Essar (album)

Essar is a 1984 album by American singer Smokey Robinson. For the most part 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.

Essar
Studio album by
Smokey Robinson
Released1984
Recorded1984
GenreR&B, soul
Length41:44
LabelMotown
ProducerSmokey Robinson and Reginald "Sonny" Burke
Smokey Robinson chronology
Touch the Sky
(1983)		 Essar
(1984)		 Smoke Signals
(1986)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link

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 Disco classic in the late 2000s.[1]

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 play responsible.[2] 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".[3]

Track listing

All tracks composed by William "Smokey" Robinson; except where indicated

Side A
  1. "And I Don't Love You" – 5:20
  2. "Train of Thought" – 4:55
  3. "I Can't Find" – 6:15
  4. "Why Are You Running From My Love" (Scott V. Smith, Stephen Tavani) – 4:20

Side B
  1. "Gone Forever (Theme from the motion picture Cry of the City" (Mark Kevin Davis) – 3:10
  2. "Close Encounters of the First Kind" – 4:35
  3. "Little Girl Little Girl" – 5:12
  4. "Girl I'm Standing There" – 4:25
  5. "Driving Thru Life in the Fast Lane" (Milton Brown, Snuff Garrett, Steve Dorff) – 3:32

Personnel
  • Lead vocals – William "Smokey" Robinson
  • Backing vocals – Ivory Davis, Patricia Henley Talbert and Smokey Robinson
  • Guitars – Charles Fearing, Wah Wah Watson and David T. Walker
  • Bass – "Ready" Freddie Washington
  • Drums, keyboards, arrangements – Reginald "Sonny" Burke

Production
  • Producers – William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. and Reginald "Sonny" Burke
  • Assistant Mixing Engineers – William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. and Reginald "Sonny" Burke
  • Recording Engineer – Mitchel Delevie
  • Mixing and Editing Engineer – Barney Perkins at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California.
  • Editing Assistant – Phillip Walters
  • Second Engineers – Fred Law and Jeff DeMorris
  • Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, California.
  • Contractor – George Annis
  • Copyist – Andres Victorin, Music Suite
  • Cover Concept – William "Smokey" Robinson
  • Photography – Aaron Rapoport
  • Art Direction – Johnny Lee

Additional credits:

"And I Don't Love You"

  • Yamaha DX7 programming – Clark Spangler
  • Assistant Editor – Bob Robitaille

"I Can't Find"

"Why Are You Running From My Love" – Recorded at Mama Jo's, North Hollywood, with:

  • Backing vocals – Howard McCrary, Howard Smith and Ivory Davis
  • Guitar – James Harrah
  • Keyboards – Michael Ruff
  • Synthesizer programming – Rhett Lawrence
  • LinnDrum Programming – Davis Lynn Coulter and Scott V. Smith
  • Engineers – Chris Banninger, Frank Wolf and Win Kutz.
  • Second Engineers – Steve Ford and Todd Van Etten
  • Producers – Scott V. Smith and Stephen Tavani

"Gone Forever" – Recorded at Golden Sound Studios, Inc., Hollywood with:

  • Backing vocals – Allan Rich, Carmen Grillio and Mindy Sterling
  • Bass – Lequeint "Duke" Jobe
  • Keyboards, synthesizer – Mark Davis
  • Oboe – William Green
  • Vocal Engineer – Mitchel Delevie
  • Rhythm Engineer – Karen Siegel
  • Assistant Engineer– Michael Dotson
  • Producers – Mark Davis and William "Smokey" Robinson

"Girl I'm Standing There"

  • Cello – Michael "Jake" Jacobsen
  • Concertmaster – Harry Bluestone
  • Rhythm Engineers – Mitchel Delevie and Paul Ring

"Driving Thru Life In The Fast Lane"

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.[4]

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References
  1. "also included on "Horse Meat Disco" compilation, 2009".
  2. "William Ruhlmann, AllMusic on Essar".
  3. "Robert Christgau on Essar".
  4. "Cover backside scan". on Discogs
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