THIS is the first new Simply Red studio album for more than three years.

Overall it is worth the wait. It features original new songs destined to become Simply Red classics including the feel-good sentiments of the title track and the brass-fuelled R&B feast of Fake.

The first single, Sunrise, written by Mick Hucknall and produced by Andy Wright and Madka, is Simply Red writ large, the lush orchestration suited to the Hucknall style of delivery.

On Red's first album since 1999's Love In The Russian Winter, the 11 tracks inevitably include ear-catching covers, such as the Euro swagger of Money In My Pocket, the Stewart Levine-produced, You Make Me Feel Brand New and the emotional Dylan classic, Positively 4th Street.

On the latter Mick has "got a lot of nerve," to quote a line from the original American maestro. He fails to inject the bitterness, betrayal and angst of love gone bad on the original Positively 4th Street which helped Dylan cement his reputation as a singer/songwriter/poet with passion.

"I am very much of that tradition that started with the Rolling Stones whereby black traditions are filtered into something that is original in itself and not at all derivative," says Hucknall of his tradition of doing cover versions.

Well, it's good to report Mick's voice is in fine nick but I wouldn't put Home in the same street as A New Flame (1989) or Stars (1991). Having said that, I know the CD will grow on me, as so often happens with Mick's arresting renditions.

Simply Red have sold more than 45 million albums world-wide. So Home should be where the heart is for Red-necks everywhere and this new album will boost that figure quite substantially.

Updated: 16:49 Wednesday, March 26, 2003