Customer Reviews

Stars

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In the 1980s, it seemed that any band that came from England was all about synthesizers and soulless music. Simply Red turned out to be the exception to that rule. Thanks to leader Mick Hucknall's love of old-school soul, Simply Red turned out to be one of the most organic pop bands to come out of the U.K. After #1 hits with "Holding Back The Years" and a cover of Harold Melvin's "If You Don't Know Me By Now", Simply Red seemed guaranteed to carry on their winning streak into the 1990s. Unfortunately, just as it seemed the Red had finally learned how to make convincing blue-eyed soul without putting themselves at the mercy of cover versions, their all-important American fan base was slipping away. STARS contained no covers to help placate the American market who had been so taken by "If You Don't Know Me By Now", and as a result, STARS undeservedly disappeared quicker than their previous albums. The hits that did come off of STARS (originals, at that) reached the top 40 in America, but deserved much better. The uptempo "Something Got Me Started" and the wonderful title ballad are some of the best white R&B this side of Hall & Oates, and remain standards of pop radio today, so I guess there is some justice in the world. But STARS had 8 other songs that were just as good as those hits. They expand on their soulful pop sound with experiments in jazz on "Thrill Me", the reggae-fied "Model" and some rare journeys into political commentary with "Freedom" and "Wonderland". While the titles may sound generic, that's actually good because it proves Simply Red isn't trying too hard to act black by adopting the lingo. For those who knew Simply Red just from their hits, STARS has some more traditional material like another masterful ballad in "How Could I Fall", the proverbial soul throwback "She's Got It Bad" (but notice how it's not a cover this time) and the longing for self-love on "Your Mirror" (the Staple Singers would have loved to have this one). Sure enough, Simply Red seemed to find their own identity on STARS, not they didn't already have one, it's just they seemed to do better on cover songs than on originals until now (with a few notable exceptions). Unfortunately, we Americans don't appreciate longevity too much, and STARS became their last album to even make a dent here in the States. By the time Simply Red returned 4 years later with LIFE (1995), their audience in America was down to a near-cult following. Luckily, their more respectful European fan base was still large enough to keep them going without the near-crucial American market.

Simply Red have been my favourite band since Stars was released in 1991. Since then, I have bought every album on cassette, CD and vinyl. I am literally obsessed.
That said, I would like to point out that this is the first review I have written online. I have always felt that Simply Red's music has "sung" for itself, but I felt compelled to write this review at 1am to put my two cents in.

Stars is a Pop Music Masterpiece. Mick Hucknall is the greatest Pop singer since Sinatra (see him sing live if you don't believe me). This is not to be compared to Rock & Roll - The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, even Elvis Presley are all responsible for music being so ecclectic today and are far more important than any other Artists in history.
But Stars is Pop music at it's most pure, accessible and high quality best. There has never been an album before or since that was so perfectly arranged, written, performed and produced than Stars. The flow of the songs from beginning to end is like liquid, Mick Hucknall's vocals are flawless and the musicianship is impeccable. You simply cannot find a flaw in this album.
I am not going to spoil it for you and review each song. This album merely requires attention from beginning to end from someone who appreciates Pop music for it's ability to tug at every emotion through short(ish), meaningful songs.
Stars is rare magic and as we stand at the beginning of 2004 in a world of absolutely poor quality Pop music (with a few exceptions), Stars has not only stood the test of time, it actually sounds better today than it did that sunny day in 1991 when the musical part of my life was changed forever....
Thank you Simply Red, for the magic, emotion and perfection that is Stars.

This album is undoubtedly a pop-soul masterpiece. From first to last, this album just hits you in the heart. "Stars" and "For Your Babies" can either elevate your soul, or move you to tears, which is high praise indeed. It goes without saying that Mick's voice would sound good singing the Yellow Pages ("Call for a freeeee apppointmenttt!"). This CD is their strongest overall, with the move from uptempo to reggae to ballad happening flawlessly. It's easy to see why this baby moved "Thriller"-type numbers in England. While we Americans were scooping up Vanilla Ice, England had its head on straight and made this a deserved smash. Why are most Americans' musical tastes so wretched (a question for the ages)?

"Stars" contains some true moments of brilliance, most notably "How Could I Fall", the most beautiful ballad in Simply Red's repertoire (yes, even more so than "Holding Back the Years"). "Funny how the things that you can never have needle you more," Mick sings plaintively, and if your heart isn't breaking at that point, I don't want to know. "Something Got Me Started" is immediately infectious, and "Freedom" and "Wonderland" provide the by-now-expected political statements. Overall, "Stars" can be said (for better or worse) to represent a "kinder, gentler" Simply Red. I can't emphsasize strongly enough that "How Could I Fall" is worth the price of the entire album.

Having only been familiar with the hits, I decided to give this album a try. Man, I am so glad I did!! Mick Hucknall has such a great, powerful, emotional voice!! I agree that he could sing the phone book and make me cry (and I'm a guy! HAHA!) "For Your Babies" and "How Could I Fall" are just gorgeous, and the rest is...breath-taking. Please do yourselves a favour and buy this album. You'll thank me later.

Originally bought the cassette years ago and LOVED it, but over the years lost track of it and haven't played it in a long time. Am in the process of switching over to CDs and decided to add this to my collection. Just listened to it today (for the first time in years) and it's just as great as I remember it. Jazz, R&B, rock and easy-listening all wrapped up in one terrific album.

I give this album five stars because it is so awesome! Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall has such a beautiful voice that someone might think it's Jefferson Airplane/Starship's Marty Balin singing(they are soundalikes). The track I love most of all is FOR YOUR BABIES. I actually thought once that Balin was performing the song because as I just said,he and Hucknall are soundalikes. The title track is pretty cool and so are the other tracks. FYB was recorded in the same style as Jimmy Ruffin's hit recording(not Paul Young's cover) WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN-HEARTED.

1.)Something Got Me Started:Highly jumpy,upbeat tune.A great wake-up call.****

2.)Stars:Heard straight after SGMS,it sounds kind of repetitive.But the title song is the perfect song to play in the car on a long journey.****

3.)Thrill Me:Lovely,smooth,slenderous track with a superb base.***

4.)Your Mirror:A homage to SR's earlier society songs (Money's Too Tight To Mention,et al),this is well meaning,but Mick should really leave this kind of thing to UB40.***

5.)She's Got It Bad:Sweeping drum & bass track,truly gets you in a rock and roll mood.****

6.)For Your Babies:My personal favourite on the album.Hucknall's excellent singing voice truly breaks through this marvellous,slender track that I would request to be played on Our Tune.****and a half

7.)Model:Slow,sexy dance floor track with bizarre lyrics.***

8.)How Could I Fall:Lovely saxaphone melody breaks through the beginning of this cool track,and Mick's pro voice of course.***and a half

9.)Freedom:Bolting,funky track to round off the best with.And no ,that's not William Wallace shouting out the title.****

10.)Wonderland:This is the final song,and alas,it's the worst.Dour,uninspiring,just plain (junk).In fact,it sounds like Mick and the gang were putting in an audition for the end of Seseme Street.*

If you enjoy the sound of the Simply Red you will like this CD. I like it and listen often to it often.

This was and remains the best of Simply Red. Its a must for anybody that has a music collection for every occasion. I have listened to this album so many times I could not possibly tell, and I never get bored. I have bought this CD at least four times and friends of mine keep borrowing it and I never see it back again.
Its brilliant.