Love After War

Love After War
Studio album by Robin Thicke
Released December 6, 2011
Recorded 2010–11
Genre R&B, blue-eyed soul[1]
Length 61:40
Label Star Trak, Geffen
Producer André Harrell (exec.), Neil Jacobson, Pro-J, Kam Sangha, Robin Thicke (also exec.)
Robin Thicke chronology
Sex Therapy: The Session
(2009)		 Love After War
(2011)		 Blurred Lines
(2013)
Singles from Love After War
  1. "Love After War"
    Released: October 11, 2011
  2. "Pretty Lil' Heart"
    Released: November 8, 2011
  3. "All Tied Up"
    Released: April 10, 2012

Love After War is the fifth studio album by American R&B recording artist Robin Thicke. It was released on December 6, 2011, by Star Trak Entertainment in the United States. Love After War also features guest contributions by American rapper Lil Wayne.[2]

Singles

The album's lead single and the title track "Love After War", was released on October 11, 2011.[3] It officially impacted U.S. Urban radio on October 18, 2011.[3] The music video was released on November 21, 2011.[4] It impacted Smooth Jazz radio on November 22, 2011.[5]

The album's second single "Pretty Lil' Heart" featuring Lil Wayne, was released on November 8, 2011.[6] It impacted Urban and Urban Mainstream radio on November 21 and November 22, 2011.[6] The music video was released on March 2, 2012.[7]

"All Tied Up" was released as the album's third single. It impacted Urban Adult Contemporary radio on April 10, 2012. The music video was released on June 7, 2012.[8]

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[9]
Entertainment Weekly(B+)[10]
The New York Times(mixed)[1]
Rolling Stone[11]
Slant Magazine[12]
USA Today[13]

Allmusic editor Andy Kellman commented that "Thicke has settled into a suave, and even more swashbuckling, sound" and wrote of its second half of seductive ballads, "They don’t offer much in the way of development from Thicke’s recent past [...] but they should get the job done."[9] Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole "Thicke spends most of Love After War singing in full voice, with mixed results", adding that "since Love After War stretches its seduction routine out for 17 tracks, the weight of its throwaway songs starts to add up."[12] Nate Chinen of The New York Times wrote that Thicke "ask[s] you to admire his tasteful slickness without delving much deeper than the surface."[1] Rolling Stone writer Jody Rosen stated, "Thicke spends a lot of time pondering romantic turmoil, but he's at his best when he reverts to classic loverman form: squeezing gentle bossa nova chords on his acoustic guitar, and letting his feathery upper register do the dirty work."[11]

Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly complimented Thicke's "creamy voice" and stated, "At 17 tracks, his loverman act grows a little exhausting, but perhaps he's just giving wannabe lotharios a seduction time frame to aspire to."[10] Elysa Gardner of USA Today wrote that the album "can find him self-consciously smooth at times, suggesting too much artful foreplay. Still, this is a consistent showcase for his dextrous singing, which evokes pop/R&B icons from Marvin Gaye to Michael McDonald," complimenting "his ability to serve old-school textures with a fresh and not-too-shiny finish."[13]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 22 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 41,000 copies in the United States.[14]

Track listing

All tracks written by Robin Thicke, except where noted. 

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "An Angel on Each Arm"    4:12
2. "I'm an Animal"    4:05
3. "Never Give Up"  Thicke, M. Garcia 2:37
4. "The New Generation"    3:59
5. "Love After War"    3:16
6. "All Tied Up"    3:53
7. "Pretty Lil' Heart" (featuring Lil Wayne)  3:35
8. "Mission"    2:46
9. "Tears on My Tuxedo"    5:14
10. "Boring"    3:28
11. "Lovely Lady"    2:05
12. "Dangerous"    3:42
13. "Full Time Believer"  Thicke, Bobby Keyes 4:03
14. "I Don't Know How It Feels to Be U"    5:30
15. "Cloud 9"  Thicke, Bobby Keyes 2:57
16. "The Lil' Things"    2:47
17. "What Would I Be?"    3:23
Sample credits

Personnel

Credits for Love After War adapted from Allmusic.[15]

  • Sarah Alminawi – marketing coordinator
  • Beau Benton – publicity
  • Al Branch – management
  • Moses Burdon – design
  • John Codling – cover painting
  • Larry Cox – bass, Fender Rhodes, organ, piano, strings
  • DJ Mormile – A&R
  • Tiffany Ferguson – A&R
  • Michael "Mike Banga" Gahadia – engineer
  • M. Garcia – composer
  • Karen Goodman – marketing
  • Nick J. Groff – A&R
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Lamar Guillory – horn
  • Andre Harrell – executive producer
  • Justin Hergett – mixing assistant
  • Stephanie Hsu – creation
  • Neil Jacobson – executive producer, management
  • Bobby Keyes – bass, composer, guitar, soloist
  • Joe "Dr. Soose" Liemberg – horn
  • Anthony Mandler – photography
  • Garnett March – promoter
  • Tony Maserati – mixing
  • Justine Massa – creation
  • Jarius Mozee – bass, guitar
  • Jason Nower – photography
  • Jennifer Paola – A&R
  • Pro-Jay – bass, bells, drums, engineer, flute, guitar, horn, instrumentation, organ, producer, strings
  • Furqan Raschke – A&R
  • Brenda Reynoso – publicity
  • Gee Roberson – management
  • Jamie Roberts – legal counsel
  • Kate Rosen – publicity
  • Kam Sangha – producer
  • Amanda Silverman – publicity
  • Chris Tabron – mixing assistant
  • Matty Taylor – bass
  • Anna Tes – design
  • Robin Thicke – art direction, bass, composer, drums, executive producer, Fender Rhodes, piano, producer, vocals
  • Jeanne Venton – A&R
  • Tracey Waples – management

References

  1. 1 2 3 Chinen, Nate (December 6, 2011). "New Music - Amy Winehouse, Robin Thicke and T-Pain". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  2. ↑ Daw , Robbie. "Robin Thicke’s ‘Love After War’ Album Cover, Tracklist Revealed." Idolator. http://idolator.com/6064962/robin-thicke-love-after-war-album-cover-tracklist (accessed November 17, 2011).
  3. 1 2 http://www.webcitation.org/62Q0SNpDi
  4. ↑ "Video: Robin Thicke – 'Love After War'". Rap-Up.com. 2011-11-21. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  5. ↑ "®R&R :: Going For Adds™ :: Smooth Jazz ®". Gfa.radioandrecords.com. 2011-11-22. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  6. 1 2 http://www.webcitation.org/63T8ghzcV
  7. ↑ "Robin Thicke Channels James Dean in 'Pretty Lil' Heart' Video". Rap-Up.com. 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
  8. ↑ "Video: Robin Thicke – 'All Tied Up'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  9. 1 2 3 Kellman, Andy (December 4, 2011). "Love After War - Robin Thicke". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Review. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  10. 1 2 Anderson, Kyle (November 30, 2011). "Love After War review - Robin Thicke Review". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  11. 1 2 Rosen, Jody (December 6, 2011). "Love After War". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  12. 1 2 Cole, Matthew (December 6, 2011). "Robin Thicke: Love After War". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  13. 1 2 Gardner, Elysa (December 5, 2011). "Listen Up: Robin Thicke, The Roots, T-Pain, Nils Lofgren album reviews". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  14. ↑ Jacobs, Allen (2011-12-14). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 12/11/2011 | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  15. ↑ "Love After War - Robin Thicke". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Credits. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
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