This is the album that Mick Hucknall should have made years ago,from the outset this is Hucknall enjoying himself,the first track is the perenial "Farther up the road" which he sings with Gusto and the up mood continues with "Aint that loving you""
the Bobby in the title is the very talented Bobby"Blue"Bland who has never really achieved the success tht he should have.
"Yolande"is a tour de force and stretches his voice further than it has been before,and in some ways sounds like those mid seventies records from the Philadelphia label
"Stormy Monday"is handled slighly faster than perhaps you are used to(For a great live version dig out Colloseums live album with Chris Farlowe on vocals)
According to reports Hucknall is to break up Simply Red in the next two years this album will stand him in good stead until the Reds are no more,This is an album that sounds different from the Simply red usual sound with just a basic backing band and it sounds a lot better for it especially on tracks like "Chains of love"
which is handled like a Jazz standard with lovely sax playing alongside Hucknalls Voice.
"I pity the fool"is immaculate,very Isaac Hayes type orchestrations
and again very well sung,great guitar playing as well.
"Lead me on" Finishes an exceptionally good album
Disc Two is a DVD that follws Hucknalls pilgrimage to meet Mr Blue in Tennessee inNovember of last year and is 17 minutes long
This is an album that Mick Hucknall should be very proud of.