Time to dissect the feedback that First You Jump has had so far. From what I can see, the consensus is an overwhelmingly positive one. It’s never going to be a 100% success rate. I’m not even sure the likes of New Gold Dream has achieved total 100% positivity in feedback (there will always be “mavericks” out there wanting to be contrary for the sake of looking like they are their “own person” and not just another lemming jumping of a cliff with the hordes).
The fact that First You Jump is receiving mostly positive feedback is great. One fan posted their opinion on it and said they preferred it to Vision Thing, but both songs hadn’t “overwhelmed” them. Fair enough. Also, in fairness, they say that tracks from Walk Between Worlds “blew [me] away.”
Others have thrown their two pence worth into it. Some points put across have been fair. The production being “samey” and now bordering on “safe” and “formulaic” – which to me seems a valid point. I don’t think SM has stuck with a production team like this since John Leckie. Gavin Goldberg and Andy Wright have been at the helm for the past three albums now – Big Music, Walk Between Worlds and now Direction Of The Heart. The lack of space and dynamic range seems to be one of the biggest production criticisms which seems to be falling upon deaf ears. I understand the criticism, and I think it is an objective and constructive critique. I fear it is what’s believed to be what’s needed for their music to sound “modern” (no space and a condensed dynamic range). Erm…nope!
I didn’t start this post with the vision to add to the critique. I wanted to discuss the point of whether critiquing a band on music already produced and released (or about to be released) is helpful? I guess it only can be if they take it on board and try to learn from it with the next material released. I’m not sure Simple Minds have ever really worked like that – taking on any criticism that’s constructive and thinking about those criticisms and trying to do something about it. I have always felt, as far as the fans go anyway, the thinking is – “we do what we do, sod you! Unless you actually work in music production…what do you know?” Well, we have ears and we can compare and contrast sounds like any other human being can. We’re critiquing what we hear as the results of the production and not necessarily the production itself, per se.
I feel this topic is a loaded gun, you know?
Right now, for me personally? Trying to be truly objective? Here is how I feel about this year’s releases:
Act Of Love – I like the synths at the beginning. Love the guitar riff. Not so sold on the BVs. Love the lyrics. Great catchy anthemic chorus. Loved the artwork. Works bloody BRAW as a live song on the setlist. Was a great opener to the tour.
Vision Thing – love the sentiment of the song. Love the lyrics. Never really became an earworm. Act Of Love would take over. That’s an earworm! Vision Thing wouldn’t really stick. Only the guitar bits and the “Vision Thing. You’ve got that vision thing” bit. I never really felt like it worked as well live as it does as a studio version. Is it too “busy” though?
First You Jump – I do think it is really beautiful. I think the lyrics on this are great. I like the way they blend and work together. Unlike what the person said on SMOG about it – I don’t think Jim sounds flat at all. I think his voice sounds really superb. And there is emotion delivered in the lyrics. I also do like it more than Vision Thing. I’ve played First You Jump many times already and it is really sticking in my brain. At the moment – and obviously before having heard anything else from the album (other than the title track) – it is a strong contender for my favourite track on the album. Again, the artwork is beautiful too. Also, I have to say that I prefer the studio version again over the live version – but they are both very good.
The only bugbear I have with the live version of First You Jump is Jim seems to drop the lyric of “I call you – no matter what you put me through” in favour of using the alternate line (only used once in the studio version) “I call you – you’re the only one that pulls me through.” I like both lines but I prefer the former over the latter. I prefer the sentiment of the first – you give me grief, you make me tear my hair out, but you’re my “go to” person, in thick or thin. I’d love to hear him deliver both lines live – but he’s Jim Kerr…and I have to put up with however the hell he wants to deliver his lines, as he’s the songwriter. His prorogative to fuck up his own words, ya da ya da.
As we walk the tightrope of feedback and working out on whether it is even worthwhile to give the band any thoughts on the new material that could be construed as constructive criticism – what ISN’T constructive or in any way helpful is monosyllabic, indifferent exclamations like “meh”. WHAT THE FUCK is anyone meant to do with that? And why tell me? What am I going to do with “meh”? Disagree with you? …. It’s your opinion. If that’s how you feel about it, then…that’s how you feel about it. It’s not my job to win you round to it, so why tell me “meh”? Honestly!
You know what? If I didn’t like any of the stuff they were putting out now, then I’d cancel my pre-order and just…let my silence do the work. Equally, I’m not gonna pander to them and give off platitudes if that is not how I feel about it. I’ll be civil about it. Talk about things I like but would then probably say “I hope it grows on me” – or words to that effect. But I haven’t really felt the need to do that much (be diplomatic whilst not really liking what I hear). I don’t believe I am a sycophant. There are enough SM songs I refuse to listen to as they just grind my gears, but I don’t go on and on about not liking them.
Today’s verdict when it comes to our musical preferences? To each their own. Music is a subjective artform. It will always appeal to some and not others. There will always be differing opinions. As long as opinions are expressed objectively and articulately, then there is nothing wrong with differing opinions.