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Anteater · 07-26-2010, 11:38 PM

Smokey Robinson – A Quiet Storm (1975)

"Soft and warm, a power source of tender force...."

1. Quiet Storm (7:48)
2. The Agony and the Ecstasy (4:50)
3. Baby That's Backatcha (3:49)
4. Wedding Song (3:36)
5. Happy (7:13)
6. Love Letters (4:12)
7. Coincidentally (4:35)

It is sometimes during one of those random conversations you have with your friends at a movie or driving down the freeway somewhere that you learn some very sad truths. In my case, once such sad truth made itself apparant about two weeks ago: I learned from a guitarist buddy that nobody in Dallas, or anyone in the state of Texas for that matter, bought tickets to see Smokey Robinson back in June when he was poised for a tour. When I asked why nobody bought tickets, he simply told me that Smokey apparently had canceled his tour dates in the Lone Star State due to an apparent "lack of interest" from the people in my area. The tickets wouldn't have been expensive either.

In all honesty, I was pissed off about it for awhile after he told me, and it made me consider the possibilities. Perhaps Smokey appears washed up to many people today, particularly those in my age group. Maybe he can't hit those notes like he used to. Maybe people just don't give a flying fuck when it comes to old school Motown unless you live in New York or Chicago. It could be any of those reasons. It could be none of these reasons also, and ultimately its all just speculation.

But you know, I'd like to say to some of these stupid kids that once upon a time, Smokey Robinson was on top of the world, and none of Motown's biggest stars, including Marvin G. and Curtis and Hayes, etc. would have found their careers if Smokey and the Miracles hadn't made Motown huge back in the 60's. People tend to forget things quickly though. Kind of like how the U.S. is already forgetting the oil spill over in China. xD

Anyway, despite Smokey's overwhelming competence and reputation back then, both live and with his peeps in studio, some people didn't keep track with ol' Smokey after his tenure with the Miracles...which is a real shame: his solo material is quite monstrous in a very good way, and particularly fearsome on 1975's A Quiet Storm, his third release.

It's quite a whopper of a release too: the strength of its approach is such that its mere existence spawned an entire radio format (Quiet Storm) which lasted a good twenty some years in the U.S. and other countries, a format reserved for slow-burning jazz tinged balladry and thumping heaps of bass and string and crooners in the dead of night.

And to an extent, most of the acclaim is rather understandable: Smokey's voice is in top silky form here in all seven of the compositions that make up A Quiet Storm, shimmying up and down ethereal octaves without pretense or the usual vibes of insincerity I seem to pick up from so many of those stagemen who inevitably build entire empires on the sound of their voice and ignorance of a musically deprived audience. Rather, Smokey handles his voice like a professional sharpshooter would maintain a sniper rifle: its precise, clean, but never lacking punch or range when necessary.

None of this would mean much, however, if the songs themselves weren't as competent as the man belting them out through a mic, and they indeed they do Smokey's voice grand justice. The opening title track, one of two length 7-minuters on the record, is in itself a marvel and a shoe-in for MVS here: memorable arrangement, fantastic buildup, and one hell of a soulful hook from the opening theremin-esque synth lines to the kick of the drum fills at each crossing of the bridge. Needless to say, if your mind doesn't perk up at the thunderous two-punch of Smokey's cry of "quiettttt storrrrrrmmm..!", you most likely require medical attention. Plus, who doesn't love the flute?

From that cracking title track onwards, you'll probably notice that there's some great flow between each piece: this is because the synth theme from the title track reappears over the course of the other songs, linking them together in a musical sense rather than a conceptual or lyrical one. Even more upbeat funk-influenced numbers such as 'Baby That's Backatcha' or the jazzy swingin' sensibilities of 'Coincidentally' work in favor of this flow through creating fun contrasts between the songs instead of setting listeners into that ever pervasive and distracting trap known as inconsistency. And with a combined playing time of only 35 minutes, nothing ever feels too long. It just flowzzz like a riverrrrrr.

A day will probably come when even more open-minded music enthusiasts will wonder why anyone ever listened to 70's funk and soul, what with the "lame" production values and wind instruments and the noticeable lack of Autotune. But as long as there are kids younger than my little brother who can pick up something by Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye or Terry Callier, smile with their giant headphones on as their nerves let go and lament where all the good music went, I'd say we're on a good track.