Picture Book

ATTENTION K-MART SHOPPERS: THERE IS A BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL ON PAMPERS IN AISLE 7.

The funny thing is listening to this album, it was even worse than I expected it to be. There have been some dubious selections so far which make me question the validity of the 1001 albums but this takes the biscuit. I refuse to believe that this is one of the 1001 greatest albums ever made. If you Google 'Best albums of 1985' you get lists with some great albums, none of which are by Simply Red.

Band has big "Jamiroquai but different be-hatted cunt in charge" vibes.

More a function of the rough day I’ve had but I’m somewhat saddened at how warped the list selection feels day after day. 900+ albums in and time after time I’m presented with some new British monstrosity of a band that somehow makes the same music as the 500 others before it. I would redo this whole project from scratch if it meant the selection contained exciting, underground albums that deserved the praise and recognition of being in the top 1001 of all time, not whatever this shite is Dimery be damned

I think all this soft 80s adult-oriented pop is payback for me having missed the two Black Sabbath records. That's on me, guys. You make a deal with the devil and the devil wants his due. I didn't mind "Heaven," "Holding Back the Years," or "Picture Book." But I'm going to have that lower octave singing of the line "Open Up the Red Box" stuck in my head the rest of my life and I am not sure I deserved that one.

Simply no

"This is the second Simply Red song on this tape. One's unforgivable. Two's a war crime. Can I fast-forward?"

I know I will be alone on this one but I can appreciate this sort of 80s sophistipop. The talking heads cover was a bit of a surprise and I didn't love it but I generally enjoy the confluence of synths and soul from this era. 3.5 up to 4.

Mick Hucknall has an amazing voice. Their best songs sounds like he's vocally grappling with the music; all snarls, growls and whips. This album contains a lot of Simply Red's best songs, like U2 I'm not sure why this band is seen as 'uncool' but I guess that's someone else's loss.

An album that cranks up the 80s aesthetic and sprinkles in some thoughtful lyrics.

Wow… this is dull. Cheesy organs, unnecessary saxophones, and an allegedly soulful singer. When you think you’re nostalgic for the 80s, just put this on and be cured.

What's the difference between Simply Red and a bull? A bull has the horns up front and the arsehole at the back. According to wikipedia, Mick Hucknall was among the people present at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester in June 1976 where the Sex Pistols were playing. This gig was influential in the formation of Joy Division, the Smiths, Buzzcocks, The Fall... and Simply Red? Jesus, Mick, you were right there; were you not paying attention? How do you see one of the single most influential punk shows of all time and end up doing... this? This is a slightly warmed up regurgitation of soul with tepid jazz inflections, all passed through the 1980s cheese-ulator production filter. The over-reliance on synths sucks all the warmth out of the record, and the drum machines squeeze all the swing out of everything. The cover of Talking Heads' 'Heaven' is appalling. It's an insipid and inhuman record that only Patrick Bateman could love. The more I listen to this record, the more I despise it. I own a copy of this record, which I think I need to get rid of immediately. I am _never_ going to listen to this again.

Simply Shite more like, amirite.

definitely smooth and not in a lacklustre way. It feels like a lot of love went into this album. Feels like sitting at a bar with a drink and a stranger, just to swap stories and part ways.

Enjoyed this, tight 80s smooth soulful pop. Reminded me of Phil Collins/Genesis at times and Michael Jackson at others. Fav track: Jericho

We listened to this over breakfast at which point my co-judge offered her opinion that it was "stinky", and on second listen (with headphones) I agree that a few songs, especially the debut smash hit, "Holding Back the Years" are over-the-top stinky. But I liked the title track and though I usually hate covers, I thought their version of Heaven was transformative. He has a great voice and I like the fact that the theme of not having any money shows up in a number of songs. So 5/10 from me with rounding down due to the radio-ready production.

Love it... And don't know what all the hate is about. My criteria for rating albums in this project is very simple... 1) Did I enjoy listening to it? If no, one star, if yes, two stars. Would I mind if I had to listen to it again? If no, another star. Would I actively seek to listen to it again? If yes, another star. Do I want it in my library/collection? If yes, another star. This album got them all, so, five stars. Thank you!

