Customer Reviews

Blue

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The solo artist cleverly disguised as a band has done it again. Blue is a great mix of Mick Hucknall's new up-tempo and slow and sweet songs, with several cover versions slipped in.

The album starts off with Mellow My Mind, a cover of Neil Young's bland song, but recorded with much more feeling and better mixing than the original version.

The next track is Blue, the title track, one of Mick's best songs, so far. The lyrics are corny, but the melody and beat is addictive. I just had to listen to this song over and over again. The people around me got annoyed.

The British hit, Say You Love Me, is the next track. It's sentimental, but very modern. Some of the lyrics in the song are quite corny, ("Stay and hug me, all around the world...") but very suitable.

The next song is odd, yet terrific. To Be Free sounds like another one of Mick's political songs. The first lyric is confusing, ("To be free, or to feel free, the first one is a myth. For to be is to feel, and to be real is to see.") but very deep. ;) I got hooked on this song very quickly.

The second cover on this album is The Air That I Breathe. I liked the original version of this song, but somehow the Simply Red version was made even better. Mick should stick to doing covers like these.

Someday In My Life sounds like one of those showtunes your parents liked to sing in the shower. Suprisingly, it's an original Mick Hucknall song. It shows how yet again, Mick can take different styles of music and make his sound very similar, but refreshingly different. This song is probably one of the most sentimental and slow songs on this album. It's a new classic.

The reprise for The Air That I Breathe, the next track, is great. William Turpin and Stevie J cleverly swiched around the lyrics for a great effect. The way they squeezed in the sample from John Mellenchamp's Jack and Diane is almost remarkable. (I am starting to sound really corny.)

Nig! ht Nurse is the third cover on this album. It's another one of Mick's attempts to immitate reggae. (Remember Hillside Avenue?) It's not the kind of song Mick does best, but it's a great attempt, and it's a track worth listening to.

My favorite song on this album is Broken Man. It's another wonderful Mick Hucknall original. The lyrics are very sad, but the music is very uptempo and happy, quite ironic. Maybe this song was written to express the sorrow of Mick's social life.

Come Get Me Angel sounds like a reprise of the song Angel, from Simply Red's greatest hits album. It's very catchy, and Mick's singing in this song is impressive.

As a cover, Ghetto Girl is very much like Night Nurse. Bland, but it's a nice track to listen to after a hard day's work.

Love Has Said Goodbye Again is a great original song. It starts off with a great piano solo. This song reminds me of We're In This Together. It's very inspiring. It shows optimism after breaking up with someone. It progresses very well, like a Neil Diamond song, but unmistakingly Simply Red.

High Fives is much like Someday In My Life, because it's very sentimental and showtuney. (Ah! A new word!) The lyrics in this song are clever and catchy. This song feels like being in a small boat that goes over small tides once in a while. It's like you're swimming out of Blue, another album Mick Hucknall should be proud of.

This is an album that very much rides on past successes, Mick Hucknall's voice, and absolutely fantastic production. Unfortunately that's about it - the lyrical genius of past albums hardly makes an appearance here, and most songs are airy-fairy love songs. The cover of "The Air That I Breathe" is good for what it is, but is not comparable with many better renditions. The only song I really love off this album is "Night Nurse" (a cover). As mentioned, the saving grace of this album is the best production I have heard in ages - the sound has depth and width and almost comes out to get you. Overall, a good effort, but not in the same league as Simply Red's other works.

If you are new to Simply Red, an 80's and 90's pop band, you may want to check out their "Best Of" compilation first and make your move from there.

In my opinion this is the best Simply Red album since A New Flame, which was the one that made me a confirmed Mick fan to begin with. Mostly mellow and very melodious, I can't think of a song I don't like on this one. Mick tackles a wide range of styles and succeeds in making them his own. But then again, I could listen to him singing the phone book and be mesmerized by that amazing voice, accompanied by some very fine musicians who give the songs interest and life. If you're a true Mick fan, you'll appreciate this one.

This is Simply Reds best album to date. It also is one of the better CD that I have listened to in a long time. Both my wife and I have been enjoying this album since it came out I believe in 1998. I have turned quite a few friends on to this CD and not one was disappointed.I enjoy all his albums, but this one was special.Mick keep it coming!

Simply Red... that makes me blue...
An album that just makes one wants to dance... and dance.. and dance...

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Each song has a diverse sound from the last one. There is reggae, there is a standard, there is dance music, etc. It is very uplifting. I love the Neil Young cover, and the cover of the Hollies; The Air that I breathe--Version 1. I don't care for the version to the beat of Jack and Diane. I love the song in between the two versions of The air that I breathe. Every song is great. Great cd to listen to in the car.

Mick Hucknall has the most soulful voice you've ever heard. He sings with passion and you can feel him in your soul. The way he sings sends shivers down your spine, and you'll get that warm tingling sensation after you've listened to his voice. This album is full of soul, especially my favorites "Say You Love Me" and "Someday In My Life". His catchy rhythms and lyrics on "Blue" and "Broken Man" are really good too. You'll find yourself humming to his songs! I've played this CD many times and I never get bored of it. This is one of those albums that you wish will never end. Mick Hucknall is a great artist and his voice will grow on you. Be sure to check out his earlier album "Stars" because it is so darn good, and it has stayed in my CD carousel since I bought it. "Stars" and "Blue" will be your timeless classics, and you'll be simply-all-over-Mick Hucknall!

This cd was my introduction to Simply Red. I heard the songs 'Mellow my Mind' and 'The Air that I Breathe' on the radio, and I just had to buy this cd. Judging by a lot of the reviews, it seems like it's a change in style for Mick and band. But, not really knowing much, if anything, about their earlier works, I can only say that I really like this album. His original songs are very catchy and the lyrics, thought provoking and deep. And a nice 24 page booklet, packed with lyrics and colour photos is a plus.

This cd was my introduction to Simply Red. I heard the songs 'Mellow my Mind' and 'The Air that I Breathe' on the radio, and I just had to buy this cd. Judging by a lot of the reviews, it seems like it's a change in style for Mick and band. But, not really knowing much, if anything, about their earlier works, I can only say that I really like this album. His original songs are very catchy and the lyrics, thought provoking and deep. And a nice 24 page booklet, packed with lyrics and colour photos is a plus.

With so many of the talented yet sadly (for the U.S.) over-looked British blue-eyed soul artists here is yet another. It is our loss, for the rest of the world knows this artist quite well.

Mick Hucknall along with his musicians known as Simply Red have been around for decades but in this country, we only know him from one hit. Internationally, Mick & his Simply Red tours have packed them in from England to Italy to Germany to Cuba and on.

This collection is full of mood and heart-felt vocals. The highlights (my favorites) are "Mellow On My Mind" which is a a blues ballad, delicate and sweet, "Say You Love Me", a tender soulful love ballad, "Some Day In My Life" is a song of loss and hope and love - but mostly sincerity, "Ghetto Girl" has an edgy feel - Mick's vocal is great, and "Night Nurse" is a funky and fun song that makes me want to dance.

I never tire of listening to these songs and have played them endlessly for years now. If you like Simply Red's more popular songs, I suggest giving this collection a listen.