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The lyric of the ballad "The Agony and the Ecstasy" hit the Top Ten at number seven, and it was followed by the masterpiece "A Quiet Storm." Although it only managed to seal the Top 25, it has since made a greater impact on the music charts and music industry. It was Robinson's first number one single since leaving the Miracles. Arranged in an intermittent rhythm, "Baby That's Backatcha" ran up the Billboard R&B charts to number one inside 16 weeks. The album itself had three singles hit the charts. The title track became the namesake for a music format. As many of his prior songs had shaped R&B and pop music, this album would have a similar effect. The genius of William "Smokey" Robinson is immeasurable.
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Robert Christgau was less enthusiastic, believing the title track was somewhat bold for concentrating Pure Smokey 's "drift into a style", but finding much of the record lacking rhythm, with the exception of "Love Letters" and "Coincidentally". Vince Aletti ranked it as the year's third best album in his ballot for the 1975 Pazz & Jop critics poll.
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In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, Robert Palmer said A Quiet Storm proved Robinson was "still a dynamic creative force" as it succeeded on the strength of his singing and production, although he highlighted the "sexy directness" of the title track and " Baby That's Backatcha". This album re-established Robinson's reputation as a master songwriter and producer and solidified his solo success after leaving his influential group, the Miracles. The album spawned three hit singles, including Robinson's first disco hit ,"Baby That's Backatcha", rising to number 7 on the Billboard Disco chart (Top 10 R&B). This landmark album spawned and lent its name to the " quiet storm" musical programming format which began in 1976. This is one of the most highly-acclaimed Soul Albums of the 1970s.Ī longtime innovator at Motown, Robinson responded to the Funk revolution in black music ( Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green) with an effective counterpoint: the stylish and mature album, "A Quiet Storm".
SMOKEY A QUIET STORM FULL ALBUM PROFESSIONAL
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