Search - Simple Minds :: Reel to Real Cacophony

Definitely before its time

richlatta | "The War Zone" ABQ, NM | 09/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album deserves 4 stars from me, but I'm a fan who really, really digs it. The average listener (who is objective and receptive to this kind of music - i.e. not a die-hard Def Leppard fan) would probably assign it 3 stars. This is ground-breaking music, heavy with electronic experimentation.The first side (or first 7 tracks) is highly experimental and therefore more challenging. Some tracks are a rather difficult listen such as the unweildy "Naked Eye." However, the opener "Real to Real" is a good song with a haunting quality and "Veldt" sounds like a stroll through a surrealistic jungle (or "field" as the title would indicate). Most of my favorite music has a "trippy" quality, and this stuff definitely qualifies.The second side still contains plenty of electronics, but it is more easily digestable, either for it's more familiar song structures or because some of the songs rock out quite a bit more. "Premonition" steers straight ahead into strange territory, guided by a solid bass line. "Changeling" is perhaps the best song on the album. It certainly rocks the most and has positively corrosive synth and guitar figures along with a confident, loping drum beat. "Film Theme" is an evocative, lazy, hypnotic instrumental - beautiful. "Calling Your Name" is another unique sounding rocker and "Scar" is an epic sounding song that would sound great in a futuristic film. It half-way reminds me of old U2 (but I bet they would dislike the comparison).Kerr's vocals are great as always, although they are often affected to sound wierd or cool. He's got a phenomenal voice, but it's less evident on these earlier records. If you're interested in early rock/electronic music, you can do far worse than this intriguing album."

The monster has two faces

filterite | Dublin, Ireland | 12/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very paranoid album . The first time I listened to it it freaked me out but gradually within time I began to like it .The thing is though when you buy this album don't expect it to be some bombastic pop/rock record . This is dark, eerie and to some extent a very scary record to listen to . As one of the listeners said Veldt kinda sounds like some aquatic jungle . Now I still find new elements to the songs even though I've owned the album for close to a year and a half now .Well this is it's second stint because the last one got so badly scratched that I could only replace it when I went on holidays in Holland( it is a rare thing for me to rebuy an album after it has been scratched but this makes it all the more worth it ) . If you listen to it on your headphones there's things that make some of the songs even more menacing than what you thought once before . All in all making it a more and more appealing album . Listen to this if you want experimental music taken to it's most darkest of elements . If you're looking for looking for something a bit more warm however you could always try the fantastic New Gold Dream which has all of what Simple Minds would later become to be known better for ( without the bombast )"