Rocktrospectiva: The Powerful "Big Music" Turns 10

Released on 31 October 2024, "Big Music" was the 16th., studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, the album spawned three singles "Honest Town, "Let The Day Begin", & "Midnight Walking".

The story of the album began in the days of their previous studio album "Graffiti Soul", according to Jim Kerr, the band had a lot of ideas at the moment, so the chance to write two albums simultaneously was something for real, indeed several tracks were omitted from "Graffiti Soul" the vibe full of passion, power, raw urgency and vitality was a plus. 

The retunr of Mel Gaynor to drums brougth a familiar propeller to band itself, this aided a lot the classic foundation of Charlie Burchill on guitars and Andy Gillespie on synths supporting Kerr's roaring voice, so this album practically finds the band as a complete circle, gaining inspiration from 1979 rediscovering the urgency of certain record such as "Empires And Dance" & "Sons And Fascination", but instead to recreated they just integrated with the guitar-focus on works suchs as "NEw Gold Dream", "Sparkle In The Rain" and "Once Upon A Time" and you can notice this on three tracks such as "Blindfolded", "Midnight Walking" and "Imagination" draw inspiration on the band's 1982-1985 period full of big beats and drums programming with and edgy guitar. 

Jim Kerr's phrasing and trademark voice is remarkable on "Honest Town" which was written by Iain Cook of Chvrches, "Someone Somewhere In Summertime" is brilliant with Kerr pulsating narrative through the track, "Blood Diamonds", the other Cook written by Cook, gathers a a synth-driven vintage sound to a modern dance pop, "Kill Or Cure" is fantastice with its fat bassline, synth pulses and shimmering guitars in the verses, "Imagination" has a certain The Cult guitar intro influence, other irresistible tracks are "Concrete And Cherry Blossom" and "broken Glass Park" both cotains irresistible hooks and warm atmosphere supporting Kerr's dramatic voice, and finally The Call's cover "Let The Day Begin" surrounded by zig-zagging synths and roaring guitars by Burchill.

Practically the album has everything you can expect drom the band, who finally seems to come to gather all the pieces of their identity to turn this album into their most consistent work since "Once Upon A Time".

The critics were positive considered the album as their best in decades, matching the bold music within with the title, embracing their past and looking forward the future, an album to fully appreciate again the band, that helped the album to reach No. 12 on the UK Albums chart.

 

Big Music Track List:

 

1. Blindfolded

2. Midnight Walking

3. Honest Town

4. Big Music

5. Human

6. Blood Diamonds

7. Let The Day Begin

8. Concrete And Cherry Blossom

9. Imagination

10. Kill Or Cure

11. Broken Glass Park

12. Spirited Away