Simple Minds Album: “Street Fighting Years [Limited]”

It's crazy. There are millions of songs about I love you and about sex and meeting a girl and losing her and getting her back and no one complains. But sing about Mandela or Soweto and everyone complains.

Lyrics aside (not that I have any complaints), the title track SFY is one of the best post New Wave Simple Mind Songs, period. The opening bass got me right away. I disagree with the other reviewer about Soul Crying Out, the softer edged songs like this and Let It All Come Down are some of the highlights of the album. It's got these great tracks, and plenty of kicking action for those who like Simple Minds Raw - Kick It In is one hell of a thumper.

And Mandela Day simply demonstrates how effective a simple riff can be, something Simple Minds discovered from the start with Promised You A Miracle. Here they still have it. I can listen to the opening hook over and over again, and basically the song is built that way. Is it repetitive? Wasn't Waterfront, Up On The Catwalk etc, but weren't they just fab?

And Once Upon A Time was also an excellent album, and Robin Cook only made it even more attractive. The fantastic pop appeal of Alive and Kicking aside, Ghostdancing shows they have real rock in them, as does Santicy Yourself and All The Things She Said. All the remixes from this album are fantastic, too.

I can't say the same about what happens after Street Fighting Years, but as a fan from New Gold Dream days these two albums are definitely tops. Diehard fans of early Simple Minds may not like this but there is no cause to diss it.

I bought this album (my 7th SM album), and immediately liked "Soul Crying Out", "Take A Step Back", and "Mandela Day". These are the best tracks, backed up by other almost equally stirring songs like "Belfast Child" (one of my favourites songs SM did) and Peter Gabriel's "Biko." Every track on this CD is very listenable, making it one of the rare albums where you can listen to *every track* from start to finish and not get tired of it.

This album shows that Simple Minds is capable of producing excellent (though critically underacknowledged) rock hits, and then turning around on the same album and making songs that are slower but equally stirring. I much prefer SM to U2, if you're lookig for a comparison.

This is one of my favourite Simple Minds albums. On a couple tracks they even get 'back to their Scottish roots' and include bagpipes ("When Spirits Rise" & "Biko"...the bagpipes in no way overpower the music but are very evident).

While the CD does have some political themes, it's easy to just get into the music and listen for the sake of enjoying the sound.

It's a must for any Simple Minds fan, and a great CD to add to any collection.

I give this album 5 stars.

One of the other reviewers, Steven Reynolds, gave a spot-on review of Street Fighting Years by Simple Minds. Quite simply, it is a masterpiece--and with absolutely amazing sonics to boot. I'm a huge fan of all phases of Simple Minds' amazing career, and this is their finest moment bar none. From the absolutely brilliant start of the CD, the deeply moving Street Fighting Years, to the sonic shock-waves of Wall Of Love, to the powerful and heartfelt This Is Your Land, and to the emotional summit of the CD Belfast Child, this CD reaches heights that most bands can only dream of but will never attain. And to end it with such an uplifting instrumental as When Spirits Rise....it's just all too overwhelming. This is a contemplative CD, and is anything but background music. And frankly, it is one of the greatest CDs of the last 50 years of rock music. It's that good. The two CDs that followed this one, "Real Life" and "Good News From The Next World," are also exceptional CDs that form a perhaps unintentional but musically valid trilogy that is this band's greatest work in an overall phenomenal body of work.

In my opinion Street Fighting Years ranks in the triarchy of this bands greatest album-length achievements. There have been other diamonds in rough by Simple Minds to be sure: a couple from Real to Real Cacophony, Sparkle in the Rain, and Good News from the Next World - and even three PHENOMENAL gems from Real Life (sadly, on an other wise crap album). Street Fighting Years however, ranks up there alongside New Gold Dream & Once Upon a Time as their best work. So what's the criticism? Its always about it being overly political and self-righteous. Sure, right. Anyone ever listen to U2? Talking Heads? Sex Pistols? My God - ONE of those tracks was originally recorded by Peter Gabriel. This album is truly a well crafted masterpiece by Scotland's brother to Australia's INXS & Ireland's U2. Unless you are deaf, you can hear how much work has gone into its production and texturing/balancing. The emotional intensity of Let It All Come Down and Belfast Child. The powerful lifting of your spirit that comes from listening to Kick It In and Take a Step Back. The self-titled epic intro Street Fighting Years itself accomplishes both. But best of all - is the all to often overlooked non-vocal finale When Spirits Rise.. complete with bagpipes and layered synthesizers.. this is a track that MANY friends & family that have never even heard of Simple Minds (or given them a second thought if they did) simply fall in love with from the first time they hear it.

OK, i admit it... I was one of those who expected Sparkle in the Rain part 2 when I purchased this the day it was released. I was disapointed when I first heard the CD... expecting more of a Synth attack. However this CD has grown into one of my favorites. The CD is still sweeping and majestic like their earlier work.. just more guitar based than synth based. This is a GOOD thing, Charlie Burchill is one of the most urderated guitar players of the 80s. His playing is the centerpiece to this CD... reminding me of something Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd once said... something like "It is not how fast you can play, it is about the melodies you write." Well the guitar melodies are beautiful on this CD. Street Fighting Years and Sould Crying Out are masterpieces. I could have done without their cover of Biko (Just my preference, I don't generally like cover versions unless they are vastly different than th original).