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Music : Tribute To Bobby (CD + DVD)
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Rating: 
- tricky micky
Blues in the album chart? Almost felt like a moral obligation to buy this. I can see that Simply Red fans will be confused and its not normal fare for blues fans but its mostly well done and there isn't a huge amount of truly modern blues that can cross over into wider tastes and if Mick doesn't sing as well as Bobby its still credit to him for bringing his hero to wider attention.
The dvd is interesting. Mick comes across as a bit of an arse but talks about this as his future musical direction so it will be interesting to see if that holds true.
Work in progress then.
Rating:
- What Mick was meant to sing . . .
Ever since "Picture Book" I've been waiting for Mick Hucknall to sing material like this - and now his voice is more mature it was worth waiting for. This is obviously where his heart lies and the integrity of the whole Tribute project is evident. The band used vintage instruments, and recorded in one room all together. The DVD shows Mick telling Bobby Bland how he influenced him from an early age, and the look on his face says it all - he's just a kid meeting his hero. It clearly means a lot to him when Bobby approves of this 21st century twist on his old songs.
And that's the point - to those who want to hear these songs just as Bobby did them, you'd better stick to the original recordings - but if you love Mick Hucknall's soulful style, and you enjoy funky bluesy arrangements then this is for you. Every instrument is clearly heard, filling each track with a rich multi-layered sound, and played by excellent musicians with a soul for this genre.
One more thing - if you get a chance to see Mick on his Tribute to Bobby tour, then make every effort. We went to the first night of the tour (Bristol) and had a brilliant time - it sounds even better live!
Rating: - Quality Tribute to Bobby Bland
I have never bought a Simply Red album, although I have liked a lot of what I've heard. However, I have been a big fan of Bobby Bland since the sixties. Thus, I was intrigued to hear how Mick Hucknall would approach this task. There is no doubt he has a good voice, with a genuine soul/blues feel, but he has not just copied the original songs. When I first listened to the album I was slightly taken aback by the modern beat given to some of them (e.g. Further Up The Road), and the new brass arrangements. However, subsequent plays confirmed to me that it actually works, whilst at the same time retaining the spirit of the original. Let's face it, how many turgid versions of Stormy Monday have we heard over the years, from slavish copiers who can't add anything new to the song!
I think this is a very good album from Mick Hucknall. Indeed, my wife likes it so much that she is now listening to my old Bobby Bland albums as well!
Rating:
- Unsoulful Blues
I was intrigued to hear this album as I have loved Bobby Bland for a long time. He is one of the original greats up there with Ray Charles and Sam Cooke as a pioneer in soul music's early years. Good on Mick Hucknall for wanting to update some fine old tunes even if he said some daft things about how he and Mr Bland are coming from similar backgrounds in an interview in Mojo.(Both outsiders apparently)
The Cd opens poorly I thought with Mick Hucknall somehow managing to 'de-soul' some fine old songs. Never mind it had to get better but try as I might I just didn't get it. Hucknall is out of his depth throughout and I didn't like the timbre of his voice. The album lacked integrity and whilst it was obviously a labour of love I found the arrangements to be bland (no pun intended)and anodyme lacking the essential blues and soul of the originals.
My advice is to go elsewhere on this site and buy the originals. Start with 'Two Steps from the Blues' and if it's your thing then try 'The California album' and his fine Malaco release 'Years of Tears'.
Rating: - An absolutely fantastic album
This is the first time I've ever given a review,but felt I just had to.
It is a fabulous album, don't be put off if you are not a blues fan, it is also funky, and great for dancing round the kitchen too, while you're cooking the dinner.Mick Hucknall has picked a terrific selection of songs, and for a change the album starts off with one you can really rock to .
The musicians are top class,very slick, and each track I had to listen to twice before I continued to the next, and each one is superb in it's own right.The production has also been handled by experts and it shows.
This is the album that Mick Hucknall was meant to make...although all those made with Simply Red are wonderful, this seems to be the one he sounds most at home with, in my humble opinion.
