Picture Book (Simply Red album)

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Picture Book is the debut album by British pop group Simply Red, released in October 1985. It contains the #1 single "Holding Back the Years", the band's most successful single, and a cover of The Valentine Brothers' "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)". Three other singles were released from the album: "Come to My Aid", "Jericho", and "Open Up the Red Box". The album includes 'lively' and 'energetic' groove beats and ballad orientated keyboard undertones that help songs such as "Holding Back the Years" to be so effective. Members Tim Kellett and Fritz McIntyre are acclaimed by Hucknall to be the most influential in the album based on the distinctive sound of their playing.

The album is included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The album helped Simply Red earn a 1987 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. "Holding Back The Years" was also nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.

The album has been commercially successful, appearing in the top 30 album charts of 12 different countries, and achieving platinum certification sales in four different countries, including America and the UK.

Video Picture Book (Simply Red album)

Reception

In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau wrote that there were essentially "only two songs on this album", "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" and "Heaven", but that Hucknall and the band carry off the album "on mood and groove alone".

William Ruhlmann, in a retrospective review in AllMusic, felt that Simply Red produced "a steady R&B groove reminiscent of '60s Stax house band the MG's" and that Hucknall was a "big-voiced soul singer". Andy Robbins, in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, writes that the album was led by the blue-eyed soul of "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)", while attributing its commercial success in both America and the UK to Hucknall's own song, "Holding Back the Years", the vocal performance of which he feels that Hucknall has never managed to equal. As well as soul, Robbins writes that the album also contains rock-influenced songs in "Look at You Now" and "No Direction", and jazz-influenced songs in "Sad Old Red" and "Heaven".

Maps Picture Book (Simply Red album)

Track listing

Side one

1. "Come to My Aid" (Mick Hucknall, Fritz McIntyre) - 4:03
2. "Sad Old Red" (Hucknall) - 4:33
3. "Look at You Now" (Hucknall) - 3:02
4. "Heaven" (David Byrne, Jerry Harrison) - 4:32
5. "Jericho" (Hucknall) - 6:03

Side two

1. "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" (John Valentine, William Valentine) - 4:13
2. "Holding Back the Years" (Hucknall, Neil Moss) - 4:30
3. "(Open Up the) Red Box" (Hucknall) - 3:56
4. "No Direction" (Hucknall, Dave Fryman) - 3:41
5. "Picture Book" (Hucknall, Fritz McIntyre) - 5:49

2008 Collector's Edition bonus tracks

Disc one, CD: remixes

11. "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" (Valentine, Valentine) [The Cutback Mix] - 8:29
12. "Come to My Aid" (Hucknall, McIntyre) [Survival Mix] - 6:40
13. "Holding Back the Years" (Hucknall) [Extended Mix] - 5:48
14. "Jericho" (Hucknall) [Extended Mix] - 6:47
15. "Open Up the Red Box" (Hucknall) [Extended Mix] - 6:24

Disc two, DVD: Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (8 July 1986)

1. "Grandma's Hands" (Bill Withers)
2. "Sad Old Red" (Hucknall)
3. "Open Up the Red Box" (Hucknall)
4. "The Right Thing" (Hucknall)
5. "No Direction" (Hucknall, Fryman)
6. "I Won't Give Up" (Hucknall)
7. "Holding Back the Years" (Hucknall, Neil Moss)
8. "Picture Book" (Hucknall, McIntyre)
9. "Love Fire" (Bunny Wailer)
10. "Jericho" (Hucknall)
11. "I Won't Feel Bad" (Hucknall, McIntyre, Tim Kellett, Chris Joyce, Tony Bowers, Sylvan Richardson)
12. "Suffer" (Hucknall, Lamont Dozier)
13. "Infidelity" (Hucknall, Dozier)
14. "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" (John Valentine, William Valentine)
15. "Come to My Aid" (Hucknall, McIntyre)
16. "Jericho" [Instrumental] (Hucknall)
17. "Heaven" (Byrne, Harrison)
18. "Move on Out" (Hucknall)
19. "Look at You Now" (Hucknall)

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Personnel

• Mick Hucknall - lead and backing vocals, piano
• Fritz McIntyre - keyboards and backing vocals
• Chris Joyce - drums and percussion
• Tony Bowers - bass guitar
• Sylvan Richardson - guitar
• Tim Kellett - trumpet, live backing vocals and keyboards

Guest Musicians

• Ian Dickson - tenor saxophone on "Jericho", "Sad Old Red" and "Heaven"
• Ronnie Ross - baritone saxophone on "Jericho", "Sad Old Red" and "Heaven"
• Francis Foster - congas on "Come to My Aid" and "Look at You Now"
• David Fryman - guitar and backing vocals on "Open Up the Red Box"

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Production

• Producer - Stewart Levine
• Engineered and Mixed by Femi Jiya
• Assistant Engineer - Chris Dickie
• Mastered by Arun Chakraverty at Master Room (London, England).
• CD Mastering - Barry Diament
• Sleeve Design - Peter Barrett
• Front Cover Photo - Simon Fowler
• Back Cover Photo - Malcolm Heywood
• Management - Elliot Rashman and Steve Todd, assisted by Andy Dodd and Clive Heylin.

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Certifications

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Charts

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References

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External links

• Simply Red official website album page
• Picture Book (Adobe Flash) at Radio3Net (streamed copy where licensed)

Source of article : Wikipedia