Espresso Logic
{{distinguish|Espresso heuristic logic minimizer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Espresso Logic
| type = studio
| artist = Chris Rea
| cover = Espresso Logic.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1 November 1993{{Cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award|title=Tom Odell, Magnetised, Single - The BPI|website=Bpi.co.uk|access-date=3 June 2025}}
| recorded =
| studio =
- The Mill (Berkshire, England)
- Outside Studios (Oxfordshire, England)
- Studio Miraval (Le Val, France)
| genre = Album-oriented rock
| length = 48:07 (original release)
53:21 (US edition)
| label = East West
| producer = Chris Rea
| prev_title = God's Great Banana Skin
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = The Best of Chris Rea
| next_year = 1994
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|GV5-99AxeDY|"Julia (1993)"}}}}
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/espresso-logic-mw0000110779|title=Espresso Logic - Chris Rea | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|access-date=18 May 2021|publisher=AllMusic}}
| rev2 = Calgary Herald
| rev2score = B+Obee, Dave (5 December 1993). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.
| rev3 = Music Week
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|first=Alan|last=Jones|title=Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums|work=Music Week|date=6 November 1993|page=15|access-date=3 February 2023|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-11-06.pdf}}
}}
Espresso Logic is the thirteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1993. The US edition of the album has a significantly different track listing, featuring two songs ("God's Great Banana Skin" and "Miles Is a Cigarette") from Rea's previous album, God's Great Banana Skin, which was not released in the US, along with "If You Were Me", a track recorded with Elton John for his 1993 Duets release. The cover art of the US edition is the same as the UK single "Espresso Logic". The song "Julia" was dedicated to his daughter Julia Christina, who was four years old at the time.
Critical reception
A "refined, elegant, rock style" characterizes the record, which continues Rea's '90s run of "commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums".{{cite web
|url=https://global.factiva.com/ha/default.aspx#./!?&_suid=161031754210802371214532635142
|title=Jumping back on the road to hell
|last=Butler
|first=Jackie
|date=14 March 2008
|website=Evening Herald
|publisher=Dow Jones Factiva
|access-date=10 January 2021
|quote=}}{{cite web
|url=https://global.factiva.com/ha/default.aspx#./!?&_suid=161031754210802371214532635142
|title=Chris still keeps it rea-l
|last=Helen
|first=Sloan
|date=14 March 2008
|website=Western Daily Press
|publisher=Dow Jones Factiva
|access-date=10 January 2021
|quote=}} A review in Guitar Player finds that "Rea immediately declares his multi-ethnic impulses", as the title track begins with his "languidly atmospheric slide guitar shimmering like the Pacific Ocean under a full Oahu moon. Then Davy Spillane's mournful Uillean pipes inject Celtic melancholy, and the two instruments interweave throughout the track, accompanied by a Brazilian-inflected tribal rhythm, until they are nearly indistinguishable from one another."{{cite web
|url=https://global.factiva.com/ha/default.aspx#./!?&_suid=161031754210802371214532635142
|title=Espresso Logic - sound recording review
|last=Ransom
|first=Kevin
|date=1 December 1994
|website=Guitar Player
|publisher=Dow Jones Factiva
|access-date=10 January 2021
|quote=}} Rea recorded the album using the two '62 Fender Stratocasters, plugged into a Fender piggyback amp, "that he's relied on for more than a decade", and he uses a glass slide, rather than a brass one. "From working with Irish pipers, I've adopted this technique of banging the slide onto the harmonic. So I've had to stop using the brass, because I've only got one more refret on my pink Strat. I've played it so hard that I don't think there's gonna be any wood left," he ruefully acknowledges.
Track listing
All songs written by Chris Rea.
=Original track listing=
- "Espresso Logic" – 6:54
- "Red" – 5:26
- "Soup of the Day" – 3:45
- "Johnny Needs a Fast Car" – 6:35
- "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" – 4:50
- "Julia" – 3:55
- "Summer Love" – 4:07
- "New Way" – 3:30
- "Stop" – 5:10
- "She Closed Her Eyes" – 3:55
=US track listing=
- "Espresso Logic" – 6:53
- "Julia" – 3:54
- "Soup of the Day" – 3:46
- "If You Were Me" (duet with Elton John) – 4:20
- "Johnny Needs a Fast Car" – 6:34
- "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" – 4:49
- "God's Great Banana Skin" – 5:18
- "Miles Is a Cigarette" – 4:21
- "Summer Love" – 4:04
- "Red" – 5:26
- "She Closed Her Eyes" – 3:56
Personnel
- Chris Rea – vocals, organ, guitars, slide guitar
- Max Middleton – acoustic piano, keyboards
- Robert Ahwai – guitars
- Sylvin Marc – bass
- Martin Ditcham – drums, percussion
- Andy Fairweather-Low – audience handclaps (9)
- Davy Spillane – Uilleann pipes (1, 2)
- Pete Beachill – trombone (1, 3, 4, 8)
- Dave Stewart – trombone (1, 3, 4, 8)
- Linda Taylor – backing vocals (6, 8)
US release
- Davy Spillane – Uilleann pipes (1, 10)
- Pete Beachill – trombone (1, 3, 5)
- Dave Stewart – trombone (1, 3, 5)
- Linda Taylor – backing vocals (2)
- Elton John – vocals (4)
- Valerie Chalmers – backing vocals (7, 8)
- Emma Whittle – backing vocals (7, 8)
= Production =
- Chris Rea – producer, sleeve concept
- Stuart Epps – engineer
- Paul Mortimer – engineer
- Tommy Willis – guitar technician
- Willie Grimston – coordination
- Stylorouge – artwork
- Stephen Sandon – sleeve photography
- Jim Beach – management
- Paul Lilly – management
US release
- Stuart Epps – engineer (1–6, 9–11)
- Paul Mortimer – engineer (1–6, 9–11)
- Neil Amor – engineer (7, 8)
- Phillipe Garcia – assistant engineer (7, 8)
- Simon Wall – assistant engineer (7, 8)
Charts
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for Espresso Logic !scope="col"|Chart (1993) !scope="col"|Peak |
| {{album chart|Austria|16|artist=Chris Rea|album=Espresso Logic|rowheader=true|access-date=14 January 2023}} |
| {{album chart|Netherlands|46|artist=Chris Rea|album=Espresso Logic|rowheader=true|access-date=14 January 2023}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|14|id=1730|artist=Chris Rea|album=Espresso Logic|rowheader=true|access-date=14 January 2023}} |
| {{album chart|Sweden|29|artist=Chris Rea|album=Espresso Logic|rowheader=true|access-date=14 January 2023}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|24|artist=Chris Rea|album=Espresso Logic|rowheader=true|access-date=14 January 2023}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|8|date=19931107|rowheader=true|access-date=14 January 2023}} |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Year-end chart performance for Espresso Logic !scope="col"|Chart (1993) !scope="col"|Position |
| scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-01-15.pdf#page=39|title=Top 100 Albums 1993|work=Music Week|date=15 January 1994|p=25|access-date=20 April 2022}}
| 85 |
|---|
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Espresso Logic}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|relyear=1993|certyear=1994|title=Espresso Logic|artist=Chris Rea|type=album|award=Gold}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|relyear=1993|certyear=1993|title=Expresso Logic|artist=Chris Rea|type=album|award=Gold|id=2173-3605-2}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chris Rea}}
{{Authority control}}