[2015-06-02] Simply Red "Big Love" (East/West)

Linda · **Posted:** Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:34 pm

Description
Simply Red release their first new studio album in eight years with Big Love out June 1st on East West Records. When the band announced a massive world tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary last autumn, main man Mick Hucknall started thinking about recording again. “Once I began wondering how Simply Red were going to sound, I started writing songs,” says Mick. And once he started, he couldn’t stop. Big Love is the first Simply Red album to feature only original compositions since 1995’s ‘Life’. All twelve tracks are written by Mick Hucknall and produced by Andy Wright. Highlights include the celebratory first single ‘Shine On’ driven by their trademark blue-eyed soul sound and ‘The Ghost Of Love’, a big soul song punctuated by wah-wah guitar and the kind of bold orchestral strokes that once powered Barry White and his Love Unlimited. The break has done Mick Hucknall a power of good, newly refreshed he now has a much clearer appreciation of Simply Red’s considerable legacy. He admits that the band’s last studio album in 2007, ‘Stay’, was an attempt to pull away from their sound. “With ‘Stay’ I was running away from Simply Red,” Mick admits. “But now I’m comfortable with the notion of us as a blue-eyed soul group. I had to stop myself fighting that idea. Our sound is original too. I honestly don’t know of another band that has pulled so many musical strands together.” Quite simply, Big Love is Simply Red at their best, 12 tracks to cherish. With a 16 date UK tour this winter, including 3 shows at London’s 02 Arena, Simply Red are once again a band in their prime. Simply Red are: Mick Hucknall (vocals), Ian Kirkham (sax), Steve Lewinson (bass), Kenji Suuki (guitar), Kevin Robinson (trumpet and flute), Dave Clayton (keyboards) and new drummer Ronnie Roth.

Tracklist
1. Shine On
2. Daydreaming
3. Big Love
4. The Ghost Of Love
5. Dad
6. Love Wonders
7. Love Gave Me More
8. Tight Tones
9. Woru
10. Coming Home
11. The Old Man And The Beer
12. Each Day

Amazon USA
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W5DRWP6/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00W5DRWP6/?tag=imwan-21

Linda · **Posted:** Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:37 pm

JGordonBD · 17 Aug 2007

I thought Simply Red was kaput, and Mick Hucknall was a solo act now. Mick must have realized that Simply Red has a level of name recognition and track record that he could never achieve as himself. (Of course, Mick pretty much is Simply Red, right? I think it's just a matter of branding.)

Jim

ranasakawa · 26 Jan 2007

Mick's probably missing his groupies. The guy has been on the record To having 100s of women during his time in Simply Red. Picture Book is a fantastic album.

Linda · **Posted:** Sun Apr 26, 2015 8:57 pm

Bump: There's an alleged domestic release now showing at Amazon USA (and now linked in the first post of our thread). The price is currently more akin to an import, so I'll leave the Amazon UK link up too until we have more information.

Here's audio of the British radio premiere of "Shine On":

RackleNut · **Joined:** 07 Nov 2006 **Posts:** 1356

call the difference what you will, but i feel his "solo" material is sorely lacking.
i like what i hear here and i'm quite looking forward to it.

[2015-06-02] Simply Red "Big Love" (East/West)

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