Essar (album)

Essar is a 1984 album by American singer Smokey Robinson. 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

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

• 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.

References

External links

• Essar on Discogs