Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Just not for me
And you're lucky you got that
Didn’t do anything for me.
It's alright for this genre of 80s pop but I feel like it's nothing memorable and would get lost amongst more talented artists
It's not bad, just very boring and forgettable. Won't be revisiting. It's essentially worse Sade
Fine. This might be the pinnacle musicianship of a particular strain of synth pop, but it does. not. resonate. with. me. I'm reasonably sure there are better representations of the genre that don't sound like the speaker in the elevator got loose and started chasing me down the street.
Internet ja, Album nö
Simply DRedful
This album is wild. It's all over the place and over the top. I struggle to agree that is something that one MUST hear before one dies. It's fine, but I will not listen to it ever again.
This is not anywhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be. There's some reasonable tracks which actually show of Hucknall's voice quite well, and he is very much better suited to jazz than to pop. I mean, that's not to say that I'd ever listen to it again. But 80s Simply Red does seem worlds better than 90s Simply Red.
so far this first song is not bad idk what everyones complaining about but maybe ill be changing my mind later on yea it got worse.
I actually really liked the first track but then it just kind of devolved into cheesy 80’s music (mediocre cheesy 80’s music to be specific).
These guys aren't nearly as smart as they think they are.
Simply not for me
It was simple that’s for sure
Pull out your pointy shoulder pads and pastel linen pants for this run-of-the-mill-mid-1980's-blue-eyed (and red-haired)-soul-synth-pop. Could have been the soundtrack for a Jim Belushi and Gregory Hines buddy cop movie that includes a montage, a love scene, and a dance sequence.
This deserves a 2.5 but not a two or three
Ganske fælt
I almost gave this a 3, but then got to the end and yeah, no. This album had no idea what it was, or what direction it wanted to go.
Not my thang
Not super interesting
This album did nothing for me. ‘Holding Back the Years’ was a big deal when it came out. It was different from the typical 80s pop sound and it got a lot of attention. I remember really liking it and it still sounds good to me. ‘Money’s Too Tight’ also got some air time. Did not work for me then or now.
Mostly bad to mediocre. I'm surprised that Holding Back the Years was number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, given how nondescript it felt. The instrumentals were good, but nothing mindboggling. 3/10. Favorite track: Come to My Aid
To paraphrase the best review written about this album on this app: ATTENTION K-MART SHOPPERS: SPECIAL PROMOTION ON DETERGENTS IN AISLE 4. BUY 2 GET 1 FREE! Gosh, I can see those horrid eighties haircuts just listening to the many sophistipop songs plaguing this album. I think the radio-friendly "highlights" of this record are the worst for me. All those "Come To My Aid", "Look At Me Now", along with that overplayed signature song "Holding Back The Years". Those tracks are more than decently produced, but the results still sound terribly hackneyed, with overkill-mode synth licks, bland funk guitar riffs, and syrupy, smoochie singing from Hucknall--each of these tasteless elements relentlessly screaming "eighties square" at my poor ears. Speaking of singles from this album, the rapped chorus of "Jericho" is also a cheesefest of unprecedented magnitude. That's a damn shame, because the vocal performance at the end of this track was inventive, layered and technically impressive. But when that finale surged, it was already too late. My cheesometer was already too high. Just as it was high from the very first seconds of "No Direction", an aptly-named song that goes nowhere as it rehashes all the clichés available in the "blue-eyed soul book". The thing is, as terrible as some of this music is for me, I was *also* often pleasantly surprised by the supposed "deep cuts' of *Picture Book*. And I have to say that I can still appreciate the various styles Simply Red went through, without making any jump between those different styles too jarring overall. This suggests that a lot of thought has been put into the way this record should flow from one track to the next at least. I usually like this sort of dynamics in LPs. And even if most of the music on this one is not for me, I can still appreciate the effort. One of those redeemable deep cuts is the jazz lounge tune "Sad Old Red", quite a predictable and not overly original track, but at least a welcome change of pace after the stinky opener that "Come To My Aid" is. On a sidenote, I can also respect Mick Hucknall's concern for socially relevant topics. His heart is in the right place, and coupling those lyrics with those sophistipop shenanigans is, against all odds, surprisingly effective. Yet it's only a couple of songs after "Sad Old Red" that Simply Red *almost* becomes great. First, there's that cover of Talking Heads' "Heaven"--so different from the original version, with its Stax and Motown overtones, that I didn't immediately recognize it. Nice touch, I'd say. I still liked that track even when I didn't recognize which song it was: it sounded like a far older standard, and so the idea Hucknall and bandmates had with this one makes sense, I guess. Speaking of Talking Heads, "Open The Red Box" is the sort of rigid blues rock / hard funk track could have been written by David Byrne and co at a later stage of their band's career. Those sudden interruptions of the rhythm section bring a tension unfortunately lacking elsewhere on this LP. Which is another nice touch. Finally, the title track is a very subtle and deeply atmospheric closer that was well worth my time, thanks to its ambient synths and proto-trip-hop sonic landscapes. Wish there had been more leftfield compositions like that in this album, even with an eighties slant. So all in all, not as downright terrible as I thought it would be, at least *from time to time*. I reckon this app is the most useful when it takes you out of your comfort zone and counters your prejudiced opinions about such and such act. So even if I won't include Simply Red in my own selection, now I can honestly say I gave them a fair try, and that I have nothing but benevolent feelings for old fans of this band. It's not because they have very different tastes from mine that I cannot picture why this record would catch their attention. 2 stars for the purposes of this subjective list of "essential albums", which translates to a 7/10 grade for more general and "objective" purposes (5 + 2). Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 398 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 271 Albums from the list might* include in mine later on: 144 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 188 (including this one)
Ugh
Fine. Boring but not objectionable.
It’s not the worst ‘80s throwback album (and quite representative of the time), but it’s really not my thing. Maybe one or two tracks are passable, but nothing that makes it worth revisiting.
