Mick Hucknall and the boys are back with 44 minutes of chilled and laid-back grooves. And in that sentence lies the only criticism against this album. 44 minutes. It’s all over before you finish that fine glass of red you were enjoying while Mick was crooning about how he’s not over you. It’s all over before you finished booking tickets online for your Cape Town trip. Because that is where this album takes you. Okay, the fact that the video to “So Not Over You” was shot in the Mother City probably does its fair share of making me think of the mountain. But then again, this is also the album I slipped in the car’s CD player most on a recent break to CT. Simply because it’s such an easy listen. Like some of Simply Red’s earlier work, it does not demand much of the listener. Just hit the play button and enjoy. Move your hips, tap your fingers… because Mick’s still giving a whole list of new singers a good run for their money.

One can only hope the two strongest songs on the album are released as singles. “The World and You Tonight” kicks off proceedings with Mick affirming that the world is just so much better with that someone special in your life. Not exactly rocket science, but hearing Mick’s sultry voice reminding you of what an impact one other person can have on your outlook on life is quite something. By the time the CD gets to track 6, “Good times have done me wrong,” you wanna frantically pick up the phone directory and look for the closest jazz or lounge bar. In fact, this album should come with a “Smoking can harm you” sticker as you’ll start picturing yourself in one of those typical movie scenes where a lot of cool people are all making smoking look like sexiest darn thing on the planet. This album is the soundtrack. The guy on the stage has floppy, curly red hair. He’s wearing an expensive suit. He’s name is Mick. And soon he’ll stroll over to your table and shake your hand saying how good it is to see you again. You echo the sentiments. Because it really is good seeing and hearing him perform at the top of his game again.

Stay was written and produced by Mick himself, with contributions from Andy Wright whose previous credits include Natalie Imbruglia and Annie Lennox.
One or two songs towards the end of the album tend to feel a tad like filler material, but all’s well when it ends well with “Little Englander,” a song that makes use of a whistle refrain, something that will leave you possibly whistling it for the rest of the day.

44 Minutes. Yes, it’s short. But it’s a good 44 minutes as opposed to an average 55 minutes maybe. So welcome back Simply Red. Enjoy your Stay.