| Walk Between Worlds | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 February 2018 | |||
| Studio | Sphere Recording, Battersea, central London | |||
| Genre | Pop rock, synth-pop | |||
| Length | 41:25 | |||
| Label | BMG | |||
| Producer |
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| Simple Minds chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Walk Between Worlds | ||||
Walk Between Worlds is the eighteenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in February 2018 by BMG. [6] [7] [8]
Walk Between Worlds heralded major lineup changes for Simple Minds. After a period of relative stability since the early 2000s, only vocalist Jim Kerr, guitarist Charlie Burchill and bassist Ged Grimes remained from the previous studio album, Big Music.
It was the first album since 2002's Cry without keyboardist Andy Gillespie, who left the band in early 2017. Longtime drummer Mel Gaynor performed on nine of the album's tracks, but left prior to the band's 2018 tour.
Longtime associate Gordon Goudie played acoustic guitar on four songs. Goudie also appeared on the following Simple Minds albums: 2001's Neon Lights , 2002's Cry, 2005's Black & White 050505 , 2009's Graffiti Soul , 2016's Acoustic and 2017's Acoustic in Concert . Sarah Brown remains the primary backing vocalist of the band.
Percussionist Cherisse Osei played on three songs and is the official drummer for the 2018 tour. Catherine AD aka The Anchoress provided backing vocals on two songs and was playing keyboards on tour but abruptly left the band during the 2018 tour.
Also returning on the album was Peter-John Vettese, who played piano on two tracks and arranged string orchestra on one song. (Vettese also appeared on the album Real Life in 1991).
Walk Between Worlds was performed in its entirety in February 2018 during seven concerts throughout Europe.
The album artwork is by Brazilian visual artist Heitor Magno. [9]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 70/100 [10] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| Uncut |  [12] |
Walk Between Worlds received generally positive reviews from music critics. On the review aggregator website Metacritic, which assigns a "Metascore" based on the ratings and reviews of selected mainstream independent publications, the album has a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [6] [10] Writing in Uncut , Graeme Thompson described it as, "an expansive, atmospheric reboot of the muscular melancholy of 1985's Once Upon a Time , and "as strangely compelling as anything they've done over the past 35 years." [13] Q magazine wrote "At times, it teeters between nostalgia and self-parody. .... But you can forgive the odd-slip-up, because the whole thing sounds so joyous." [10]
On 28 January 2018, a few days before its release, Walk Between Worlds was awarded "Album of the Week" by The Times . [14]
All tracks written by Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill except where noted.
Durations:
Simple Minds
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Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977, becoming best known internationally for their song "Don't You " (1985), which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Other commercially successful singles include "Promised You a Miracle" (1982), "Glittering Prize" (1982), "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" (1982), "Waterfront" (1983), "Alive and Kicking" (1985), "Sanctify Yourself" (1986), "Let There Be Love" (1991), "She's a River" (1995), and the UK number one single "Belfast Child" (1989).
Real Life is the ninth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in April 1991 by record label Virgin Records worldwide apart from the US, where it was released by A&M.
Street Fighting Years is the eighth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in May 1989 by record label Virgin Records worldwide apart from the US, where it was released by A&M. Produced by Trevor Horn and Stephen Lipson, the album reached the top of the UK Albums Chart.
Black & White 050505 is the fourteenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in the UK in September 2005. The album was not officially released in the US.
The discography of the Scottish art rock–new wave band Simple Minds consists of 21 studio albums, eleven live albums, ten compilation albums, fourteen box sets, 68 singles, and five video albums.
James Kerr is a Scottish musician and lead singer of the rock band Simple Minds. Commercially successful singles released by Simple Minds include "Don't You ", "Glittering Prize" (1982), "Someone Somewhere in Summertime" (1982), "Waterfront" (1983) and "Alive and Kicking" (1985), as well as the UK number one single "Belfast Child" (1989).
Cry is the thirteenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, officially released in April 2002.
New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) is the fifth studio album by Scottish band Simple Minds. The album was released in September 1982 by record label Virgin. It is considered one of the defining albums of the new pop movement of the early 1980s. It spawned the commercial successful singles “Promised You a Miracle” released in April 1982, “Glittering Prize” released in August 1982 and “Someone Somewhere in Summertime” released in November 1982. The albums title track, "New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)", saw a limited release in Italy in March 1983 following the bands Italian leg of their supporting tour.
Good News from the Next World is the tenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in January 1995 by record label Virgin.
Once Upon a Time is the seventh studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released on 21 October 1985 by record label Virgin, Once Upon a Time topped the UK charts, and peaked at No. 10 on the US charts, spending five consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard and 16 weeks in the Top 20.
Empires and Dance is the third studio album by the Scottish new wave band Simple Minds. It was released on 12 September 1980 through Arista Records.
Live in the City of Light is the first live album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds. It was released in May 1987 to document their successful worldwide Once Upon a Time tour, and charted at No. 1 in the UK. The album spawned one chart single release, a live version of "Promised You a Miracle".
Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call is the (double-LP) fourth album by Scottish post-punk band Simple Minds. It was released in September 1981 and was their first to reach a wide international audience. It includes the singles "The American", "Love Song" and "Sweat in Bullet".
Sparkle in the Rain is the sixth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released on 6 February 1984 by record label Virgin in the UK and A&M in the US.
Graffiti Soul is the fifteenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in May 2009.
"Someone Somewhere In Summertime" is a song by Scottish rock band Simple Minds which was released as the third single from their fifth studio album New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) (1982). Written by the members of Simple Minds, it was released on 5 November 1982 by Virgin Records.
Big Music is the sixteenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds. It was released on 31 October 2014 by Sony Music. "Honest Town" was released as the lead single on 10 October 2014. The album was available to stream from 28 October 2014.
Acoustic is the seventeenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in November 2016 by Caroline International. The album features acoustic studio recordings of previously released songs. It received mixed reviews.
Live in the City of Angels is the seventh (double) live album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in early October 2019 to document their largest ever North American tour.
Direction of the Heart is the nineteenth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released on 21 October 2022 by BMG.