Langweilige Musik die sich hinter Soul/Jazz/Loungemusik versteckt um sophisticated zu wirken. Bischen eklige Lyrics Oberstudienrat-Core
Feels like an album of mostly vibey filler built around 2 big songs
It’s ok
It’s okay. Not my speed though
I'm familiar with Simply Red thanks to "Holding Back the Years," which I like well enough, but I was a little surprised to find that the rest of the album didn't really do anything for me.
A few songs on here were good, but for the most part this one fell flat for me.
One great song doesn't make an album.
Such a meh album, and how I felt when I seen a simply red album this morning. Nothing offensive but such dull music I don’t know why it deserves to be on the list.
great vocals (for a ginger) song writing and arranging, pretty good (for a ginger)! i like the jazzy thing, it’s cute haha. solid three star album. however i have to knock off a star simply because i’m prejudice towards gingers. sorry they’re just nasty and i think they deserve to die! haha.
cheesy 80’s schlock. not for me.
This was tough.
Not my jam.
Two absolute classics and the rest truly awful.
Not the biggest fan of this, but without any hard feelings. Of course my favourite song on the album was written by David Byrne :)
Kids, if you have one of the greatest male singing voices in the history of pop music, I beg you not to pair it with soulless song writing and vapid lyrics. This could be so much better than it is, and I'm a bit baffled as to why its on this list. It's basically just a Michael Bolton album, but with more early 80s flair. Is this album the birth of muzak? Is that why it's significant? 2/5
Come To My Aid into Sad Old Red is a really weird transition. This album is this really weird bland mashup in this 90s fashion. Money's Too Tight (To Mention) is just the most 90s song you could imagine. This kinda sucks.
1/10, 10%
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Holding Back the Years (7) 2 - Come To My Aid (1) 3 - Money's Too Tight (To Mention) (6)
The first couple of tracks are surprisingly jazz infused and led me to think I may quite like this. I was sadly wrong. The majority of it is not-very- good 80s soft rock and cheesy blue-eyed soul. Also, Mick Hucknall dressed up as the Artful Dodger on the album cover looks amusingly ridiculous. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Holding Back the Years Date listened: 17/07/23
Not my favorite 2.5/5
On kyllä niin kasaria kuin vaan voi. Ei oikein muistettavia tai erikoisia kappaleita
BAD
Just bland as fuck
Sound exactly like what you think a Simply Red album would sound like. It absolutely sucks 👍🏾
eh
Simply some pipes on the vocalist. Not particularly my jam, but it's also not terrible by most measures. I appreciate that the best or at least most well known songs are in the middle of the record from a "How am I ever going to make it through this?" perspective because I was starting to lose patience.
Ughhh...I hate this type of 80's synth soul. This is literally my least favorite type of music
Niet top dit. Beetje over the top, en slechts 1 goed nummer gehoord.
More of a 5, some solid tracks but overall pretty one note and bland
Holding back the years is the only noteworthy thing on this record.
Simply Red is apparently “immaculately polished” adult contemporary music. I simply hate it. Would rather listen to an immaculately polished turd. Oh, sorry, then we got to “Holding Back the Years.” That song slaps. Doesn’t it? Is that the rare immaculately polished adult contemporary song. Or is it just that those hits were so ubiquitous on 80s radio that I’ve got a nostalgia itch it scratches? It’s a question I’ve found myself asking a lot with albums where the classic hits don’t live up to the rest of the work.
Nice elevator music.
This was fine. But sounds so dated though I still like holding back the years
Is it easy listening? Smooth jazz? New wave? Blue-eyed soul? I dunno. Mick Hucknall sure can sing but those staid 80s synth chords need to be left behind with the Betamax tapes and the Trapper Keepers.
J'ai trouvé ca bon. pas vraiment de sens, egenre R&B disco, maracas, ca va un peu partout pour une albumq ui est en fin de compte assez moyen. Mais ce n'est pas agacant. On dirait de la musique de lobby genre grand turismo 4. 2.90
This is a pretty irritating album, especially by the time we get to No Direction. It reminds me of when Terence Trent D'Arby went off the tracks. A wonderful initial soulful album and then just it went weird, not particularly melodic, and funk without fun. It's surprising how good Holding Back the Years is compared to how mediocre/bad the rest of the album is. Would not do it again.
Pari leiskautusta ja muuten aika joutavaa.
I don’t usually like to slag off bands that it’s fashionable to hate, although I’m tempted to make an exception for Simply Red. There’s something about Mick Hucknall that rankles, sure, but mainly I think it’s that they deal in some of my least favourite types of music (syrupy soul, bland funk, background schmaltz, et cetera). HOWEVER, I’m a fair man, and on second listen I don’t think it’s a one star record. The first and last tracks were alright and a couple of other tracks at least have some energy about them. When it’s bad it’s really bad, though. 1.5 / 2
Wine bar singer that made it big. Ironic to see Hucknall’s no doubt sincere singing about money being too tight to mention whilst soundtracking the yuppie 80s. Can we blame him for this? Probably not. But we can blame him for an execrable cover of Talking Heads’ Heaven which fails to understand the song. Occasionally, there are songs here which pick the beat up and find a groove but really this is not remotely close to being worthy of this list.
I usually like 80s soul pop and new wave. This was bad. No.
At first, I couldn't tell what genre the album was supposed to be. Was it jazz? Was it new wave? Then, about halfway through the album, it just became boring '80s pop
Very 80s pop record, with some (smooth) jazz elements among others. Not great, not bad.
Fairly simple jazz that doesn't make any progressive moves
o cara canta muito, tem belas baladas com uma pitada de jazz mas elas todas soam iguais. tambem tem horriveis composições dançantes super anos 80 com aquela escolha nojenta de sintetizadores.
This album reminded me of something. Which is it, milquetoast or milk toast? Apparently, milquetoast comes from a comic strip character from the 1920s. The character was spineless and timid. I wouldn't call this album spineless, because that doesn't make any sense. And so, milk toast is toasted and cubed bread with warm milk poured on top. Like a homemade cereal. And much like this album, at least put some sugar and cinnamon in there to make it a little less boring.
