A New Flame is the third album by British pop and soul group Simply Red, released in February 1989. It was a huge success worldwide, becoming the band's first UK number one album and certified 7× Platinum by the BPI for sales of 2,100,000 copies in the UK alone. The album was also certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

A New Flame
Studio album by
Released13 February 1989 (1989-02-13)
Recorded1988–1989
StudioAIR Studios (Montserrat, West Indies)
GenreBlue-eyed soul
Length41:03
Label
ProducerStewart Levine
Simply Red chronology
Men and Women
(1987)
A New Flame
(1989)
Stars
(1991)
Singles from A New Flame
  1. "It’s Only Love"
    Released: 16 January 1989
  2. "If You Don’t Know Me By Now"
    Released: 27 March 1989[1]
  3. "A New Flame"
    Released: 26 June 1989[2]
  4. "You've Got It"
    Released: 16 October 1989[3]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Robert ChristgauC+[5]
Los Angeles Times[6]
The New York Times(favorable)[7]
Number One[8]
Rolling Stone[9]

Track listing edit

Side one
  1. "It's Only Love" (Jimmy Cameron, Vella Cameron) – 4:58
  2. "A New Flame" (Mick Hucknall) – 3:57
  3. "You've Got It" (Hucknall, Lamont Dozier) – 3:55
  4. "To Be with You" (Hucknall) – 3:22
  5. "More" (Hucknall) – 4:08
Side two
  1. "Turn It Up" (Hucknall, Dozier) – 4:35
  2. "Love Lays Its Tune" (Hucknall) – 4:05
  3. "She'll Have to Go" (Hucknall) – 3:10
  4. "If You Don't Know Me by Now" (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) – 3:24
  5. "Enough" (Hucknall, Joe Sample) – 5:10

2008 Collector’s Edition bonus tracks edit

Disc one

  1. "I Wish" [Live Version] (Stevie Wonder) – 4:05
  2. "X" (Fritz McIntyre, Ian Kirkham, Tim Kellett, Chris Joyce, Tony Bowers) – 4:51
  3. "The Great Divide" (S.H.T.G.) ["She’ll Have To Go" Extended Version] (Hucknall) – 3:56
  4. "Sugar Daddy" (McIntyre, Kirkham, Kellett, Joyce, Bowers) – 3:40
  5. "Funk On Out" [Instrumental] (Hucknall) – 3:31

Disc two (DVD)

'Let Me Take You Home'— Live at Manchester 1990
  1. "Grandma’s Hands" (Bill Withers)
  2. "More" (Hucknall)
  3. "Groovy Situation" (Keith Barrington Rowe)
  4. "Lady Godiva’s Room" (Hucknall)
  5. "Holding Back the Years" (Hucknall, Neil Moss)
  6. "Sad Old Red" (Hucknall)
  7. "Enough" (Hucknall, Sample)
  8. "Turn It Up" (Hucknall, Dozier)
  9. "Something Got Me Started"
  10. "If You Don't Know Me by Now"
  11. "It's Only Love"
  12. "Everytime We Say Goodbye"
  13. "Resume"

Personnel edit

Simply Red

Guest musicians

  • Erik Hanson – synthesizer programming
  • Larry Williams – synthesizer programming
  • Lenny Castro – percussion
  • Stephanie Spruell – backing vocals

Production

  • Producer – Stewart Levine
  • Engineered and mixed by Darren Klein
  • Assistant engineers – Clark Germain and Karl Lever
  • Recorded at AIR Studios (Montserrat, West Indies)
  • Mixed at Ocean Way Recording (Los Angeles, California)
  • Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
  • Design – Peter Barrett and Andrew Biscomb
  • Cover photograph – Juergen Teller
  • Inner sleeve photos – Shelia Rock and Juergen Teller

Charts edit

Certifications and sales edit

Certifications and sales for A New Flame
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[40] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[41] Platinum 50,000*
Belgium (BEA)[42] Gold 25,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[43] Gold 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[44] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[45] Platinum 300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[46] Platinum 500,000^
Italy 470,000[47]
Netherlands (NVPI)[48] 2× Platinum 200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[49] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[50] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[51] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[52] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[53] 7× Platinum 2,100,000^
United States (RIAA)[54] Gold 500,000^
Summaries
Worldwide 6,000,000[55]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ "Fat's the Way to Do It". Record Mirror. 25 March 1989. p. 4. Simply Red release their single 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' on March 27.
  2. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 24 June 1989. p. 39.
  3. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 14 October 1989. p. 39.
  4. ^ William, Ruhlman. A New Flame at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  5. ^ Robert Christgau review
  6. ^ Hunt, dennis (26 February 1989). "Album Review: Simply Red "A New Flame"". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  7. ^ Holden, Stephen (19 February 1989). "HOME ENTERTAINMENT/RECORDINGS: RECENT RELEASES; POP/JAZZ". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  8. ^ Martin, David (15 February 1989). "Albums". Number One. p. 41. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  9. ^ Rolling Stone review
  10. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Simply Red – A New Flame". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  11. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Simply Red – A New Flame" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6410". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Simply Red – A New Flame" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  14. ^ "European Top 100 Albums". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 11. 18 March 1989. p. 23. OCLC 29800226.
  15. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Simply Red". Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 235. ISBN 978-952-7460-01-6.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Simply Red – A New Flame" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Top 3 Albums in Europe". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 13. 1 April 1989. p. 30. OCLC 29800226.
  18. ^ "Ísland (LP-plötur)". DV (in Icelandic). 17 March 1989. p. 36. ISSN 1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
  19. ^ "Top 3 Albums in Europe". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 10. 11 March 1989. p. 28. OCLC 29800226.
  20. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2022. Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "A new flame" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
  21. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  22. ^ "Charts.nz – Simply Red – A New Flame". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  23. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Simply Red – A New Flame". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  24. ^ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  25. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Simply Red – A New Flame". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  26. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Simply Red – A New Flame". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  27. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Simply Red Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  29. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums for 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1989". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  31. ^ "Top 100 Albums of '89". RPM. Vol. 51, no. 8. 23 December 1989. p. 14. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  32. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  33. ^ "European Top 100 Albums 1989". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 51. 23 December 1989. p. 9. OCLC 29800226.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1989" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  35. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  36. ^ "Topp 40 Album Sommer 1989" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  37. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1989". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  38. ^ "Year End Albums". Record Mirror. 20 January 1990. p. 42. ISSN 0144-5804.
  39. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  40. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 253.
  41. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  42. ^ "Belgium - Gold LP" (PDF). Music & Media. 2 June 1990. p. 17. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  43. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  44. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame". Music Canada.
  45. ^ "French album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  46. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Simply Red; 'A New Flame')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  47. ^ Stansfield, David (21 September 1991). "WEA Conference Focuses on New Releases" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 8. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  48. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter A New Flame in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  49. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  50. ^ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 928. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  51. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  52. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('A New Flame')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  53. ^ "British album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame". British Phonographic Industry.
  54. ^ "American album certifications – Simply Red – A New Flame". Recording Industry Association of America.
  55. ^ "Simply Brilliant". Billboard. 12 October 1991. Retrieved 11 April 2019.