Double Good Everything
Double Good Everything is an album by the American R&B musician Smokey Robinson, released in 1991.[2][3] It was his first album to be released by a label other than Motown.[4]
| Double Good Everything | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Genre | R&B, soul, pop | |||
| Label | SBK Records[1] | |||
| Producer | Smokey Robinson | |||
| Smokey Robinson chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.[5] Its first single was "Double Good Everything", which failed to make the R&B Top 20.[6][5]
Production
Nine of Double Good Everything's 10 tracks were written or cowritten by Robinson, who also produced the album.[7][8] "When a Woman Cries" was written by Joshua Kadison.[9] Robinson worked with his longtime friend, guitar player Marv Tarplin.[10]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| The Buffalo News | |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[14] |
| MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Entertainment Weekly called the album "no watershed, just sweet, warm Smokey doing his bit for romantic drive-time inspiration, more courtly than salacious, and slightly teenage in his depictions of love."[14] Stereo Review concluded that "the unifying thread is Robinson's singular voice—almost delicate but unmistakably masculine in its high register, marked by an eternal edge of youthful anticipation."[17] The Kitchener-Waterloo Record opined that "except for 'Skid Row' and 'When a Woman Cries', Robinson sounds almost uninterested."[18] The Buffalo News wrote that "though the peaks of his voice may be gone, the gentle emotive stirring is still there."[12]
The Indianapolis Star thought that Robinson's "excellent vocals are underscored by superb instrumentals, particularly on the intimate 'I Love Your Face' and the sashaying 'Rewind' and 'Be Who You Are'."[7] The New Pittsburgh Courier deemed the album "10 new pop/soul gems that are remarkable for retaining the 'Smokey' touch while feeling perfectly contemporary."[19] The Philadelphia Daily News labeled it Robinson's "strongest in years."[20] The Commercial Appeal considered that "Robinson's falsetto is as sweet as ever, as he mixes in a bit of reggae in 'Why', joyously assays the uptempo pop-soul of the title track or croons 'Be Who You Are', a love song that hearkens back to his classic Motown days."[21]
AllMusic wrote: "Though pleasant and inoffensive, this will disappoint even diehard Smokey Robinson fans and won't win him many new ones."[11]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Why" | |
| 2. | "Double Good Everything" | |
| 3. | "Rewind" | |
| 4. | "Be Who You Are" | |
| 5. | "I Love Your Face" | |
| 6. | "I Can't Get Enough" | |
| 7. | "Rack Me Back" | |
| 8. | "When a Woman Cries" | |
| 9. | "You Take Me Away" | |
| 10. | "Skid Row" |
References
- "Smokey Robinson Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- "Jet's Top 20 Albums". Jet. 81 (9): 62. Dec 16, 1991.
- Britt, Bruce (October 4, 1991). "ROCK NEWS & NOTES - OCTOBER: GOOD TIME FOR NEW MUSIC". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L28.
- Jenkins, Craig (November 19, 2020). "Let Smokey Robinson Tell You About Changing Music". Vulture.
- "Smokey Robinson". Billboard.
- Davis, Sharon (January 6, 2012). "80s Chart-Toppers: Every Chart-Topper Tells a Story". Random House – via Google Books.
- Ford, Lynn Dean (27 Dec 1991). "RECORD REVIEWS". The Indianapolis Star. p. C6.
- Heim, Chris (29 May 1992). "A crowd-pleaser, a pro: Smokey Robinson still in fine form". Chicago Tribune. Friday. p. M.
- Simms, Greg (December 6, 1991). "RECORDINGS ON REVIEW". Dayton Daily News. Go!. p. 19.
- Jaeger, Barbara (December 12, 1991). "RENEWED BLAZE FROM OLD FIRES". The Record. p. C22.
- "Double Good Everything - Smokey Robinson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- Allen, Carl (December 6, 1991). "IN BRIEF". The Buffalo News. p. G36.
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 7: MUZE. p. 74.CS1 maint: location (link)
- Berger, Arion. "Double Good Everything". EW.com.
- MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 481.
- The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 595.
- Garland, Phyl (Mar 1992). "Popular Music -- Double Good Everything by Smokey Robinson". Stereo Review. 57 (3): 74.
- "Double Good Everything Smokey Robinson". Kitchener-Waterloo Record. 28 Nov 1991. p. C9.
- "SMOKEY ROBINSON: 'I'M TRULY A BLESSED MAN': NEW RELEASE MARKS NEW ERA FOR LEGENDARY MOTOWN SINGER". New Pittsburgh Courier. 82 (81): P.B-2. 12 Oct 1991.
- Takiff, Jonathan (16 Dec 1991). "Sweet Soul Music". Philadelphia Daily News. FEATURES YO!. p. 39.
- Nager, Larry (November 22, 1991). "RECORDINGS". The Commercial Appeal. p. E19.