Essar is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson, released in 1984. It was produced and arranged by Robinson with Reginald "Sonny" Burke. The album was released on the Motown sub-label Tamla. The album's title is a pun on the initials of Robinson's name (S.R.).
Reception
The album only peaked at #141 on Billboard pop charts, and at #35 on R&B charts. "And I Don't Love You" peaked at #106 Billboard and #33 R&B charts, and "I Can't Find" at #109 Billboard and #41 R&B charts.
Although the 12" B-side of "And I Don't Love You" Larry Levan's Instrumental (Dub) became a House Music classic in the late 2000s.
William Ruhlmann gave 2 out of 5 stars on AllMusic, addressing it as "the low point" in Robinson's career and holding Sonny Burke's dominating synthesiser responsible. Where Robert Christgau rated it as B+, acknowledging that there are "fillers", but concluding with "one thing you can say about Smokey's filler that you can't say about anybody else's--Smokey's singing it".
Track listing All tracks composed by William "Smokey" Robinson; except where indicated
Side A "And I Don't Love You" – 5:20 "Train of Thought" – 4:55 "I Can't Find" – 6:15 "Why Are You Running From My Love" (Scott V. Smith, Stephen Tavani) – 4:20
Side B "Gone Forever (Theme from the motion picture Cry of the City" (Mark Kevin Davis) – 3:10 "Close Encounters of the First Kind" – 4:35 "Little Girl Little Girl" – 5:12 "Girl I'm Standing There" – 4:25 "Driving Thru Life in the Fast Lane" (Milton Brown, Snuff Garrett, Steve Dorff) – 3:32
Personnel Smokey Robinson – lead vocals, backing vocals (1–3, 6–9) Reginald "Sonny" Burke – keyboards (1–3, 6–8), drums (1–3, 6–8), arrangements (1–3, 6–8) Clark Spangler – Yamaha DX7 programming (1) Michael Ruff – keyboards (4) Rhett Lawrence – synthesizer programming (4) Mark Davis – keyboards (5), synthesizers (5) John Hobbs – keyboards (9) Charles Fearing – guitars (1–3, 6) David T. Walker – guitars (2, 3, 7) James Harrah – guitars (4) Wah Wah Watson – guitars (6) Dann Huff – guitars (9) Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (9) Lequeint "Duke" Jobe – bass (5) Freddie Washington – bass (8) Joe Chemay – bass (9) Lynn Coulter – LinnDrum programming (4) Scott V. Smith – LinnDrum programming (4) John Robinson – drums (9) Paulinho da Costa – percussion (9) Michael Jacobsen – cello (3, 8) Harry Bluestone – concertmaster (3, 8) Bill Green – oboe (5) Dick Hyde – trombone (9) Dick Noel – trombone (9) Gary Grant – trumpet (9) Warren Luening – trumpet (9) Jerry Hey – lead trumpet (9) Larry Herbstritt – horn arrangements (9) Steve Dorff – rhythm arrangements (9) Ivory Davis – backing vocals (1–4, 6–8) Patricia Henley Talbert – backing vocals (1–3, 6–8) Howard McCrary – backing vocals (4) Howard Smith – backing vocals (4) Carmen Grillio – backing vocals (5) Allan Rich – backing vocals (5) Mindy Sterling – backing vocals (5) Julia Tillman Waters – backing vocals (9) Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals (9) Oren Waters – backing vocals (9)
Production William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. – producer (1–3, 5–8), mix assistant, cover concept Reginald "Sonny" Burke – producer (1–3, 6–8), mix assistant Scott V. Smith – producer (4) Stephen Tavani – producer (4) Mark Davis – producer (5) Charlee King – associate producer (5) Steve Dorff – producer (9) Randy Dunlap – producer (9) Mitchel Delevie – recording (1–3, 6, 7), vocal engineer (5), rhythm engineer (8) Chris Banninger – engineer (4) Win Kutz – engineer (4) Frank Wolf – engineer (4) Karen Siegel – rhythm engineer (5) Paul Ring – rhythm engineer (8) Ed Barton – engineer (9) Marv Clamme – engineer (9) Gary Singleman – engineer (9) Jeff DeMorris – second engineer (1–3, 6, 7) Fred Law – second engineer (1–3, 6, 7) Steve Ford – second engineer (4) Todd Van Etten – second engineer (4) Michael Dotson – assistant engineer (5) Barney Perkins – mixing and editing at Kendun Recorders (Burbank, California) Bob Robitaille – editing assistant (1) Phillip Walters – editing assistant (2–9) Bernie Grundman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California) Dave Pell – session coordinator (9) George Annis – music contractor Andres Victorin – music copyist Aaron Rapoport – photography Johnny Lee – art direction
Essar to Emgee
The cover backside contains a handwritten message: "A note to Emgee: We're really gonna miss you, Essar" – obviously from Smokey Robinson (S.R.) to his colleague Marvin Gaye (M.G.) who was murdered on April 1, 1984. on Discogs
References
External links Essar on Discogs