Simply Red
Simplified
Genre: Rock / Pop
Style: Singer-Songwriter
Label: simplyred.com Ltd / The Orchard

Formed in 1984 by Singer Mick "Red" Hucknall, with three ex-members of Durutti Column, and two other hot musicians, the British soul-pop band Simply Red signed with Elektra Records and hit the charts with their album, Picture Book (1985). The album was a critical success, featuring the platinum selling single, "Holding Back the Years."

Several albums followed, but due to one reason or another, the band consciously decided to ditch the major label, and go indie. Some band mates have come and gone, but the current line up includes Mick Hucknall (vocals), Ian Kirkham (keyboards and saxophone), Kenji Suzuki (guitar), Dave Clayton (keyboards), Pete Lewinson (drums), Steve Lewinson (bass guitar), Chris De Margary (flute and saxophone), John Johnson (trombone and percussion), Kevin Robinson (trumpet and flute), and Sarah Brown and Dee Johnson (backing vocals),

In October of 2005 they released Simplified, a combination of new sounds, and reworked older favorites including "Holding Back the Years" and "Something Got Me Started". Whatever reason they left the label, this is an incredible album that shows off the range of style and ability this band has.

In the interest of full disclosure, I had no idea who these guys were until I noticed a couple of people were searching for them on the Independent Music Swiki. I'm glad they did.

Simplified opens with my favorite song on the album, "Perfect Love." Its highly infectious melody, and Afro-Latin inspired rhythms, will have you grooving. The brass and guitars alone are worth the price of the download, let alone the amazing vocals work from Mick and guest artist Danae Blanco Villanueva.

The rework of "Something Got Me Started" is amazing. It's better than the original. It shares the same Afro-Latin sensibilities, and had me bopping along in front of my computer every time I spun it.

The tempo slows down from here, with the rework of "Holding Back the Years." This rendition has a more cool-Latin flavor than the original. The sound seems "cleaner" somehow, creating a more intimate "night club" feel that I really appreciated. It provided a nice break in the action after jamming to the first two tracks.

"More" brings the tempo back up a bit, adding a kind of "jazz meets prog" feel to album. This is evidently a remake as well, but to be honest I've never heard the original. I certainly got into the changing rhythmic hits and drop-outs, drawing me further and further into the strange and cool world of this song.

A thoughtful and engaging piano interlude introduces us to "A Song For You." A classic rock piano ballad after what's come before? I'm loving this album more and more.

At this point I have to admit, while I was still intrigued, the tempo stayed down with "Your Mirror," and "Fairground," two more remake. While the tune are wonderful in and of themselves (the string arrangements on "Your Mirror" are wonderfully lush), I was ready for the tempo to come back up at this point.

In fact, my only complaint about the album is that outside of the first two tracks, the majority of these songs are softer, down-tempo ballads. I would have liked to have it mixed up a bit more. That's not to say that remaining music tracks slacks off. They are just as engaging and moving, though in quiet ways, as the first two tracks.

In spite of this one, albeit minor, complaint, this is an album worth having in so many ways. The sound is hard to pin down. Listening to the tracks, it's obvious that each one has a signature "Simply Red" sound, and yet each one has it's own identity as well. The underlying influences vary from rock, to jazz, to Latin, to prog. Simply Red can do it all, and with Simplified, they do it oh so very well.