Picture Book (1985)

Picture Book is the debut studio album by British pop and soul group Simply Red, released in October 1985. It contains the US number-one single "Holding Back the Years", and covers of the Valentine Brothers' "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" and Talking Heads' "Heaven". Three more singles were released from the album: "Come to My Aid", "Jericho", and "Open Up the Red Box".

The album helped Simply Red earn a 1987 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. "Holding Back the Years" was also nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.

A special version of the album was released on the then new Compact Disc + Graphics, or CD+G format which when played on a suitable CD player, 4 bit raster graphic images, text and animations would also be displayed on a connected TV screen.

Critical reception

In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau wrote that there were essentially "only two songs on this album", "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" and "Heaven", but that Hucknall and the band carry off the album "on mood and groove alone".

Reviewing the 1996 re-release for Q, Nick Duerden described Picture Book as "the most accomplished debut of its year". He said of Hucknall, "With the most prodigious voice this side of Motown and a burning socialist heart, here he infuses everything with a passion that he's rarely matched since."

William Ruhlmann, in a retrospective review in AllMusic, felt that Simply Red produced "a steady R&B groove reminiscent of '60s Stax house band the MG's" and that Hucknall was a "big-voiced soul singer". In the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Andy Robbins attributed the record's commercial success in both America and the UK to "Holding Back the Years", which he feels is Hucknall's best vocal performance. Robbins noted rock and jazz sounds, along with soul influences.

Commercial performance

The album was commercially successful, appearing in the top 30 album charts of twelve countries, and achieving platinum certification sales in four countries, including the United States and United Kingdom.

Personnel

• Simply Red
• Mick Hucknall – lead and backing vocals, acoustic piano
• Fritz McIntyre – keyboards, backing vocals
• Tim Kellett – keyboards, trumpet, live backing vocals
• Sylvan Richardson – guitars
• Tony Bowers – bass
• Chris Joyce – drums, percussion
• Guest Musicians

David Fryman – guitars (8), backing vocals (8)

Ronnie Ross – baritone saxophone (2, 4, 5)

Ian Dickson – tenor saxophone (2, 4, 5)

Francis Foster – congas (1, 3)

• Production
• Producer – Stewart Levine
• Engineered and mixed by Femi Jiya
• Assistant engineer – Chris Dickie

Mastered by Arun Chakraverty at Master Room (London, England)

• CD mastering – Barry Diament
• Sleeve design – Peter Barrett
• Front cover photo – Simon Fowler
• Back cover photo – Malcolm Heywood