Simply Red on this CD only seems to consist of Mick Hucknall and a large number of renowned studio and guest musicians including Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar and Paul Carrack. "Blue" has become a risk-free and predictable record in which Hucknall continues to build on the success of his predecessors. The CD has six covers and seven new own compositions for which he found the necessary inspiration
… in his recently ended relationship. Neil Young's "Mellow my mind" was topped with a Simply Red sauce so that little of the original is recognizable and "The air that I breathe" by The Hollies was also given a contemporary look. "Night nurse" (Gregory Isaacs) and "Ghetto girl" (Dennis Brown) are the two reggae forays on "Blue", something Hucknall thought up before for earlier albums. The own pop / soul compositions are the best because Hucknall is able to write beautiful catchy songs is beyond dispute. The ballads "Say you love me", "Love has said goodbye again" and especially "Someday in my life" are among the best songs on the CD. (CK) _more
