Gasms

Robinson worked on the music on this album for five or six years prior to release and worked intimately with J. J. Blair to mix the album. Sessions included songs that Robinson had written up to 20 years prior. Gasms was announced in January 2023 and was accompanied by the lead single "If We Don't Have Each Other"; "How You Make Me Feel" followed as a single. The album was released on April 28, 2023 by TLR Records. Robinson also toured behind the release.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|2.5|5}}

| rev2 = Pitchfork

| rev2Score = 7.2/10

}}

Public reception of the album and song titles resulted in controversy and disbelief, as reported by Blavity and The Root, particularly since Robinson is known for milder romantic songs, rather than explicitly about sex. Although his wife and stepdaughter tried to talk him out of it, Robinson wanted to stir up controversy with the title, but interprets "gasms" as not only orgasms, but "anything that makes you feel good". His goal was to initiate controversy and curiosity about the music to encourage listeners to engage with it.

For NPR's All Songs Considered, critics Ayana Contreras, Christina Lee, Hazel Cills, and Robin Hilton highlighted this album as one of the best releases of the week. Contreras points out the sparse mixing and gentle singing that Robinson displays, allowing the strength of his vocals to shine on the recording. Editors of AllMusic Guide scored this release 2.5 out of five stars, with critic Andy Kellman praising the "humorously raunchy" tone present on some tracks among "a collection of clean and pleasant love songs" as well as the "low-key" instrumentation that complements his voice. Evan Rytlewski of Pitchfork gave this album a 7.2 out of 10, noting that Robinson is one of the very few musicians to remain vital into his eighties and "an indelible talent" who has "made the kind of record only he can".

All songs written by Smokey Robinson except where noted.

{{tracklist

| writer1= Smokey Robinson

| title1 = Gasms

| length1 = 4:24

| writer2= Robinson

| title2 = How You Make Me Feel

| length2 = 4:28

| writer3= Gary Gold, Ivri Lider, Robinson

| title3 = I Wanna Know Your Body

| length3 = 4:23

| writer4= Robinson

| title4 = I Keep Callin' You

| length4 =4:03

| writer5= Robinson

| title5 = Roll Around

| length5 = 4:24

| writer6= Junior Denby

| title6 =Beside You

| length6 = 4:34

| writer7= Steve Luxenberg, Amon Nehesi, Robinson

| title7 = If We Don't Have Each Other

| length7 = 4:19

| writer8= Robinson

| title8 = You Fill Me Up

| length8 = 4:19

| writer9=Robinson

| title9 = I Fit in There

| length9 = 5:47

| total_length={{Track listing total length|4:24|4:28|4:23|4:03|4:24|4:34|4:19|4:19|5:47}}

}}

Personnel adapted from AllMusic Guide.

• Smokey Robinson – vocals, mixing, production
• Brandon Behymer – engineering
• Karrie Benoit-Morales – vocals
• Bill Bergman – saxophone
• J. J. Blair – engineering, mixing
• Rick Braun – trumpet
• Brandon Brown – bass guitar
• Gorden Campbell – drums
• Eric Erickson – engineering
• Steve Ferrone – drums
• Chuck Findley – trumpet
• Brian French – engineering, mixing
• David Garfield – keyboards, piano, arrangement, string arrangement, production
• Roland Gajate Garcia – percussion
• Sharlotte Gibson – vocals
• Gary Gold – keyboards, drum programming, engineering, production
• James Harrah – guitar
• Kenya Hathaway – vocals
• Dorian Holley – vocals
• Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar
• Leon Lacey – keyboards, drum programming, production
• Nick Lane – string arrangement
• Ivri Lider – keyboards, production
• Ricky Lawson – drums
• Steve Luxenberg – instrumentation, production
• Amon Nehesi – instrumentation, production
• Khari Parker – drums
• Ray Parker, Jr. – guitar
• Cory Rooney – keyboards, arrangement, drum programming, production
• Steve Sykes – engineering
• Freddie Washington – bass guitar
• David Williams – guitar
• Joe Zook – mixing

Gasms spent one week on the Billboard Top Current Album Sales chart, placing 61 on May 13, 2023 and "If We Don't Have Each Other" peaked at 28 in six weeks on the Adult R&B Airplay chart.

• List of 2023 albums

{{Reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003898523 |last=Kellman |first=Andy |date=2023-04-28 |accessdate=2023-04-28 |language=en-US |publisher=AllMusic Guide |title=Smokey Robinson – Gasms }}

{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003898523 |accessdate=2023-05-19 |language=en-US |publisher=AllMusic Guide |title=Smokey Robinson – Gasms {{!}} Credits}}

{{Cite magazine |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=2023-01-27 |accessdate=2023-04-25 |lang=en-US |last=Blistein |first=Jon |title=Smokey Robinson Is Ready to Give Your Ears 'Gasms' With New Album |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/smokey-robinson-single-new-album-gasms-1234669420/}}

{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/smokey-robinson-gasms-album-cb5e94bf1c22373ba15a47776518d897 |last=Kennedy |first=Mark |title=Smokey Robinson turns seductive with new album 'Gasms' |language=en-US |publisher=Associated Press |date=2023-04-28 |accessdate=2023-04-28}}

{{Cite magazine |magazine=Billboard |date=2023-04-28 |accessdate=2023-04-29 |lang=en-US |last=Lamarre |first=Carl |title=Here's Why Smokey Robinson Thought His New Album's Title 'Would Cause Controversy' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/smokey-robinson-new-album-title-controversy-interview-1235317285/}}

{{Cite magazine |magazine=Billboard |title=Smokey Robinson |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/smokey-robinson/ |language=en-US |accessdate=2023-05-20}}

