Love and the Russian Winter

by Simply Red

Overview

Simply Red entered a holding pattern after 1991's Stars, turning out two records in a row that essentially replicated its charms, only with diminishing returns. Mick Hucknall must have realized he was stagnating, since 1999's Love and the Russian Winter is the first time since Stars that he's shaken up his sound. It's still recognizably Simply Red, as it trades in '70s soul and jazz-pop influences, but there are a number of reasonably contemporary influences added into the mix. As it turns out, these influences are largely based in house music, which means that Simply Red took some weird middle ground between Everything But the Girl and Soul II Soul. Still, these changes are welcome, since they've revitalized Hucknall and his collaborators, Andy Wright and Gota Yashiki. They're willing to try different sounds and write in different idioms. Occasionally, they might sound as if they're forcing matters somewhat, but there's also a number of gems that pop up on the album, from "The Spirit of Life" to "The Sky Is a Gypsy." And while the title may imply that Love and the Russian Winter is a concept album of sorts, that's not true -- Hucknall and company have reserved their ambitions for their refurbished production instead of channeling them into a song cycle. That's for the best, actually, since Simply Red works the best on a song-by-song basis, particularly when they rely on love songs (the millennium farewell "Wave the Old World Goodbye" is one of the more awkward moments on the record). Love and the Russian Winter doesn't quite rise to the level of the group's strongest records, but it's a refreshing change of pace from an outfit who seemed to have gone stagnant. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/22/2024
Label:	Warner Bros Uk
UPC:	5021732253569

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Simply Red   Primary Artist
Phillipe Manjard   Keyboards
Aiden Love   Keyboards
Kenji Suzuki   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Wayne Stobbart   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Dom T   Keyboards
Chris DeMargary   Horn,Flute,Saxophone
Fanfan La Tulipe   Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Andy Wright   Bass,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass),Keyboards,Guitar (Bass)
Kevin Robinson   Horn,Trumpet
Gota Yashiki   Bass,Drums,Guitar (Bass)
Tim Vine   Bass,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass)
Ian Kirkham   EWI,Horn,Saxophone
Mark Jaimes   Guitar
Mick Hucknall   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
James Wiltshire   Keyboards
Greg Bone   Guitar
Geoff Holroyde   Drums
Sara Brown   Vocals (Background)
Dee Johnson   Vocals (Background)
John Johnson   Trombone,Horn
Dominic Thrupp   Keyboards
Sarah Brown   Vocals (Background)
Aidan Love   Keyboards
George Luksch   Keyboards
Damo Suzuki   Guitar

Technical Credits

Emily Cracknell   Assistant Engineer
Agm   Producer
Matt Tait   Assistant Engineer
Mark Togashi   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Matthew White   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Peacock   Artwork,Photo Treatment
Matt Taite   Assistant Engineer
Andy Wright   Producer,Programming,Producer
Andy Saunders   Assistant Engineer
Kevin Metcalfe   Mastering
Gota Yashiki   Producer,Programming
Al Clay   Engineer
Robert Johnson   Composer
Mick Hucknall   Artwork,Composer,Producer,Horn Arrangements
James Wiltshire   Mixing,Engineer,Programming
Mousse T   Producer,Remix Engineer
Merv Pearson   Producer,Programming
Matt White   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Ignorants   Remix Engineer
Rick Guest   Photography
Jimmy Gomez   Remix Engineer
Wilia Dean Parker   Composer,Lyricist
Alan Douglas   Engineer
Homer Banks   Composer,Lyricist
John Lee   Engineer
Peter Rauhofer   Producer,Remix Engineer
Phats & Small   Remix Engineer
Ned Douglas   Programming