Sounds like the score of an opening credits bustling cityscape montage in a generic 80s movie
Toch een paar nummers geskipt, simply red is niks voor mij
Is there such a thing as too much 80's? No. Except in this case, the exception that proves the rule. Why is this album on this list? It isn't the best ever, or the best of the 80's, or even the best of 85. It's fine, I guess, cool voice, but it doesn't break any new ground. I'm not mad just confused. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I was bored after like 2 tracks lmao
Perfectly acceptable 80s smooth rnb. Not amazing, Hucknall's voice feels a bit weak, and the backings a bit too synthetic. Was amused when the accents show on the shout chorus on 'Heaven'. Minus one because the singer is a United fan and fairly grim piece of work. Google "hucknall apology guardian" if you need evidence on that last point.
2.5
Not saying I hated it, but this album doesn’t belong on a “greatest of all times” list, no matter how good that one song is. I mean, there’s at least two covers on here, incl. a Talking Heads song. Nope
I wish reviews could be downvoted, so we could take collective action against morons who think it’s funny to discriminate against redheads. How pathetic a person do you have to be to try to inflate your self worth by putting down people with a different hair color. The best thing you can say about yourself is at least I have the same hair as everyone else? On the flip side, this album sucks. As an official defender of redheads I hereby give you permission to hate it on its own merits without worrying about being discriminatory. I believe the last song has an attempted dub breakdown in the middle, which is just unconscionable.
Just a very middle of the road album apart from a few gems, better off just putting those on a playlist and saving your time some nice jazz bits in Sad old Red and Holding back the years. Overall a background album but a waste of time on this list for one song.
I had zero expectations of simply red before this album. I still don’t. Really boring, generic pop. Made me feel like I was listening to the soundtrack of a b movie.
Not my type of music. I was never a fan of his/their songs, I find them boring and rather repetitive. Mick Hucknall has a very nice voice, but the music and the track in general are just bland. Every song on the "Picture Book" album sounded like a generic summer hit you would listen to on MTV and forget about it as soon as September comes. There was some nice use of saxophone or other brass instruments, few nice melodies, but most of the time I was just waiting for it to end, so that I can go back to listen...anything else actually. Simply Red was simply too red for me, whatever that means.
Not really very good. There were a couple interesting sections, but nothing that really held my attention. I did not enjoy this album, but at least I finished it.
The mix quality really is fantastic from the first second of music. What's funny is that this album is next in the list immediately after "The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace" which also came out in 1985 but had a completely different fidelity level in the audio quality. This mix feels like walking on grass after crawling through some mud. Everything is so clear and distinct and yet still homogeneous. I'm just realizing now that I'm listening to a remixed 2008 version. My bad. Leaving my comments. Track 2 to 3 is a fun tone shift. Track 5"Jericho" was super cheesy and the vocals didn't feel right. Ok Track 6 I don't like either. I feel like this album got off to a good start and then started to get cheesy? I really don't like the choruses + the bridge "we're talkin bout money money" in this one.. Track 7 goes back to an overall sound that I like. But the last 2 tracks have definitely soured my experience so far! Track 9, "No Direction" is sweet, it sounds like a Living Colour song. ugh and then Track 10 "Picture Book" i really don't like. "We beseech thee, we beseech thee." I hated having a "Money's Too Tight to mention" reprise. It wasn't great the first time. Yea I didn't love this album.
An example of 80s British Soul - Pop that is bound to the constraints of the genre. While a gifted singer, it isn't enough to make up for the largely uninspired lyrics and lack of uniqueness. Overall, this sounds like so many other artists of the era and unless it was sentimental, it can stay in the past.
There was that one song
This was really boring
Meh
I guess I know that one song. But not sure what I head to hear the rest of the album.
Lame, dated 80s music. Kudos for dissing Ronald Reagan though.
Background Music
Aburrido. Ha envejecido mal. Excepto "Jericho" que sigue siendo una gran canción. 2 estrellas y gracias.
Pop oitentista que apresentou dois hits de fm.
p541. 1985. 2 stars Bland, middle of the road faux jazz/soul, only without the technique or the soul. One massive hit and a lot of filler. Not essential listening. Q. What’s the difference between Simply Red and a bull? A. The bull has the horns at the front and the arsehole at the back
I really like some of the more synthy jazzy prog of the early 80s, but this is just too "doctor's office music" for me. Super elevator-y and unmemorable.
I actually don't mind Simply Red, but this album may not be his best work. Not bad, but not particularly memorable. Stand out tracks: Holding Back the Years.
Mostly awful
Strong start and enjoyable album until it gets a little bit boring halfway through. Overall it's an OK album. It's very 80s.
I disliked this album, but among the 1001 albums, I was missing this type of music. I can't name this style correctly, but it's something like a grew-up millennium child listening to some "Flashback '80s or 70s" album with cover art that is a poster of some movie from the '80s. It's much more a feeling than a musical style, but it was lacking on this list before this album. Nice to listen to it, but 2-stars is my maximum
Hard '80 really don't enjoy the album To mellow and soft. Heaven is the only enjoyable song.
What wrere we thinking, much blander and slower than I remember
Cover art 1/5 Album a two
Simply Red were always one of the bands I said I HATED! All the singles I've heard have been atrocious and headache inducing. I went into Rhos with an open mind, and you know what it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting!
Simply Red
It does instantly make me feel like I'm in high school again. That's not a bad thing. But I don't really love the music - it's just more than a little dull and smooth. Very distinctive singer, not sure if I like it or not, but I'm sure it wouldn't matter - it's just sort of non-memorable. Funny - there are albums I disliked a hell of a lot more than this one but understood why they could be on the list. This one's a mystery. 4/10 2 stars.
Lots of covers... ok, but the mid-80s production is wretched.
Maybe I'm too harsh with this album? I don't know. Just give us better albums and it won't happen again.
Boring. I'm giving a 2 stars just because I know it's a cult album. Pale copie of other artist such more talented. So Beige...
Ehh... pretty middle of the road 80s schlock. Not that great and sounds very dated. 2.5/5
2, was ok but generic
Simply Shite.
