I picked up Simple Minds new CD "Cry" last Friday, and I have to say it's really growing on me. It doesn't sound exactly like their earlier stuff, but you can definitely hear a little "New Gold Dream", and even some "Street Fighting Years" on it. A bunch of nice songs that have that classis Simple Minds sound, IMO.

I greatly enjoyed their '95 release "Good News from the Next World", and I also thought their "Neon Lights" CD of cover songs was very good, too. I have to say I was a huge fan of SM in the early 80's, along with that whole genre of U2, Big Country, Echo and the Bunnymen and the Waterboys. While I appreciate some of U2's post-80's work, I would argue that Simple Minds has done a better job than U2 of retaining that ethereal, slightly mysterious and abstract vibe of early/mid 80's that these bands were all working in. Anybody else like their new stuff?

I also enjoyed GNFTNW but I have yet to hear any of their newer music.