Real Life (Simple Minds album)

Real Life
Studio album by Simple Minds
Released 8 April 1991
Recorded 1990
Genre Pop rock
Length 52:15 (first edition) , 52:35 (2002/2003 reissue)
Label Virgin Records (UK and mainland Europe), A&M Records (US)
Producer Steve Lipson
Simple Minds chronology
Themes – Volume 4: February 89 - May 90
(1990)		 Real Life
(1991)		 Glittering Prize 81/92
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Rolling Stone [2]
Q [3]
Teletext [4]
NME [5]

Real Life is the ninth studio album by Simple Minds, released in April 1991.[6] The first album without Michael MacNeil, the album reached #2 in the UK,[7] but failed to chart in the United States, despite hitting the Top 40 with "See the Lights", which also reached #1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.[8]

This was the first album recorded without Mick MacNeil, founder member of the band, who left after the previous tour. The core band on this album might be considered to comprise only Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, and Mel Gaynor, as only the three appear on the cover. The remaining personnel are hired hands.

Contents

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Burchill, Kerr; except where indicated. 

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Real Life"     4:53
2. "See the Lights"     4:22
3. "Let There Be Love"     4:57
4. "Woman"   Burchill, Kerr, Lipson 4:40
5. "Stand By Love"     4:04
6. "Let the Children Speak"     4:16
7. "African Skies"     4:52
8. "Ghostrider"     3:22
9. "Banging on the Door"     5:39
10. "Travelling Man"   Burchill, Kerr, Lipson 3:34
11. "Rivers of Ice"   MacLachlan, Simple Minds 3:30
12. "When Two Worlds Collide"     4:01

Singles

The following tracks from the album were released in the UK as singles:

2002/2003 remastered edition

Virgin Records reissued the CD as part of the Simple Minds remasters in late 2002 (mini-LP replica; Virgin SIMCDX10) and early 2003 (standard jewel-case; SIMCD10). On the remastered version, a couple of differences are apparent when compared to the first edition (Virgin CDV 2660). The 2002/2003 remaster features an extended mix of "Let There Be Love", not the one used on the first edition of the album, although it is not mentioned on the cover or in the booklet. The segues between tracks have also been re-edited, so that the running time of individual tracks may differ slightly between the editions. Also, the CD version of the first edition had "Banging on the Door" split into two track in the disc's table of contents (running time was 1:16 + 4:22), but the music as such did not indicate any break between the parts. On the 2002/2003 reissue, the track is indexed as one.

Personnel

Additional musicians
Studio personnel\
  • Dougie Cowan - Technical Master
  • Giles Cowley - Mixing, Mixing Assistant
  • Tony Donald - Equipment Coordinator, Equipment Technician
  • Simon Fowler - Art Direction, Design, Photography, Stylist
  • Efren Herrera - Engineer
  • Simon Heyworth - Mastering
  • Ted Jensen - Mastering
  • Paul Kerr - Logistics
  • Will Malone - Orchestration, Orchestral Arrangements
  • Heff Moraes - Engineer, MIDI Engineer, MIDI Manager
  • Stylorouge - Art Direction, Design
  • Gary Thomas - Engineer
  • Au Yeung, Ying Ho - Catering
  • Jane Ventom - A&R

Notes

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1991 The Billboard 200 74

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1991 "See the Lights" Mainstream Rock Tracks 10
Modern Rock Tracks 1
The Billboard Hot 100 40
"Stand By Love" Modern Rock Tracks 4

References

  1. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Simple Minds: Real Life > Review" at Allmusic
  2. ^ Evans, Paul (13 June 1991). "Simple Minds: Real Life". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow) (RS 606). ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 6 May 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070506021256/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/simpleminds/albums/album/289213/review/6067673/real_life. 
  3. ^ Snow, Mat. "Real Life". Q (Bauer Media). ISSN 0955-4955. http://www.simpleminds.org.uk/reallifereviews.html. 
  4. ^ Homer, Jon. "Real Life". Teletext (UK). http://www.simpleminds.org.uk/reallifereviews.html. 
  5. ^ Dudfield, Simon. "Real Life". NME (IPC Media). ISSN 0028-6362. http://www.simpleminds.org.uk/reallifereviews.html. 
  6. ^ "Real Life". simple-minds.demon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 1997. http://web.archive.org/web/19970405093312/http://www.simple-minds.demon.co.uk/discog/rl/rl_lp1.htm. 
  7. ^ "Real Life". ChartStats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=43133. 
  8. ^ "Real Life > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" at Allmusic

External links

Simple Minds
Album
Live albums
Compilations
Themes series
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