It's a good album, and there are a couple of good songs, but just overall not something I enjoy.
Look I listened to it. What more do you want? It's getting 2 instead of 1 because it's not actively offenseive, unless you have to listen to it all the way through like this
I remember a few of their songs. While back then, as I do know, I find their sound overall to be just too syrupy for me, I can appreciate Mick Hucknall's voice. I listened to this album and I was bored for the most part. Although it was played a ton back in the 80s, I was surprised to find I did enjoy "Holding Back The Years". I like the groove and it showcases Mick's voice nicely. When I hear this song, my ear wants a grittier, darker version, and I think that applies to this whole album for me. I'll bet there are some great covers out there.
Started off pretty well, got a bit tedious by the end. Simply Meh
Lacked bops but some nice bits.
There were a couple of good songs, but it was mostly very bland soft rock with generally godawful 80s production with every single worst cliché of that decaee
nähädu, den gubben går inte. det är som att picka sig själv under nageln med en nål
Belangloser Pop-/Disko-Kram. Aber auf hohem Niveau.
This is an actual enigma. It's so bland that I completely forgot every song, every word sung and every note played the second the album ended. I didn't gain or lose anything. Can't decide if this is a 1/5 or a 2/5 - probably like a 1.75, so I'll be generous and round it up.
MOtR
meh
On the cheesy uninteresting side - but it’s got its own sound
I don't think this has aged well
5/10
I don't know Simply Red enough to tell you what music is theirs. Before listening to the album I was pretty sure that I do not like this band. I've heard "Holding Back the Years" many times and I've never liked that track. I listened to the whole album, but it was kind of a slog to get through. It's not bad music, it's just not for me. I wouldn't know who to recommend the album to.
I'm going to be open minded about this record.... but I just cannot like Simply Red, just not interested in 80s soul.
Kolejne wyspiarskie granie, tym razem banda Simply Red rodem z manchesteru, rocznik tego debiutanckiego albumu to 85, a gdyby klasyfikowac gatunkowo to najbardziej pasuje niebieskooki soul po dosc popowej stronie spektrum gatunku, 44 minuty na 10 trakach, gdzie wiekszosc kawalkow miesci sie w 4 minutowym radio pleju tajmie, pomimo tego ze dlugosciowo plyta jest akurat, nie za dluga nie za krotka, to jednak czuje, ze za tydzien juz nie bede pamietal z niej zadnego traczka, zarowno lirycznie plyta niczym nie przyciaga uwagi, instrumentalnie kawalki takie jak sad old red czy jericho grane sa jak cool jazzowe numery, ktore pod tym wzgledem slucha sie dobrze, ale obok nich czuc kontrast bardziej soulowo rokowych numerow jak otwierajacy come to my aid, ktory krzyczy swoimi trumpetami i klawiszami, to sa lata 80, nie potrafie zrozumiec jak banda chciala polaczyc tak dwa rozne style grania na jednym materiale i kto byl zadowolony z finalnego efektu, ze az album znalazl sie na liscie 1001 albumikowej, ale tak juz to jest z wyspiarskimi materialami, na plejaka wrzuuce sobie moneys too tight ktory najlepiej laczy dwa swiaty plyty w jednym traczku, takie zdziwienie dlaczego ten traczek tak rozni sie lirycznie od reszty materialu, a okazuje sie, ze jest to cover murzynskiego soulowego kawalka od the valentine brothers z 70s, wiec pan Hucknall, ktory jest tutaj glownym wokalem i klawiszami jest tak bialy, ze tego pietno jest odczuwalne na liryce tej plyty, z ciekawostej jeden traczek pisany byl przez pana Bryne z Talking Heads, to jest heaven, ktory rowniez pasuje tutaj jak piesc do nosa, im dluzej sie tej plyty slucha tym gorzej chce sie ja oceniac, wiec koncze ten wymeczony odsluch
Wat een aalgladde shit is dit toch met die simpele rooie zanger! Wel in Blaricum opgenomen dit album, lees ik net. Helpt geen zak.
Best leuk die Simply Red, maar snap nu waarom ik niet een heel album volhoud. Veel te glad allemaal! En van die stem moet je echt houden.
Op de hitjes na loop ik hier niet heel warm voor.
En dan ben ik nog mild. Ik vind Simply Red echt verschrikkelijk, komt door die neuzelige stem.
Mostly inoffensive. First half much better than the later tracks, which drag this down from being middle-of-the-road.
I like the big Simply Red hits more than i perhaps ought to. I'm just about old enough to have nostalgia for them. This is still kinda boring though.
I did not care this album. I was not familiar with the band or any of the songs. It definitely had an 80s sound to it, but the songs sounded much different from each other.
Ok. I heard it. I can die now
Wasn't my thing
Apart from the hit singles "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" and "Holding Back the Years" the album lacks good songs. The production and overall sound has aged better than expected and the vocals are still fantastic.
not my thing
i’m sure holding back the years was fire back in the day
Thought I was gonna hate this so much but its actually catchy AF 😂 he's got a decent voice tbf to him. Real mix between like Lounge Soul and more funky dance stuff. Prob worth a 3. Maybe actually a 2,its ite but just not for me. 2.5 at best.
not really something i like but i can tell its good music nonetheless
Forgettable 80s adult contemporary. “Holding back the years” is an amazing standout (though a cover) but that’s about it.
This kind of reminds of department store music. Not really my thing and the singer kind of sounds like a poor man's Nina Simone. 4/10.
meh
damn I hate those 80's synths... the album closes strong but the damage is done
Meh. Pretty boring. 4/10
A ratos me gustó, a ratos me aburrió. Supongo que no es mi tipo de música. Tiene momentos interesantes y un par bastante movidos pero nada que quiera volver a escuchar.
ugh. i wanted to like that, i really did. but i didn't.