When I put this on, I immediately prepared myself for a rough ride. I figured this would be bad, and for some reason I wanted to hate on it. I think the consensus that it wasn’t amazing got to my head. But truthfully I just couldn’t hate this. This comes off to me like a more glitzy and glamorous Jamiroquai or Steely Dan. And I kind of hate it for that. But like I said, I couldn’t pretend to not like this for very long. I’m just a sucker for this sound, no matter who does it. And this does have some genuine highlights. The stretch from Jericho to Holding Back the Years is excellent. And the vocalist has some really great and powerful moments on here. This feels so smack dab right in the middle of the 80’s, which makes total sense considering the release date. This is a combination of many things, from the new wave influences, to even the title and cover art, which have a very artsy fartsy feel. I can understand why certain people would be put off and interpret this as rather pretentious. I find that there isn’t much to latch onto as an outsider. If you like this genre, you will find enjoyment in this. If you don’t, this isn’t going to change anything for you. It might make it worse, honestly. Rating: 7/10

Great album

Very 80s. The upbeat tracks especially were very fun. Stand-out: Come To My Aid

This was a decent album. Had some catchy songs. It works well as background music, but for a dedicated listening session it wasn’t my vibe. Very groovy though.

Oh Christ. This is going to test my commitment more than Brothers in Arms did, isn't it. Ok, I listened. It's toss. Actually a shame, an album full of left leaning, anti-capitalist lyrics including a massive smash hit taking the piss out of Reaganomics at its absolute height, you just want it to be good. A Talking Heads cover, as well. To be fair, Come To My Aid has a decent track struggling to get out with decent Orange Juice/Smith's guitar work but Hucknall smothers it by being annoying all over the top of it. The rest is cod lounge-jazz crap. Or the worst kind of 80s mainstream electro rock. With Mick Hucknall being really annoying all over the top of it. I was softening slightly thinking about the good points but then Open the Red Box happened and sealed the 1/5.

Solid album. I remember when this came out. First time I've listened to it all the way through. Not really my thing back then. Holding Back the Years is an all time classic. I enjoyed just about everything from this pick. Extra stars for the nostalgia.

Bangers

I had forgotten about this band. Enjoyed the album.

Pretty fantastic.

I have always been a fan of Mick Hucknall. This is superb pop music with a jazzy feel, and he has only gotten better over the decades.

This is a fabulous album! Simply Red simply smashed it with this debut album. This album would for sure be in my all time favorites top 10 albums.

Man, this took me back. Mick Hucknell's vocals are soulful and land in the dead center of the blues. I listened to the whole album with pleasure.

Everyone now and then I come across an album that has it, and this has got it. Not much more to be said aside from the fact that I loved the cover of Heaven especially the big sax. Jericho has got some serious attitude to it. A very good obviously 80s album that never gets "too" 80s (thanks to a very heavy soul or something influence). I also love that in this case I am absolutely zero influenced by prevailing opinion cause I've never even heard of him. I actively avoid preconceptions as a hard rule for all these albums but in reality they sneak in every now and then - here is a pure unadulterated love of a record.

There's 2 or 3 pretty good songs dotted amongst a load of absolute drivel. I preferred The Frantic Elevators, but who doesn't? Mick Hucknall though innit, so he deserves 10 stars, never mind 5.

This album was shockingly awesome

meh

Fav songs: - Come to My Aid - Money's Too Tight (To Mention) - No Direction - Picture Book

Amazing album. So fun to listen to and definitely will be revisiting again.

Classic. Virtually every song is excellent.

I like the purple skin on the album cover. Billy Idol sprang to mind, both of there styles are very soulful. I especially like the intricate percussion parts.

Classic 80s music. Memories of college and dance clubs 🥰

Got through the first half, realized this album is a masterpiece in my eyes

There’s an old joke which I’m willing to bet sarcastic elbows will also quote (and I think he told me it anyway) - what’s the difference between a wildebeest and simply red? A wildebeest has the horns out front and the arsehole in the back. I don’t know anywhere enough about mick hucknall to know if the joke is even fair but I will say there’s a bit of groove on this. It’s that particularly British groove coming out of northern soul - starts with I don’t know, Joe Cockker? Rod Stewart? Continues through Bowie, Queen, the style council, jamiroquai, everything but the girl and no doubt a thousand others I’ve blanked on. But this is part of it and it’s no surprise it sold so well. Well crafted. Well played. Well produced. It’s a 3.5 that I’ll round up to 4.

The band finds a steady R&B groove reminiscent of '60s Stax house band the MG's, and, as with the MG's, it's all in the service of a big-voiced soul singer, in this case a British redhead. Features the U.S. number-one "Holding Back the Years" and the U.K. Top 20 "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)."

Like Elton John but without big dick energy

Picture Book is the debut album by Simply Red, originally released in 1985. I would've guessed this was made in 1985 from the first 5 seconds. Seriously, this thing is dated. I wasn't alive in the 80s but I could imagine this style of sophistipop was corny even back then. The music itself isn't all that bad. It just isn't good. Typical 80s instrumentals with some white boy soul vocals. Blue eyed soul had been done a million times before this and it certainly didn't need to be done again in the 80s. Pretty much every 80s instrumental cliche is present on here. I saw another user compare the backing tracks to the MGs.... really? The one saving grace for me was the last track which channels some dub vibes (I mean listen to that juicy bass line!). I also wanted to take a second to reiterate that this is a list of 1001 albums that the author thinks we must hear before you die. Not 1001 best albums, not 1001 most iconic albums. I see a lot of users complain that this isn't one of the "1001 best albums" or "it's barely known so why is it on here". We gotta play by the author's rules on this one.

