Black and White 050505

by Greg PratoWith a sudden resurgence of '80s new wave from both revivalist acts (the Killers, Interpol) and reunions of the old guard (Duran Duran), the time was certainly right for other veteran acts to "get back in the ring," so to speak. And Simple Minds did just that, with the release of 2005's Black and White 050505. Founding members Jim Kerr (vocals) and Charlie Burchill (guitar) are back once more, with an album that manages to incorporate both elements of their earlier, best-known work (such as 1985's Once Upon a Time), as well as modern sounds. That said, Kerr and Burchill wisely don't stray too far away from their identifiable sound (à la U2's post-Joshua Tree work). This is no more evident than in the track "Different World," which doesn't sound too far off from a more polished Dandy Warhols composition, or the soaring album opener, "Stay Visible." A major factor in the group's creative rebirth can be attributed to the input of Bob Clearmountain, who previously worked with the band on its aforementioned 1985 album. Maybe something there's something good about all this '80s nostalgia -- inspiration for older acts to issue surprisingly strong albums, as evidenced by Black and White 050505.