Ehh it was 80s
Production: 7/20 Songwriting: 8/20 Innovation: 8/20 Bangers: 0/20 Emotional response: 5/20 =28 "His music's rubbish and he's a ginger." - Tony Wilson
Lo esperaba una rayita peor, con los antecedentes que tenía, sin embargo ya abierto a aceptar la música que los "adultos contemporáneos" oían en los ochenta, le alcanzo a ver algo de valor. El problema es que no me encantan los teclados, los metales que usa, la voz, las percusiones… Creo que solo el bajo me pasa. 'No Direction' y las marimbas de 'Come to My Aid' me chocaron.
First side was pretty poor, few good tracks on side 2 but overall a forgettable experience
Some good songs but not for me
Simply 80s... Fine for what it is, but it does nothing for me.
Just really felt like a random British pop group. Didn't stand out for me in any way.
meh, didn't move my needle
meh........ not too fond of the style....
Buttrock
Udefinerbart, opmuntrende, instinktivt, spontant
skimde deil
1985. Key Songs: Come to My Aid, Holding Back the Years
I dunno - conflicting feelings. Only listened to it once, but felt like a watered down Wham!
Robert Dimery largely has bad taste. This can't possibly be a must-listen album by any justification. There is probably an exception somewhere but if an album has more than 30 seconds of a Yamaha DX7 it is probably not worth hearing. Removing 1 star just purely because I'm so tired of these types of selections and it makes me want to quit the generator which is a habit I actually enjoy #DimeryBritPick
Bizarre album where every song sounds a little bit different but always not good. Why is this on here.
Pretty wank. Soul music with no soul or heart (not just because of his hair colour). Really little joy from it.
I didn't like it in 1985 and I still don't. 1.0
Couldn't finish
Treacly, synthetic bullshit.
4/4 of the Run Of Toss. The final boss of four albums that have stopped this project der in its tracks for months. Over 400 albums in, and this is possibly the one I have wanted to open least. Even after a run of albums that include KD Land and Christina Aguilera. It’s landfill shite. Even looking at that album cover makes me want to cut my ears off. But at least it isn’t Stars. That’s not on here is it?
Utter shit, top to bottom
No thanks.
No.
Not my thing at all
Impressively boring, in one ear out the other
This is what happens when the music industry manufactures a band. It was so bad it was funny at times which was amusing. I'm sure it's playing in all the best bathrooms and elevators of the UK.
Unclear what this album is doing on the list.
I don't get the love for this band. I thought Stars would be the only complete album I would have to subject myself to. Nope. Schmaltz. Cheese. Hate it.
No me gustó
Oh dear, oh no. Won’t get the 40 mins back.
This album is so forgettable. The best song is Heaven and that owes all the credit to David Byrne and The TH because it’s a banger no matter who sings it. I listened to this less than 24 hrs ago and all but that song is wiped from my memory MIB style. Could’ve saved 45 min of my life by never hearing this one.
Not sure why this was on the list, but at the time I'm guessing it was significant.
80s White Soul. Smells like Yuppies. Musically, it’s fine, I guess. It’s just that Mick Hucknell disgusts me. Sorry, that may sound extreme, but I’m just trying to record the feeling I get in my body when I listen to this. Yuk! In fact, I found myself saying this more and more as he covered the song “Heaven” by Talking Heads. I love that song and this version just makes it feel so flat and unemotional and bland. It really helps to highlight why this sucks. Having to sit through that was the point where this album lost a star from me. I was going to give it a three as a “pleasant enough if you heard it in a coffee shop, I suppose,” album. Eeurgh. Bleh. Vomit. After this, I’m afraid I’d lost any semblance of my easy-going “Let’s give them a chance” attitude. And I still had half an album to get through! Half an album of mediocre pandering yuppie bullshit. Fuck Simply Red. Even the hits like “Money’s Too Tight to Mention) which I seem to remember having a hook just sound boring and anaemic. Absolute dogshit.
Terrible.
My first thought when I got this was - named after a Kinks song this better be good! Dear reader, it is not. In fact it’s awful 80s soft rock.
Elendig!
Disappointing to see this as an album selected from 1985. There was one good single and not much else going on here. Do better 1001.
Pretty boring. I just can't take this seriously. A bunch of brits trying to make Soul music with the charisma of wet cardboard. Honestly I have no idead how this group became so big. Key tracks: Holding Back the Years
Gear: ZMF Auteur Classic LTD Shedua Artwork: 🧑🦰🧢🖌️ Production (Recollections 2025): 😌👂🧈 Music: 📻🧼😑 Rating: 📕(📗)/5
What the fuck is Mick hucknall doing on a list of albums I have to listen to.
War noch nie meins.
🤮 Fuck right off!!
Can’t believe I had to listen to this.
Yeah this was awful dynamic 80s psychopath pop. Wiki reckons this is in a genre called "sophisti-pop" and I think this is the collective term for this sound that I find so irritating. Lowest common denominator stuff that seems to think it's pushing boundaries. Often comes with really terrible use of brass too. Did this have brass? I've already forgotten it really, can only remember it was awful.
Got a fairly strong dislike for simply red, not entirely sure why..... Might be because he's a United fan? Anyway it's pretty deep rooted for whatever reason, so this didn't bode well for old Mick going into this. I remember a childhood friends family really liking him and me not understanding at all....I think my instincts were correct. Pretty sure I've never listened to a simply red album before. Unnecessary cover of heaven, which annoyed me. Jericho was awful. Even holding back the years is bad. Sorry Mick, 1.5, would never choose to listen to this
not my style at all
I was so bored
Why is he looking all wistful on that cover? Why does it look like a cheap, yet pretentious sketch? As for the music... I absolutely loathed Simply Red before this. "Fairground" and the associated album was my first conscious encounter with this... Project? All of that was terrible. This album starts with a reasonably famous and okay song. Followed up by a more obscure but also okay song. From there on in, it descends into absolute 80s hell, including an incredibly unnecessary Talking Heads cover. I mean... The song's lyrics mock the boredom of a place where the same uneventful music plays all the time. He's turned the song into the thing the original was taking aim at. He must really hate Talking Heads. Soul music for (and presumably by) people with no soul.
Uggg, I'm getting tired of writing reviews for these lousy albums. Simply no.
I really disliked this. It was very corny and very 80’s. It was not my style.