Don’t think I ever got over the Harpo Marx impersonation on the album cover. No doubt Hucknall had a terrific voice, but I don’t think most of the material on this album has weathered well. His performance on Holding Back The Years is great. The cover of Talking Heads’ Heaven is abysmal up against the original. And even though their version of Money’s Too Tight is okay (although not nearly as interesting as the original), the fact they covered something that had been a disco hit in the UK only 3 years before they released this album does suggest they were not totally confident in their original material. And with good reason. I find most of these songs pretty limp. And what ever happened to Hucknall?

when the reds go marching, on on on! he's like the much better prototype of the used teabag that is ed sheeran. hideous ginger creature, the pastiest of things with suspisious eyes using predominantly black music styles to sing music that gets the women going. the prototype completed women though didn't he. can't see ed sheeran ever conquering slick mick in the all time tables. micks got a pretty good voice if you didn't know what he looked like, but there's just something so jarring about MOR soul being belted out by someone who looks like an eco warrior that's been trapped in a tunnel for the last 5 months surviving off stale golden wonder crisps and drinking his own piss.

A version lesser than "Go Back Jack Do it Again" of Steely Dan. Ok

I actually have this album on vinyl so I’ve listened to it before. Although the singer has a pretty unique/cool voice and a few of the songs are really catchy and funky, I just didn’t really enjoy this album overall. Maybe with repeat listens more songs would grab me. Reminds me a lot of Hall & Oates, but not as fun and awesome. Stand out tracks: come to my aid, look at you now and moneys too tight.

There is some music that I would consider timeless or ahead of its time. Not this. Picture Book should be locked in a vault labelled "80s music. Do not open under any circumstances."

You know how the British press lost its mind for like a half decade because Pippa Middleton had a visible ass which was seen as manna for a starving nation? Including this album on the list is the blue eyed soul equivalent. One star.

Shocked how much I liked this album. 80s distilled.

Very good, very nice!

schöner smother pop soul

I feel like I normally wouldn't be so down for this but I had a blast listening lmao great way to start a monday morning. Bit of grooving, great voice, the cover of Heaven was absolutely killer, all round cool asf

another band i have never heard of until now and DAMN do they slap. seriously, my jaw was to the floor the moment the first track played, with really awesome keyboard accompaniments, super catchy lines, and a whole theme centered around the appreciation for life, then and now... this is absolutely an album i will be listening to again and again.

Very surprised that I liked them so much.

Love it. Very jazzy and old school like me.

An album that is enjoyed by all that listen to it. Definitely a good choice to add to any music collection.

Superb! Amazing album!

Say what you like about Mick Hucknall; the man can sing. Amazing debut and can bear repeated listenings, of which there have been many since uni. Can totally forgive a Talking Heads cover (the impertinence!). Favourite track is predictably Holding Back the Years, but it’s a tough call as they’re all belters IMO.

This album was really good. Super interesting. 80s synth pop flair with soul based vocals and some touches of jazz instrumentals from time to time. Really weird in a good way. Favourite songs: Look at You Now, Money's Too Tight (To Mention), Holding Back The Years, Open Up The Red Box, Jericho, Sad Old Red, Come To My Aid, Heaven, No Direction Least favourite songs: if forced to pick, Picture Book 5/5

Absolute classic. 5 Stars.

5 Star album right here. I think it's their best work. I'm not the biggest fan of Simply Red, but this album is phenomenal!

Really liked this one. Surprisingly amazing. Kinda loved it.

Felt in love with simply red with this recommendation, absolutly amazing music.

What a likable pop album. The songs are catchy, the sound is full, the lyrics playful, and the guy's voice is great. Plus, where else have you heard a dance tune about Raegonomics?

Absolute banger of an album. Forget what you think of Mick Hucknall, just listen to it!

Warm and enjoyable over big speakers for pretty much anyone who lived and loved through the 80s a wonderful reminder of the joy of Simply Red and his bouncy locks and magical voice... And what a nice way to wake up. Great blue eyed soul (was it always called that?).

This was like 12 different genres yet I still loved it. Funky

love it

Que discazo loco, me encantó. De los mejores que escuché.

9/10 some really amazing stuff here a bit dorky at times, but for the most part it’s super solid

I love it so very much, I'm so glad it was recommended 😍

Fun, electronic, neon-feeling album, that gets you nodding your head and tapping your feet.

