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.

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.

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

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

Simply no

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Great album

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

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.

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

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

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. Virtually every song is excellent.

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

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

meh

This album was shockingly awesome

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.

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.

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)."

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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."

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

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.

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

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

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

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

love it

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

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?).

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

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?

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

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

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!

Absolute classic. 5 Stars.

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.

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

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.

Superb! Amazing album!

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

Love it. Very jazzy and old school like me.

Very surprised that I liked them so much.

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.

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

schöner smother pop soul

Very good, very nice!

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

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.

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.

Pretty fantastic.

I had forgotten about this band. Enjoyed the album.

Was actually not bad. Good discovery!

Finally a really good 80's album. 4.2 I could listen to this front to back and be content.

Very nice

Never heard of this group, but this was a really nice album. At times it reminded me of a version of Peter Cetera with an extra helping of soul. What genre is this, exactly? It's somewhere between pop, R&B, and soul, and I like the exploration of that blended space. The kind of thing that could be called easy listening. Favorite tracks: Holding Back the Years, Jericho, Open Up the Red Box, Come to My Aid. Album art: Really like this one, a cool painting both in aesthetic and temperature. Never seen it before, but it leaves an impression (see what I did there?). 4/5

Good

Wow! A lot of fun. I'll admit that I was sick of another "Debut album by British pop & ___ band". This list is lousy with debut albums by British pop and [something]" artists. Great beats. Real 80s. Sound. Michael Jackson-esque vocals. Really surprised to hear that these dudes hail from Manchester. I found the Heaven cover to be a bit lame, but mostly because I think Talking Heads are untouchable. Money is my favorite track.

Good music, great memories

Beautiful brilliant neosoul album from the mid80s new wave Manchester scene no more no less

.

What a voice! Simply Red's best album, by far. It aged, yes, but not too badly.

Great 80s album. Found myeelf dancing

not what i expected. very soulful.

Big fan …. Liked these tunes

erstaunlich jazzy

This was way better than I expected. I knew the singles but the album was punchy with a very strong groove capped by a fine ,fine singer.

heh guapete

Great album

Another one that works much better for me without the visual. Anyone who reads this: you must now sing the lyrics to Money’s too tight to mention to the tune of Let’s get ready to rumble by PJ and Duncan. Ta

While I didn't recognize the name, I certainly remembered the single "Holding Back the Years". Great vocals and good groove to the whole album. I probably won't go back and listen to it again, but it was enjoyable. Solid 4.

Beautiful

6/10

Просто хороший

Ik ben niet zo hele bekend met het repertoire van Simply Red, anders dan de bekende hits. Dit album begint meteen herkenbaar en gaat daarna in een zeer lekkere jazzy vibe verder. ****

Sad old red was a good song!

Surprisingly funky. Main gripes are the vocals are slightly annoying and the lyrics have nothing. 8/10

7/10. Maybe an 8 out of 10? Solidly enjoyable throughout, nothing grabbed my attention

The debut album from Simply Red - classic stuff... ...although perhaps the overall album isn't as good as the (over-played at the time) Heaven and Money's Too Tight (To Mention)...?!

Never heard of them. This was very cool, especially the first song

The Talking Heads cover (Heaven) just doesn't approach David Byrne's tongue-in-cheek delivery, and frankly doesn't work for me, but overall it's a nice album. Anyone not moved by Holding Back the Years simply has no soul, in my opinion.

Simply Red (and Mick Hucknall) have long been the butt of jokes and the sneers of critics on these shores, and as such I was primed to join in with the ludification. But...this is really good. Hucknall is a good singer, the album is full of grooves, and in 'Holding Back the Years' they have a ballad for the ages. I really dig the light funk groove that pervades - 'Come to My Aid', 'Jericho', 'Money's Too Tight' all sparkle. 'Sad Old Red' is a very decent cabaret jazz number. One that I'll stick on the stereo again in the near future.