Simply Red Album: “New Flame”

I am a big big fan of Simply Red. I have got all their albums, from Picture book to Blue. However, this is the strongest one of all Mick's production. Just listen to 'You've got it', 'More', 'Love lays its tune' and the masterpiece: 'Enough'.

You will not find something comparable in other cd,believe me!

Jazz, soul, pop, all mixed together in such an elegant way...

Perhaps,another 'must'for a real fan is 'Mountreaux ep'.

Mick Hucknall's best album and one he is unlikely to repeat. This album has never dissapointed me even after all these years and after many more albums by Simply Red. Some of his best songs are in this album i.e. "It's only love", "You've got it", "If you don't know me by now"... There are just so many good songs here and I think it is the most polished album by Simply Red. The songs here are beautifully written, perfectly arranged and performed with much gusto. It is an all round great effort and the product is simply superb.

Unsurprisingly and unfortunately, Mick has never got to repeat this feat in his later albums. So forget about all those Greatest Hits albums and get this one, if you have to choose. Why? Because the jewel in this album is the last track not available on the other albums (I think) ... "Enough".

But, we have not had enough, Mick!!

This may sound totally pedestrian and vapid on my part, but the remake of "If You Don't Know Me By Now" is actually better than the original! Please forgive me Blue Notes, but Mick Hucknall and Company manage to update this 70's soul classic with the perfect amount of polish, elegance and soul. The choruses have a yearning, slow burning, gospel feel that makes the love song sound like a spiritual reaffirmation. The rest of this 1989 release shouldn't be neglected either, but "If You Don't...." is the crown jewel here, a remake that actually works and improves on the original. The guys are terrific!

i listened to 'a new flame tonight,' as i finally found the copy i lost long ago. it blew my mind, just as it did the first time i ever listened to it when it first came out. i can't say enough about this cd. it is beautifully done - mick's vocals are flawless - he can make his voice do absolutely anything! it is so rich and soulful, powerful and gentle all at once. there is honestly not one bad track on this cd. i agree, SR's version of "if you don't know me by now," is incredible, but the rest of the songs deserve just as much attention and praise. really - i can't pick one song that outshines the rest, because they are all that good. it is a perfect mix of jazz, r&b, blues, rock and a bit of pop thrown in, just to keep things interesting. along with "picture book," "a new flame" has got to be simply red's best.

Just can't get enough of Simply Red!

Good dancing music. The good old dancing music that you can dance to, not one of those static house music.