With Simply Red due to disband in 2009, Mick Hucknall finally leaves the
mothership with his first solo album.
Robert Calvin Bland aka Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and Lion Of The Blues was one of
soul and R&B’s unsung heroes in the 60s and 70s. Hucknall confessed to being
“nervous” about the project and personal odyssey, and well he might be.
This solo debut apparently marks the future for Manchester’s very own blue-eyed
soul singer as he deviates from his pop legacy for the first time in 25 years.
It’s also a commercial gamble, though not exactly an artistic one.
Soul music has always been at the heart of Simply Red’s output, so he’s not
exactly treading new territory, but it is a covers album after all.
There’s never ever any doubting that Hucknall has been both a consummate writer
and a great singer, arguably Britain’s greatest ever, so now his reputation
could be on the line. He may also struggle to take his ‘coffee table’ fanbase
with him, though genuine fans might look more favourably on his new venture.
Looking at one of his inspirations and idols must have been a daunting task in
itself. Unlike his hero, Hucknall has failed to sing with twisted sorrow and
pain, and it shows at every level, and sounds like a Simply Red album. Baring
in mind the time the originals came out, Bland’s interpretation had a much
courser edge, missing here, though Hucknall has brought them up-to-date.
Also, the production sounds too slick and smooth for my tastes, and that
problem lies with long-time collaborator Andy Wright, though the objective was
to put 21st century slant on the standards, avoiding a straight copy. The net
outcome has mixed results. A lot more edginess would have transformed the entire
album into a possible classic.
He does however throw in his typical passion in attempt to maintain the
sentiments therein, though singing debut single Poverty must have a
tad tricky for a multi-millionaire. Bland began issuing singles in 1951, but
Hucknall has gone for his 1957 to 1962 releases starting with Farther Down The Road,
which is really SM all over again. Then he skips to two from 1959 – Lead Me On and I’ll Take Care Of You.
The former is sweet enough a ballad, but lacks any southern soul clout.
He fairs better on the latter, where some nifty blues licks make it work and
has more authenticity about it. On 1961’s Ain’t That Lovin’ You he's
almost replicated 1999’s top 20 hit Aint’ That A Lot Of Love.
The album hits a major high with Stax-like production and arrangement on
I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog, bringing back memories of the Staple Singers.
Chains Of Love and I Pity The Fool are a bit wet and lacklustre,
though some credibility is restored on lazy ballad Cry, Cry, Cry.
Oddly enough, Hucknall has omitted two of Bland’s better known songs: the sparkling
Turn On Your Love Light and his biggest US hit (no.20) Ain’t Nothing You Can Do.
1. Farther Down The Road
2. Ain’t That Lovin’ You
3. I’m Too Far Gone (To Turn Around)
4. Poverty
5. Yolanda
6. Stormy Monday Blues
7. I Wouldn’t Teat A Dog (The Way You Treat Me)
8. I’ll Take Care Of You
9. Chains Of Love
10. I Pity The Fool
11. Cry, Cry, Cry
12. Lead Me On
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2008.