More of the same please Mick
- tricky mickyBlues in the album chart? Almost felt like a moral obligation to buy this. I can see that Simply Red fans will be confused and its not normal fare for blues fans but its mostly well done and there isn't a huge amount of truly modern blues that can cross over into wider tastes and if Mick doesn't sing as well as Bobby its still credit to him for bringing his hero to wider attention.
The dvd is interesting. Mick comes across as a bit of an arse but talks about this as his future musical direction so it will be interesting to see if that holds true.
Work in progress then.
Rating:
- What Mick was meant to sing . . .Ever since "Picture Book" I've been waiting for Mick Hucknall to sing material like this - and now his voice is more mature it was worth waiting for. This is obviously where his heart lies and the integrity of the whole Tribute project is evident. The band used vintage instruments, and recorded in one room all together. The DVD shows Mick telling Bobby Bland how he influenced him from an early age, and the look on his face says it all - he's just a kid meeting his hero. It clearly means a lot to him when Bobby approves of this 21st century twist on his old songs.
And that's the point - to those who want to hear these songs just as Bobby did them, you'd better stick to the original recordings - but if you love Mick Hucknall's soulful style, and you enjoy funky bluesy arrangements then this is for you. Every instrument is clearly heard, filling each track with a rich multi-layered sound, and played by excellent musicians with a soul for this genre.
One more thing - if you get a chance to see Mick on his Tribute to Bobby tour, then make every effort. We went to the first night of the tour (Bristol) and had a brilliant time - it sounds even better live!
Rating:
- Quality Tribute to Bobby BlandI have never bought a Simply Red album, although I have liked a lot of what I've heard. However, I have been a big fan of Bobby Bland since the sixties. Thus, I was intrigued to hear how Mick Hucknall would approach this task. There is no doubt he has a good voice, with a genuine soul/blues feel, but he has not just copied the original songs. When I first listened to the album I was slightly taken aback by the modern beat given to some of them (e.g. Further Up The Road), and the new brass arrangements. However, subsequent plays confirmed to me that it actually works, whilst at the same time retaining the spirit of the original. Let's face it, how many turgid versions of Stormy Monday have we heard over the years, from slavish copiers who can't add anything new to the song!
I think this is a very good album from Mick Hucknall. Indeed, my wife likes it so much that she is now listening to my old Bobby Bland albums as well!
Rating:
- Unsoulful BluesI was intrigued to hear this album as I have loved Bobby Bland for a long time. He is one of the original greats up there with Ray Charles and Sam Cooke as a pioneer in soul music's early years. Good on Mick Hucknall for wanting to update some fine old tunes even if he said some daft things about how he and Mr Bland are coming from similar backgrounds in an interview in Mojo.(Both outsiders apparently)
The Cd opens poorly I thought with Mick Hucknall somehow managing to 'de-soul' some fine old songs. Never mind it had to get better but try as I might I just didn't get it. Hucknall is out of his depth throughout and I didn't like the timbre of his voice. The album lacked integrity and whilst it was obviously a labour of love I found the arrangements to be bland (no pun intended)and anodyme lacking the essential blues and soul of the originals.
My advice is to go elsewhere on this site and buy the originals. Start with 'Two Steps from the Blues' and if it's your thing then try 'The California album' and his fine Malaco release 'Years of Tears'.
Rating:
- An absolutely fantastic albumThis is the first time I've ever given a review,but felt I just had to.
It is a fabulous album, don't be put off if you are not a blues fan, it is also funky, and great for dancing round the kitchen too, while you're cooking the dinner.Mick Hucknall has picked a terrific selection of songs, and for a change the album starts off with one you can really rock to .
The musicians are top class,very slick, and each track I had to listen to twice before I continued to the next, and each one is superb in it's own right.The production has also been handled by experts and it shows.
This is the album that Mick Hucknall was meant to make...although all those made with Simply Red are wonderful, this seems to be the one he sounds most at home with, in my humble opinion.
More of the same please Mick