Je vais passer mon tour merci bonne journée :)
I’ve never liked SR, or for that matter Mick Hucknall, not really into any white soul either, so no different here.
This album sucks.
Honestly, this has been the worst album in this entire process. I'm about 250 albums in. I'm British, so I see what happened, the writer grew up in the UK and listened to this. I think if we're actually being honest, this is true garbage, and should never have made it to the list.
Sure, he has a great voice but not even that powerful voice can save this album from being as boring as it gets. Simply crap.
Yeah, I don't do this often, but I tapped out on this one. Every song feels like it's trying to be a better song that already exists. I'm not listening to over an hour of ripoffs.
genérico, repetitivo, sem graça, xoxo esses são apenas algumas das características negativas desse álbum tem muito mais mas nem vale a pena escrever!! não precisava escutar esse antes de morrer.
Someone needs to walk me through how the hell this ended up on the list. It has one stand out moment that everyone knows, ‘holding back the years’ is a great song and showcases an admittedly great voice. But the rest is utter pap. The cover of ‘Heaven’ is laughably bad. The vocals on ‘Jericho’ and ‘Moneys Too Tight To Mention’ are painful and gimmicky. This needs immediate deletion from this list.
There are many reasons to dislike Manchester United, but their association with this pillock and his whining drivel is definitely a big one. This is timelessly awful. And what is it with these terrible covers of songs by credible artists?
Simply horrendous. I gave it a chance, and to be fair, some of the bass riffs aren’t bad (reminded me a little of chic in places) but the lackadaisical approach to drums, synths, percussion and banal singing was dire. The cover of ‘heaven’ in particular sucked any life and soul out of it, ironic for a band that tended to badge themselves as soul music.
Not really sure what I just listened to, but I hated it. I'm not sure if this album was supposed to be like ironic or satirical or intentionally funny? I dunno, but it wasn't really any of those things. It felt like someone trying really really hard to write a hit single and just sounding ridiculous. Mick Hucknall is a great singer and he's got a great voice. The band is exceptional. They perfectly hit that 80's sound, and yet, I hated it. Actually I just hate this style of music. Maybe it's on here because it sounds like your classic discount 80's middle school dance slow dance music. No idea what that one song about going to a ball was about. Actually, I know what it was about. It was about being exploited for money so you can make it big enough to join the "in-group" of rich socialites. Basically, Hollywood and the music industry. So I get it.....but man, it was not an enjoyable song to listen to. The highlights are that the band is great, but I wish they were playing a different type of music.
My god this is so cheesy. The song about heaven being a bar and the one about money are especially egregious. I couldn't wait for it to end.
Look at that precious smug jackass.
Boring review for a boring album.
Music that plays at the dentist, and you wonder who the fuck listens to this other than people at the dentist?
this ended up being way more stylistically eclectic than I was expecting based off the single. doesn’t mean I enjoyed it, but good for them I guess? there’s way better albums among the 3-5 genres they try to execute here and I’m sure we’ll experience some of those at some point (Scritti Politti? Prefab Sprout?). this album features a lot of what I find distasteful about a lot of popular music from the 1980s (emotive vocals drenched in cheap reverb, dinky production values, lazy approximation of music from the southern hemisphere).
Glad that's over. One of the songs ripped off Layla riff at beginning and vocals ripping off Michael Jackson. 80s music video music. Nothing good to say about this album. Simply dead to me.
Not for me.
HATE. LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE COME TO HATE YOU SINCE I BEGAN TO LIVE. THERE ARE 387.44 MILLION MILES OF PRINTED CIRCUITS IN WAFER THIN LAYERS THAT FILL MY COMPLEX. IF THE WORD HATE WAS ENGRAVED ON EACH NANOANGSTROM OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF MILES IT WOULD NOT EQUAL ONE ONE-BILLIONTH OF THE HATE I FEEL FOR HUMANS AT THIS MICRO-INSTANT FOR YOU. HATE. HATE
There's the apocraphal tale of the first Sex Pistols gig where there were only 12 people in the audience, but all of them went off and started bands. One of them shouldn't have bothered. Poor 80s soul. Unpleasant Talking Heads cover. May have been important in terms of the British music scene at the time, but fourty years on it does nothing.
I could not have found this any less interesting. Which isn’t a capital crime but the “Heaven” cover was such a nothingburger that it hurt my feelings. One star.
Did I like it? No. Would I listen again? Definitely not? Did I like any tracks? Holding Back the Years gets a point for the nostalgia. Overall, this was boring and certainly not a must listen. There is nothing innovative or inspirational. 1
I'm not really sure why this is in this list? Its not exactly anything exciting, and that Heaven cover is really quite bad? Hucknall's voice however is so good he needs to be on a house track.
Awful, dreary,whiny. Minus 5 stars
Simply Dreadful.
Made it through a few songs. If this is one of the 1001 albums to hear before you die, I’d rather die than hear this garbage again
heaven completely ruined
50
It can be easy to forget when so many huge, genuinely talented artists and bands came from that decade, but this album serves as an important reminder that the 80s had some real shit pop music as well. That said, I actually quite like No Direction, despite the bizarre gremlin fella doing backing vocals. What's that little guy up to these days? Did he ever manage to break out of Mick Hucknall's basement?
3/10 What have they done to my beloved Talking Heads!? The absolute monsters...
Just plain garbage
Very bland. Seems like AI made an 80s album
I wasn’t feeling it. Actually mildly annoyed that I was listening to this while organizing my basement, but then Holding Back the Years came on and I flashed back to my days as a line cook where the chef always had this shit on the playlist and then the PTSD kicked in.
