Simple Minds Direction of the Heart LP

Direction of the Heart is Simple Minds' first album of new material since 2018's outstanding UK Top 5 album Walk Between Worlds. Throughout its nine tracks, Direction of the Heart finds the band at their most confident, anthemic best on an inspired celebration of life, and which manages to perfectly encapsulate the essence of past and present Simple Minds, a band whose reascent over the past 10 years has seen them, once again, capture the magic and critical praise of their early days.

Scottish post-punk icons Simple Minds — led primarily by founding members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill — have evolved with the times better than most of their peers. The group doesn't kowtow to the trends clogging up the pop charts, opting to instead gracefully age their melodic approach to rock through a tasteful use of electronics and an eye on the bigger global picture. All of that is in play on Direction of the Heart, their 19th studio effort. 'Human Traffic' (which features a wonderful guest appearance by Sparks singer Russell Mael) explores the pace of modern living via a steady midtempo chug, and 'Planet Zero' serves as a call-to-arms about our climate crisis with a disco-like flair. The whole effort is punctuated by a take on The Call's 'The Walls Came Down' that plays like a glorious ode to that band's leader (and Kerr's friend) Michael Been and a furious explosion of emotions about the state of the world.