Picture Book (Simply Red Album)
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''Picture Book'' is the debut album by British pop and soul group
Simply Red Simply Red are an English soul music, soul and pop band formed in Manchester in 1985. Band leader, singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall was the only original member left by the time Simply Red initially disbanded in 2010. They have released thir ...
, released in October 1985. It contains the US number-one single "
Holding Back the Years "Holding Back the Years" is a song by the English soul and pop band Simply Red, released as the third single from their debut studio album, ''Picture Book'' (1985). In 1986, the ballad reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and nu ...
", and covers of the Valentine Brothers' "
Money's Too Tight (to Mention) "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" (sometimes stylized as "Money$ Too Tight (to Mention)" in some of its single and album releases) is a song written and first recorded by American recording group the Valentine Brothers. It was released as a sing ...
" and
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads
' "
Heaven Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...
". Three more singles were released from the album: "Come to My Aid", "Jericho", and "Open Up the Red Box". The album helped Simply Red earn a 1987
Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
nomination for Best New Artist. "Holding Back the Years" was also nominated for ''Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals''. A special version of the album was released on the then new Compact Disc + Graphics, or
CD+G CD+G (also known as CD-G, CD+Graphics, and TV-Graphics) is an extension of the compact disc standard that enables the display of low-resolution graphics alongside audio content when played on a compatible device. This functionality is most common ...
format which when played on a suitable CD player, 4 bit raster graphic images, text and animations would also be displayed on a connected TV screen.


Critical reception

In ''
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'',
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...
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". Reviewing the 1996 re-release for '' Q'', Nick Duerden described ''Picture Book'' as "the most accomplished debut of its year". He said of Hucknall, "With the most prodigious voice this side of
Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
and a burning
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heart, here he infuses everything with a passion that he's rarely matched since." William Ruhlmann, in a retrospective review in
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
, 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". In the book ''
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music criti ...
'', Andy Robbins attributed the record's commercial success in both America and the UK to "Holding Back the Years", which he feels is Hucknall's best vocal performance. Robbins noted rock and jazz sounds, along with soul influences.


Commercial performance

The album was commercially successful, appearing in the top 30 album charts of twelve countries, and achieving platinum certification sales in four countries, including the United States and United Kingdom.


Track listing

All tracks written by
Mick Hucknall Michael James Hucknall (born 8 June 1960) is an English singer and songwriter. Hucknall achieved international fame in the 1980s as the lead singer and songwriter of the soul-influenced pop band Simply Red, with whom he enjoyed a 25-year caree ...
, except where noted.


2008 Collector's Edition bonus tracks

Disc two, DVD: Live at
Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annu ...
(8 July 1986) # "Grandma's Hands" (
Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He is known for having several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me ( ...
) # "Sad Old Red" # "Open Up the Red Box" # "The Right Thing" # "No Direction" (Hucknall, Fryman) # "I Won't Give Up" # "Holding Back the Years" (Hucknall, Neil Moss) # "Picture Book" (Hucknall, Fritz McIntyre) # "Love Fire" (
Bunny Wailer Neville O'Riley Livingston (10 April 1947 – 2 March 2021), known professionally as Bunny Wailer, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and percussionist. He was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. ...
) # "Jericho" # "I Won't Feel Bad" (Hucknall, McIntyre, Tim Kellett, Chris Joyce, Tony Bowers, Sylvan Richardson) # "Suffer" (Hucknall,
Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit. He co-wrote and produced 14 US '' Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Dozier was a ...
) # "Infidelity" (Hucknall, Dozier) # "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" (John Valentine, William Valentine) # "Come to My Aid" (Hucknall, McIntyre) # "Jericho" nstrumental # "Heaven" (Byrne, Harrison) # "Move on Out" # "Look at You Now"


Personnel

Simply Red *
Mick Hucknall Michael James Hucknall (born 8 June 1960) is an English singer and songwriter. Hucknall achieved international fame in the 1980s as the lead singer and songwriter of the soul-influenced pop band Simply Red, with whom he enjoyed a 25-year caree ...
– lead and backing vocals, acoustic piano * Fritz McIntyre – keyboards, backing vocals *
Tim Kellett Tim Kellett (born 23 July 1964 in Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. Biography Kellett has worked in the British music industry for the past twenty eight years. His professional career b ...
– keyboards, trumpet, live backing vocals *
Sylvan Richardson Sylvan Richardson is a British guitarist, composer, and massage, masseur. Music Best known for being the one-time guitarist of Simply Red, after the second album ''Men and Women (album), Men and Women'' and a successful world tour, Richardson ...
– guitars *
Tony Bowers Tony Bowers (born 31 October 1952) is an English musician based in Italy and Ireland who has worked with many bands, including Simply Red in the 1980s. Career Bowers debuted in the blues band, Blind Eye (1971–1972), as second guitarist, altho ...
– bass * Chris Joyce – drums, percussion Guest Musicians * David Fryman – guitars (8), backing vocals (8) * Ronnie Ross – baritone saxophone (2, 4, 5) * Ian Dickson – tenor saxophone (2, 4, 5) * Francis Foster –
conga The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest ...
s (1, 3) 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 Simon Geoffrey Fowler (born 25 May 1965) is an English singer, best known as the frontman of Ocean Colour Scene. The Fanatics Simon Fowler commenced his music career as the lead singer and songwriter for Birmingham band The Fanatics, which cons ...
* Back cover photo – Malcolm Heywood


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications and sales

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References


Bibliography

*


External links


Simply Red official website album page

''Picture Book''
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(streamed copy where licensed) {{Authority control 1985 debut albums Simply Red albums Albums produced by Stewart Levine Elektra Records albums