Simply Red brings the funk and soul on new album

photo: Dean Chalkley, courtesy Missing Piece Group PR

Simply Red has release their 12th studio album, Blue Eyed Soul via BMG. It was written by singer and band leader Mick Hucknall and produced by long time collaborator Andy Wright.

Recorded live, with few overdubs, Blue Eyed Soul draws inspiration from classic funk and soul: Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and Tower of Power. Purchase or download HERE.

"This record is a bit more raw and a bit more rough n' ready," Hucknall told Billboard in a recent interview. “At this stage of my career, I could do one of those dark reflective albums looking back on my life and all that kind of stuff that people tend to do at a certain age,” Mick Hucknall admits. “But I thought sod that! I wanted to make something punchy. I want to have a good time.”

Simply Red also recently released a lyric video for the single "Thinking of You." Watch it HERE.

After 40 years of making records (with punk band The Frantic Elevators, solo and various line ups of Simply Red) Hucknall wanted to create something tailored to the core strength of his band.

“I asked myself, what would these guys really like to play, night after night? I want them to enjoy playing, for crowds to get up and move around, and everybody to put their heart into it. It’s all about capturing the groove.”

Simply Red have over a billion hits on YouTube, have sold over 60 million albums worldwide, 5 going to number one in the UK. Their 1991 effort Stars was the best-selling album for two years running in Britain and Europe.

They have had two US Billboard chart toppers with classic singles "Holding Back The Years" and "If You Don’t Know Me By Now." Every Simply Red studio album has been a UK top ten (with previous release Big Love reaching number 4 in 2015). Hucknall has been the songwriter and bandleader since the beginning in 1985, aided since 1986 by long-serving saxophonist Ian Kirkham.