Album Review

Rock legends Simple Minds return with a new studio album at the end of this month. Graffiti Soul is the fifteenth release from a band that spawned an unexpected 40-year career and a household name.

The album name is inspired by a London train journey that Jim Kerr took around the time of the recording. Originally set to be Blood Type O, one of the albums tracks, Jim overheard a band of kids pointing out bits of graffiti sprayed onto train sidings and walls, announcing suddenly;

This one's got the graffiti soul.

That was it, Jim was taken, lost in the idea that music is indeed Simple Minds graffiti, as guitarist Charlie Burchill states in his interview recently;

That's our graffiti, it's our thing, it's in there [points to his heart].

(See our full Simple Minds interview here - www.allgigs.co.uk/view/review/3657/Simple_Minds_Interview_With_Charlie_Burchill_Of_Simple_Minds_Interview.html)

Opener Moscow Underground is a U2-esque driving attention grabber of a track, with emanating guitars prior to the entry of Jim Kerrs iconic vocals, before moving onto punchy and addictive second track Rockets. The songs are classic of their historical songwriting , a few cheesy 80s-esque lyrics are dotted here and there, unfortunately making Jim Kerr sound a bit like my Dad trying to sound cool on Twitter.

Stars Will Lead The Way has that classic anthemic feel about it, and gives out the feeling that this album was purely created for its ability to be played out at some of the worlds largest venues. Of course, this works perfectly well for Simple Minds again, this is part of their graffiti. Light Travels is the obligatory bittersweet slowy of the album, seeing Jim getting all downbeat and muffled, before launching into the uplifting Kiss And Fly that goes right back to the bands roots.

Simple Minds describe their album as being on form and the dogs boll**ks as they see themselves entering the next phase of their career. True to their sound, the album sounds very Simple Minds, no special tricks up their sleeves here, their impetus for the new work being to create something contemporary, energetic, and yet typical of their material.

Title track Graffiti Soul sings passionately about Simple Minds career a life of bright lights, namechecks, its all theyve ever known seeing as the band formed when at school, and its clear they adore what they do. A special edition of Graffiti Soul will be available under the name of In Search Of The Lost Boys. This edition will feature a second CD featuring covers of songs originally by Siouxi And The Banshees, Thin Lizzy and Neil Young to name a few.

What has transpired from this latest release is a singalong album indeed from the very soul of Simple Minds: a work that can appeal to both hardcore fans, and also the fans of newer bands influenced by their very work back in the 80s. This is an album youll play over and over again while crooning into your toothbrush, seeing Simple Minds enter the next chapter of their extensive career. You can catch the eternally-touring gentlemen at a plethora of European festivals this summer.