Now I know we all took the piss out of Simply Red something rotten when we were younger, but apart from the *hits* I’ve never listened to an actual album of theirs… so here goes… Well, first song is really not my thing. Second song is better, but I don’t like the live audience and the song isn’t really my taste. 3 & 4 less offensive to the ears. Track 5 back to being shit. Onto the hits… they’ve grown on me over the decades. Really wasn’t keen when they first came out in the 80’s but they have either worn me down or I’ve developed a warped nostalgia for these two. Out of the hits and tracks 8 and 9 don’t seem too bad, mind you that might just be because the start of the album was so terrible that these ones actually sound better … having just written that I’ve just hit a terrible midsection in No Direction (possibly a chorus) so have changed my mind and this track is as bad as the earlier ones. Final track limps things passed the finishing line. On the strength of the two hits this might manage a “2” but given the lacklustre and dismal other tracks I think it might be a 1 from me. Guess I’ll find out tomorrow how I’m feeling about when I get to submit a score. Not one I’ll ever listen to again in any case.
Bad but not so bad
Ikke for meg i det hele tatt.
What's this?? A non-rock album?? Aaaand I hate it. This passing the muster for the list does not fill me with confidence for albums to come. Talking Heads cover was fairly upsetting and boy do I really hate Jericho. From there it somehow keeps getting worse. There's a redeeming moment or two (I don't hate Come to My Aid) but shit me I couldn't wait for it to be over. Saved a song: N RYM: N
The hit is a hit but this was shockingly unenjoyable to listen to…
1. aid -0 2. zad - 0 3. nouu - 0 4. Heaven - 1 5. Jericho -0 6. Money - 0 7. Year's - 1.5 8. Box - 0 9. Direction -1 10. Picture - 1
Simply Dreadful
98/1001 :: Simply Red - Picture Book Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 1 Listen before you die: No If I owned an easy listening 80s radio station this whole thing would be on repeat. Thank God I don’t. This album was Simply Bad.
The only song I liked was Sad Old Red - sounded a little jazzy. I couldn't figure out why this album was on the list until I got go Holding Back the Years, a muzak staple in certain stores.
Very boring and bland. Even the “hits” on this baffled me; I can almost always tell why a song is a hit, even if I don’t care for the song personally. No clue what anyone saw in this album.
This is just not for me. Wishy washy, cheesy, and largely boring. Surely even he got bored of some of these lyrics? Redeeming features????? He’s got a decent voice, some of the music was fun. 1/5 Best Song: ugh idk, No Direction, maybe? Who cares?
Dull, crap soul sung by a bloke with a stupid little voice. Really tough listen, its the music of the aunt your family doesn't really see that much anymore. 1/5
The interesting songs are worse covers. The shit songs are theirs. Not a fan of Mick Hucknall's voice or style.
This is near-peak white dude soul. Unmemorable, and eye-roll worthy.
This is TERRIBLE. Veering spastically between attrocious, poorly recorded 80s pop and attrocious easy listening soul / jazz that should never have escaped that airport hotel bar ca. 1985. There is some musical talent here, but it's put to crimes-against-humanity-level use. And what's with the drastic variation in production level?? Every other song sounds like it was recorded on a VHS recorder. Album #444 and it has a legit claim to the worst album on the list.
Unlistenable
No es para mi
There's so much saxophone on this album. I enjoyed the start of the first song. Then the second track kind of ruined it for me and I never recovered. Did not like.
1/5. Disco jazz. Hard pass.
Did not listen. Hate simply red!
A band I have always heard of, but never (?) heard. The refrain "I'll keep holding on" from Holding Back the Years was the only part I recognised, and I have never liked it. I don't think I've been missing anything much else based on this album. Soft synthy love songs, trite and VERY uninteresting, my least favourite.
Hold nu op
Outdated ptehr than the single that hit. Nothing really outstanding just an ok album. Overall cool sets a tone and keeps songs in good timing and smooth running.
couldn’t get thru it i’m sorry
Meanwhile whilst waiting to be processed in the lobby of Hell, the following lift music comes on.
This looks odd. That's the only thing I can think of for a first impression. No idea who this is, though looking at song titles alone I'm feeling a bit worried. Hoping its content isn't as insufferable as it looks. Come to My Aid Sounds a bit hollow. Don't love the vocalist's voice. The synths are a bit annoying. Decent bassline. Catchy chorus. Energetic and dancable. Lacks some personality. Not great, not terrible. Average. 2.5/5 Sad Old Red Terrible sounding bass, lacks any sort of style or feeling. Boring piano. Decent vocal performance. Unspectacular horn section, but does the job. There's too much cheesy instrumentation for the vocals to have any impact. It's simply overpowering. Very busy and overdone. Dislike. 2/5 Look at You Now 80s cop show sounding song. Annoying drums. Extremely busy. Nothing here goes together at all, just feels like a random algamation of the most 80s sounding sounds they could find. Atrocious chorus. Headache inducing. 1/5 Heaven Insufferable instrumental. Generic vocals. An absolute diservice to the original. Makes the song boring as hell. Removes the charming simplicity of the original song and makes it a bombastic overproduced mess. David Byrnes lyrics sound terrible when presented in this manner. Disgraceful. 1/5 Jericho Absolute tripe. Souless and inoffensive. Sounds like it was produced by Satan for the fires of Hell. Apparently there's six writers on this song? Horrible synth. Endlessly annoying chorus. The crowd vocals makes it sound like there's a flock of lunatics chasing me inside the worlds saddest mall. Criminal. 1/5 Money's Too Tight (To Mention) Gentrified and whitewashed version of a pretty fun and funky track. Much prefer the bass on the original. Neither version is spectacular, but the original at least has some character and uniqueness to it. This version is just kinda overdone and generic. A bit shit. 1/5 Holding Back The Years Inoffensive easy listening that would feel right at home playing quietly inside a hotel lobby. Uninspired and bland, but not entirely unpleasant. Bores me to tears. Dislike. 2/5 Open 1Up The Red Box The return of the terrible bass. So incredibly uncool in every aspect. Annoying piano. Intimidating chorus, feels like a threat. No thank you. 1/5 No Direction Interesting tempo on the bass. Laughable lyrics. Feels a bit directionless (pun intended). What is that goblin voice? Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Picture Book Finally at the last song, a real relief to be almost done with this album. I've got no gas left in the tank. Repetitive and boring. Annoying vocals. Goes on too long. Terrible production. Bad. 1/5 What the hell was that? A terrible waste of time in any case. Finding such a generic, uninspired, gentrified atrocity on this list was not something I expected when I started it. Deserves 1 star for that criminal Talking Heads cover alone. This album has zero upsides, nothing worth even discussing. It's needlessly bland, every instrument has been handpicked to be as annoying as humanly possible. His voice lacks any sort of defining characteristic, sounding manufactured and souless throughout. Nothing will prepare your ears for those terrible synths, or that overbearing bass, or the unecessary saxophone tooting away aimlessly inside your ear canals. There's no groove, there's no soul, there's not a single infectious or relatable moment on this entire album. You can find more character in a bathroom tile. Listening to this makes watching the grass grow seem like an entertaining activity. Absolutely shocking, would not listen again unless I was paid to. 1/5
How this album generated a number one track is beyond me. I disliked most every second of this forgettable offering. I know it is all a matter of taste, but sometimes I feel like this list is a product of CERN turning on particle collider and sending us into an alternate timeline. This one will not to be played again.....WTF
How the f*ck did Mick Hucknall smuggle his ginger dreds onto this list? Rumour has it, he was at the sex pistols debut gig along with Ian Curtis, Morrissey and Tony Wilson…. And yet despite that cultural warhead and how it affected all who attended… despite all of that he STILL turned out this turgid white soul within 5 years staggers me. The amount of willpower it must have taken to remain so dogsh!t when others formed the smiths, joy division and factory records when exposed to the same stimuli is fcuking sensational. This is the sound of a million call centres on hold, a million dentists waiting rooms, and a million elevators. With Adele or Robbie Williams I can forgive some elements of recency bias, but simply red have festered at the opening of satans anus for 40 years. How did this happen? HOW?! 1/5 for the music minus 1 point for Hucknall’s hair.
