Essential
High-gloss blue-eyed soul and razor-sharp pop rock that feels like a tailored suit. A career-spanning collection of late-night confidence and urban sophistication.
February 25, 2000 · Universal Music Group International
High-gloss blue-eyed soul and razor-sharp pop rock that feels like a tailored suit. A career-spanning collection of late-night confidence and urban sophistication.
February 25, 2000 · Universal Music Group International
Essential by Robert Palmer is the sonic equivalent of a perfectly tailored tuxedo worn in a neon-lit nightclub. It captures the unique trajectory of an artist who began as a gritty, island-influenced soul singer and transformed into the ultimate avatar of 1980s high-gloss rock. The album moves seamlessly between the syncopated, Caribbean-inflected grooves of his early work and the mechanical, gated-reverb power of his MTV-era hits. There is a persistent sense of 'cool' that permeates every track, a vocal delivery that is both detached and deeply soulful, making it the perfect soundtrack for moments of high-stakes confidence.
How does Essential sound next to the rest of Robert Palmer's catalogue?
Triumphant saturates this record a touch more than the artist's norm.
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