{{Cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/smokey-robinson-album-title-gasms-192128929.html |agency=Yahoo! News |website=Blavity |date=2023-02-04 |accessdate=2023-04-24 |language=en-US |title=Smokey Robinson's Album Title 'Gasms' And Its Colorful Tracklist Ignite Twitter Firestorm: 'Not This Being Real?' |last=Jones |first=Monique}}

{{Cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/entertainment/live-news/grammy-awards-2023#h_ce67c7bfe1faaac7ee61c0e366b8dfeb |title=Smokey Robinson explains his "Gasms" title for new album |language=en-US |date=2023-02-05 |access-date=2023-04-25 |publisher=CNN |last=France |first=Lisa Respers}}

{{Cite news |newspaper=The Detroit News |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/05/08/smokey-robinson-to-play-detroit-concert-add-to-packed-summertime-day/70194689007/ |last=Graham |first=Adam |date=2023-05-08 |accessdate=2023-05-08 |language=en-US |title=Smokey Robinson to play Detroit concert, add to packed summertime day |issn=1055-2715}}

{{Cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/smokey-robinson-gasms-new-album-interview-living-legends |title=Living Legends: Smokey Robinson On New Album 'Gasms,' Meeting The Beatles & Staying Competitive |last=Enos |first=Morgan |date=2023-05-02 |accessdate=2023-05-02 |language=en-US |publisher=The Recording Academy}}

{{Cite news |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |date=2023-04-28 |accessdate=2023-04-28 |title=Smokey Robinson on love, Motown and sex at 83: 'I feel as good as I felt when I was 40' |last=Wood |first=Mikael |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-04-27/smokey-robinson-gasms-motown}}

{{Cite news |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US |date=2023-04-28 |accessdate=2023-04-28 |title=Smokey Robinson on new 'Gasms' album: A controversial title, new songs and old ones, more |last=McCollum |first=Brian |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/04/28/smokey-robinson-gasms-album-interview/70159031007/}}

{{Cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebaltin/2023/05/06/saturday-conversation-smokey-robinson-on-new-music-motown-george-harrison-and-more/?sh=45e1509f1859 |website=Forbes.com |accessdate=2023-05-09 |language=en-US |title=Saturday Conversation: Smokey Robinson On New Music, Motown, George Harrison And More |last=Baltin |first=Steve |date=2023-05-06}}

{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/04/27/1172559476/new-music-friday-the-best-releases-out-on-april-28 |publisher=NPR |work=All Songs Considered |date=2023-04-28 |accessdate=2023-04-28 |language=en-US |last1=Contreras |first1=Ayana |last2=Lee |first2=Christina |last3=Cills |first3=Hazel |last4=Hilton |first4=Robin |title=New Music Friday: The best releases out on April 28}}

{{Cite web |title=Smokey Robinson: Gasms |last=Rytlewski |first=Evan |date=2023-05-02 |accessdate=2023-05-02 |language=en-US |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/smokey-robinson-gasms/ |publisher=Pitchfork}}

{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.theroot.com/the-tracklist-for-smokey-robinson-s-gasms-proves-he-s-r-1850052853 |magazine=The Root |accessdate=2023-04-25 |date=2023-01-31 |lang=en-US |last=Connor |first=Jay |title=The Tracklist for Smokey Robinson's GASMS Proves He's Really Bout That Life}}

{{Cite magazine |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=2023-04-23 |accessdate=2023-04-28 |last=Greene |first=Andy |department=The Last Word |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/smokey-robinson-gasms-beatles-miracles-motown-snl-1234697386/ |title=Smokey Robinson on Meeting MLK, Drugs, and Why He Called His New Album 'Gasms'}}

{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/27/at-83-i-still-feel-sexual-smokey-robinson-on-love-joy-drugs-motown-and-his-affair-with-diana-ross |title='At 83, I still feel sexual': Smokey Robinson on love, joy, drugs, Motown – and his affair with Diana Ross |date=2023-04-27 |accessdate=2023-04-27 |language=en-GB |newspaper=The Guardian |last=Hattenstone |first=Simon}}

{{cite news |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/04/motown-legend-smokey-robinson-is-cruisin-into-another-new-album.html |title=Motown legend Smokey Robinson is cruisin' into another new album |date=2023-04-24 |accessdate=2023-04-25 |language=en-US |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |last=Graff |first=Gary}}

}}

• {{Discogs master}}
• {{MBrgID}}
• [https://www.wbls.com/wbls-news/smokey-robinson-talks-about-his-multi-decade-career-gasms-retirement Smokey Robinson Speaks On His New Album 'GASMS'] from WBLS
• [https://www.npr.org/2023/07/31/1191184423/smokey-robinson Interview] on Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, {{date|2023-08-01|MDY}}
• [https://www.npr.org/2023/10/16/1205531195/smokey-robinson-tiny-desk-concert Performance] for Tiny Desk Concert, {{date|2023-10-16|MDY}}
• [https://wgnradio.com/dave-plier/music-legend-smokey-robinson-the-sound-of-motown-why-music-brings-people-together-new-album-gasms-concert-in-chicago/ Music legend Smokey Robinson: The Sound of Motown, why music brings people together, new album 'Gasms', concert in Chicago]

{{Smokey Robinson}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2023 albums

Category:2020s concept albums

Category:Smokey Robinson albums

Category:Albums produced by David Garfield

Category:Albums produced by Ivri Lider

Category:Albums produced by Cory Rooney

Category:Albums produced by Smokey Robinson

Category:Naming controversies

Category:Obscenity controversies in music