This is great. 1985 but does not seem 45+ years old. A really good blend of pop, funk, soul, r&b. For me, evokes the feeling of having been emotional over something for a long time, feeling tired of it, and turning inward and a bit cold with a new veiled perspective of the world.

Fabulous take from the 80s. Can’t believe I’d never listened to this before

Not knowing the band and seeing the cover, I initially assumed that this album would be folk or country (neither of which I am too interested in). However, seeing that this came out in the '80s, I should've known better. I liked the first song, "Come to My Aid" because, with my previous assumptions, it worked as a great shocker. Honestly, I questioned listening to the remastered songs, but did it anyway since I felt like the album would've been incomplete otherwise. Maybe I had been too distracted during these moments, but I of course didn't focus on the major differences other than the fact that the remasters were noticeably longer. The point is, I truly couldn't notice an important addition that deemed additional minutes necessary. Although, I could contradict that given that I truthfully enjoyed the additional four minutes on the remasted version of "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)". I felt like the instrumentals were very nice. 3 stars

I like most of the songs on this album. Notable exception: the title track. Why would you name the album after that song? Good voice. Tight production, but not too tight. Decent songs for the most part. Favorite song: holding back the years.

Beautiful soul record very jazzy compositions

- Ich liebe die einfach - Finde deren "Blue-Eyed-Soul" unfassbar geil. - Mick Hucknall hat einfach eine besondere und mega gute Stimme, die zwischen super gefühlvoll und sehr kräftig variiert, aber dabei jeden Ton nailt! - Dazu klasse Songwriting, geile Big Band Arrangements, mega groovy und geiler vibe. (Auf die Texte habe ich nicht so geachtet, aber denke das passt). Was will ich mehr von einem Funk/Soul Album?! - Man darf nicht vergessen: Wir reden hier von einem fucking Debütalbum! WTF?!! Das muss erstmal so souverän sitzen. - So viele gute Tracks drauf, von denen ich auch einige kannte, aber nicht die ganze Platte. - "Holding Back The Years" ist natürlich ein Welthit - Ich finde Hucknall mit seiner sozialistischen Ader und seinem sozialen/politischen Engagement auch einfach ziemlich cool. Mag den. - Mir gefallen ohnehin einige Alben von Simply Red: Finde auch A New Flame toll (was sich mit seiner Pinken Farbe wunderbar in meiner Plattensammlung macht) oder auch das später erschiene Home, was ich persönlich das beste Album finde. Bin aber auch bias, weil ich definitiv damit auch groß geworden bin. - Macht einfach Laune und hat mir hier einen guten Vormittag beschert. Bin vollends begeistert. Innerhalb des Genres wäre es vielleicht sogar eine 5/5. Allgemein still strong. Rating: 4,25-4,5/5

I don't care much for the jazz-sounding songs but the ballad songs are really good. Overall it is 4 stars or B for me.

Goed album. Heerlijke muziek.

Amazing British Pop. It's quickly becoming another criteria I've been sleeping in

strong 3.5, groovy af

You can’t deny Mick Hucknall has a great voice. There’s some really good songs on this album, and it’s definitely not a chore to listen to. It’s unmistakably Simply Red and I actually really enjoyed it.

Damn that shit's funky...

Perky 80s funk rock or something like that. It's good. And fun to listen to.

Upbeat, soulful, uplifting, sultry. This was just the record I needed to start my day today. It has a great mood and feel all throughout. I didn't realize this was the artist that did "Holding Back the Years" - classic. This was a really nice one.

Enjoyed the vocals and the music was pretty good. Surprised by this group since I have never heard of them before today.

Favorite Tracks: Come to My Aid Heaven Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)

4.0

I really didn’t like Simply Red back in the day, I think largely I was picking up on the fact that the lead singer used to annoy my mum. This was actually pretty good for its genre; not the kind of thing I’d listen to but I need to give credit where it’s due. Rating: 4

I loved this album, but it's definitely right up my musical alley so not a surprise. I didn't have the album back in the day but I knew and loved the hits. 80's jazzy synth pop is a nice palate cleanser along the 1001 albums journey.

Classic 80s white boy soul

Fine 80s rock, superb lead singer.

I like it

i would say strictly a good album, not a great album. the lead singer's voice is very good and i think the songs here are solid enough, but the production is quite dated in a not-so-charming way and nothing here jumps out as an amazing song or performance. it's better than average, but nothing super special either.

Excellent vocals. Phenomenal saxophone work. Great compositions and a great recording make this a very listenable album. Standouts are the title track and Holding back the Years.

I have heard of Simply Red and def heard a few of his songs - but hadn’t put the two together. I was thinking he was more like a Howard Jones. I was quite wrong. I didn’t enjoy every song but in whole I thought this was an excellent album. The dude can sing.

heard this a lot in Rozelle in 1989, nice soul/pop record

Good album.