Shake You Down is the debut album by American R&B singer-songwriter Gregory Abbott. It was self-written and produced by Abbott, being released by Columbia Records in 1986.
| Shake You Down | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 1, 1986 | |||
| Recorded | 1985–86 | |||
| Studio | Atlantic Studios (New York City, NY), Sonic Sound (Freepoint, NY), Unique Recording Studio (New York City, NY) & Grabbitt Studios. | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 31:35 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Gregory Abbott | |||
| Gregory Abbott chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Shake You Down | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B+[1] |
In the US, two singles were released from the record (Europe saw a third single-release with "You're My Angel"); the title track was a massive hit single, reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986. The other, "I Got The Feelin' (It's Over)" was an R&B hit as well, reaching number 5 on that chart. On the strength of the singles, the album went platinum; it reached that certification on February 2, 1987.
Reception edit
The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said that Abbott tries to be "a great love man without a great voice", but "by reinventing a black pop of modest means, he takes a first step toward returning that great crossover in the sky to the people."[1]
AllMusic's Craig Lytle retrospectively gave the recording 4 of 5 stars, saying it "has an even flow. All the tracks have that mid-tempo rhythm. The quality vocals, light production touches, and effervescent melodies are attractive attributes."[2]
Track listing edit
All songs written and produced by Gregory Abbott. (Copyright CBS Songs/Control)
- "I Got the Feelin' (It's Over)" – 4:05
- "Say You Will" – 4:00
- "Shake You Down" – 4:03
- "You're My Angel" – 3:55
- "Magic" – 3:58
- "Wait Until Tomorrow" – 3:51
- "Rhyme and Reason" – 3:36
- "I'll Find a Way" – 4:07
Personnel edit
- Gregory Abbott – lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboards, drums (1, 4, 6-8), percussion, arrangements
- Alan Palanker – keyboards, co-arrangements (2–5, 7, 8)
- Marlon Graves – guitars
- T.M. Stevens – bass
- David Beal – drums (2, 3, 5)
- John Licitra – flute, saxophones
- Aida Foreman – backing vocals
- Robert Deadmon – backing vocals (3)
Production edit
- Charles Koppelman – executive producer
- Gregory Abbott – producer
- Gerry Comito – engineer, recording
- Mark Larson – design
- Raul Vega – photography
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[3] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[4] | Gold | 500,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Notes edit
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ AllMusic Review
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gregory Abbott – Shake You Down". Music Canada. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gregory Abbott – Shake You Down". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 22, 2022.