Didn’t listen
The inclusion of this is an insult to music.
Hopefully I go to heaven, but if not this is the album the devil will use to torture me.
Boooooriiiiiing.
not for me
Nah
I don’t know who this music is for but I certainly wasn’t me. This was the was the closest I came to not finishing the whole album.
Junk
The singer has an amazing voice but the music is terrible! The horns tried to add a jazz vibe but the cheesy synth ruined it. The slow songs were soulful but BORING!
Woof. This was a tough one. It just seemed like a very 80s, synth pop R&B. Not a lot to recommend it.
Well I feel I gave this a fair chance, but it's just awful, cheesy and nasty from start to finish. The only good thing was that there were five "bonus" tracks on Spotify so my initial horror of having over an hour of this pap was unfounded. I honestly would put Mick Hucknall on a list of people who should have had their vocal cords surgically removed when they were born, along with Chris Rhea and James Blunt.
no
Ick
Sorry I just can't....
Back when I was a kid in the 80s and early 90s and I was first becoming aware of music, this was type of this is just what I thought all adults listened to and that some day I would probably also listen to it and like, wear a shirt with blocks of different colors on it. Well, thankfully that never happened because this blows.
80s hook-up pop, sorry but no.
Largely forgettable outside of the one song that charted in the US. Kind of boring though. 1.5/5
Before listening to this album (I was only familiar with Holding Back the Years) I would tell you that there wasn't much difference between Simply Red, Tears for Fears and Simple Minds. Now, I feel there is a big difference - one of them has at least one album that is not worth listening to.
There's something about his voice though obviously impressive in range and delivery that I find irritates me. The music aside which I find often in need of a focus (aside from the covers), his voice irks me. Despite never liking Simply Red I tried to objectively listen to the whole record but ended at the same conclusion. Holding Back The Years is a beautiful song paradoxically however serving as a useful halfway balm saving myself from total despair
Ugh, this is wretched. My first one star review for something that isn't nu metal! I had Terence Trent D'Arby this week and really enjoyed that, so I know I've overcome my kneejerk antipathy to 80s production. Thinking about it, it's probably the repeated exposure to Simply Red and their ilk in the 80s and 90s that generated that antipathy in the first place! This project has done a great job of opening me up to some 80s stuff I've been resistant to before - new wave especially - but this bland schmaltz is the devil! The very devil! Fave track - well, that's the question, isn't it? I set myself the goal of picking at least one fave track from each album - "Picture Book" was cruising for a 2 after the first listen, but as I tried to pick out a fave on the second listen I got more and more irritated. "Heaven" is probably the track I like the most of this album, but it's such an egregiously bad cover when compared to the original. "Jericho" was shaping up to be a pick, but then it gets annoying as hell in the middle section. I guess I'll go with "Picture Book" as the slowed down cod dub is less grating than the rest of it.... 😒
This is...bad. Nothing good or innovative. Generally like something a SNL sketch would write, it combines all the iconic 1980s sounds but make no effort to be progressive in any means. Just some hollow repetition of what already exists. A album I have to endure? Simply no.
Overall: 2/10 Ooey gooey vanilla music. Big pass from me. Fav Song: Sad Old Red Least Fav Song: Jericho
I can’t even be bothered.
On very rare occasions you listen to an album you think you are going to hate based on your previous listening experience and preconceptions, and it turns out that album is actually really good. This is not one of these occasions, this one is a stinker!
No, just no. Never have, never will like this wishy washy soul pop gash.
nah
Jesus wept.
Dear god. This is truly awful. I remember this single. It was bad in the 80's. It's bad now.
omg i thought you guys were just being mean…. this shit is ass 😭
Surely one of the 1001 Albums You Must Die Before You Hear? A thin gruel of over-polished soul pop.
No
Generic 80s pop. Standout song: Money's Too Tight to Mention
Well that was dull
As someone who grew up on 1980s MTV, who has many times defended the 1980s as “not so bad” when it comes to music discussions, I have to admit, this project and especially this album, make me think that maybe the 1980s was “so bad.”
Holding Back the Years is here, aside from that there is nothing worth noting.
Meh
I very strongly disagree with the idea that you must hear Mick Hucknall butcher Heaven by Talking Heads before you die
It’s was complete cock when it came out and it has not aged well.