Life

by Simply Red

Overview

For Life, Simply Red retain the basic influences that fueled their earlier albums, especially American R&B of the early '70s, specifically the Marvin Gaye of What's Going On? and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes-era Teddy Pendergrass. Mick Hucknall's singing has calmed down and smoothed out on such songs as "You Make Me Believe" and "So Many People," but that only makes them sound more like the product of Philadelphia International Records. On "Fairground," he opts for a Latin-tinged sound that ends up evoking Herb Alpert more than Milton Nascimento; reggae turns up on "Out on the Range," and the big-time closer, "We're in This Together," is a South African-style anthem, complete with Hugh Masekela's flugelhorn. Stripped of the international superstar trappings, Life is, of course, pretentious, but it does have a couple of promising songs, notably "So Beautiful" and "Remembering the First Time." ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	10/24/1995
Label:	Eastwest / Elektra
UPC:	0075596185325
Rank:	74324

Tracks

1. You Make Me Believe
2. So Many People
3. Lives and Loves
4. Fairground
5. Never Never Love
6. So Beautiful
7. Hillside Avenue
8. Remembering the First Time
9. Out on the Range
10. We're in This Together
11. Fairground

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Simply Red   Primary Artist
London Metropolitan Orchestra   Guest Artist
Hugh Masekela   Guest Artist,Vocals,Flugelhorn
Bootsy Collins   Guest Artist,Guitar (Bass)
Robbie Shakespeare   Guest Artist,Guitar (Bass)
Sly Dunbar   Guest Artist,Drums
Khanyo Maphumulo   Vocals
Mick Hucknall   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Caroline Dale   Conductor
Ringo Madlingozi   Vocals
Zamo Mbutho   Vocals
Fritz McIntyre   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Richard Stevens   Drums
Marilyn Nokwe   Vocals
Anneline Malebo   Vocals
Luyanda Jezile   Vocals
Kwazi Shange   Vocals
Mandise Dlanga   Vocals
Bongani Masuku   Vocals
Phumzile Ntuli   Vocals
Vuyo Mokoena   Vocals
Dee Johnson   Vocals (Background)
Stella Khumalo   Vocals
Heitor T.P.   Guitar,Trumpet
Faith Kekana   Vocals
Beulah Hashe   Vocals
Tu Nokwe   Vocals
Sipho Mhlambi   Vocals
Tholo Ndlozi   Vocals
Vuyisile Dikana   Vocals
Felicia Marion   Vocals
Sipho Mbhele   Vocals
Victor Ruxmalo   Vocals
Lawrence Matshiza   Vocals
Danny Cummings   Percussion
Andrew Wright   Keyboards
Ian Kirkham   EWI,Keyboards,Saxophone

Technical Credits

Connie Crothers   Composer
Femi Jiya   Mixing,Engineer
Ross Cullum   Remix Engineer
Mick Hucknall   Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Sister Bliss   Remix Engineer
Andy Strange   Assistant Engineer
Sly Dunbar   Programming
Andy Wright   Programming
Bernie Grundman   Mastering
Jake Davies   Assistant Engineer
Stewart Levine   Producer
Goetz   Engineer
Merv Pearson   Coordination
Chris Vermaak   Assistant Engineer
Aiden Love   Assistant Engineer
Zanna   Photography,Art Direction
Bernard O'Reilly   Assistant Engineer
Roland Herrington   Mixing,Engineer
Rollo   Remix Engineer
Aidan Love   Assistant Engineer
Andrew Wright   Programming