Love and the Russian Winter

Performer: Simply Red
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Mick Hucknall (vocals); Kenji Suzuki, Mark Jaimes, Greg Bone (guitar); Chris De Margary (flute, saxophone); Ian Kirkham (saxophone); Kevin Robinson (trumpet); John Johnson (trombone); Andy Wright (keyboards, bass, programming); Tim Vine (keyboards, bass); James Wiltshire (keyboards, programming); Dom T, Aiden Love, Philipe Manjard (keyboards); Gota Yashiki (bass, drums, programming);,Wayne Stobbart (bass); Geoff Holroyde (drums); Ned Douglas, Merv Pearson (programming); Dee Johnson, Sara Brown (background vocals). Producers: Andy Wright, Gota Yashiki, Mick Hucknall. Engineers include: Alan Douglas, John Lee, Al Clay. Recorded at Westpoint Studios & Metropolis Studios, London, England. Personnel: Mick Hucknall (vocals, background vocals); Damo Suzuki, Greg Bone, Mark Jaimes (guitar); Chris DeMargary (flute, saxophone); Ian Kirkham (saxophone); Kevin Robinson (trumpet); John Johnson (trombone); James Wiltshire, Andy Wright (keyboards, programming); Dom T, Phillipe Manjard, Aidan Love, Tim Vine (keyboards); Gota Yashiki (drums, programming); Geoff Holroyde (drums); Merv Pearson, Ned Douglas (programming); Dee Johnson, Sara Brown (background vocals). Recording information: Josh T. Studios, London, England; Metropolis, London, England; Town House, London, England. Photographer: Rick Guest. Any CD whose booklet includes a lengthy quote from Plato's SYMPOSIUM (huh?) can probably be accused with some justification of at least flirting with pretension. That said, Simply Red's last album of the millennium is more or less of a piece with its previous work--a modern take on '70s R&B and disco soul, heavily influenced by Gamble and Huff's songwriting and production style and (vocally) by Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke (Mick Hucknall's keening tenor has deepened a bit, but if anything it lends him a certain becoming gravitas). The one obvious departure from the band's formula is "Thank You," with chiming guitars that threaten to go pop, but never really do.

Led by vocalist Mick Hucknall, neo-soul act Simply Red became one of the U.K.'s best-selling artists during the 1980s and '90s. As students of classic soul, Simply Red collaborated with legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier and released a popular cover of Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes' Philly-soul classic "If You Don't Know Me By Now." While perhaps not the saviors of the form, Simply Red's approach is marked by both a reverence for soul music's past and a crisp sound that's very much their own.

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