering and soaring vocals were still at the fore, but were showcased inside more economical songwriting, and Jez Coad's production celebrated the band's pop identity. Big Music finds Simple Minds coming full circle -- going all the way back to 1979 for inspiration. They've rediscovered the urgent, keyboard-driven post-punk futurism of recordings such as Empires and Dance and Sons and Fascination. Rather than try to merely re-create them, they've integrated them with the more guitar-centric classicism of New Gold Dream, Sparkle in the Rain, and Once Upon a Time. Three tracks here -- "Blindfolded," "Midnight Walking," and " Imagination" -- draw directly from Simple Minds circa 1982-1985. Big beats and drum programs, careening synth pop, and …

When was Big Music released?

Big Music was released in 2014 on BMG.

How many tracks are on Big Music?

Big Music has 25 tracks, with a runtime of 129 minutes.

What genre is Big Music?

Big Music is catalogued under Alternative Rock.