Search - Teena Marie :: Robbery

Teena 's Epic Records Debut.

K. Eisenberger | Defiance, Ohio United States | 03/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was the first lp issued in 1983 for Teena Marie on Epic Records and was considered not only her break up album with Motown but Rick James as well. This album was the work of fighting to get off Motown (there is a law under Teena's name that stated that a label must issue a work of an artist with a certain period of time or let the artist leave the label) and from 1981's It Must Be Magic to 1983 's Robbery it is a huge artistic leap. By now Teena was writing, singing, arranging and producing herself for about 3 years now and too total control on this album as well. Robbery hit only number 119 on the POP album charts but was a much bigger R&B album hit as usual.



The hits off the cd are "Fix It" which reached number 21 R&B, "Midnight Magnet" which reached number 36 R&B and "Dear Lover" which peaked at number 77 R&B as well. No track crossed over to the pop charts at all. Although I do remember a video for "Robbery" with Teena driving a car. I only saw the video once on TV 50 from Detroit in 1983.



For me the album as a whole is more introspective in nature with the balance more evenly this time with both ballads and dance tracks. The hits of "Fix It" and "Midnight Magnet" with the deep funk groove make them killer tracks 23 years later. "Robbery" is one of the better R&B/Rock hybrids of it's time. Still in 2006 there are not a lot of R&B acts fusing deep funk grooves with flat out Rock guitars.

The best tracks for most fans always tend to be the ballads and the ones on this collection are no different. "Stop The World", "Shadow Boxing", "Cassanova Brown" and the hit "Dear Lover" are top notch. It is the songwriting that is so personal, lyrical, multilayered both in meaning and vocally that still shine.

BUT the best track is the very personal tribute to Janis Ian and "Society's Child" track "Ask Your Momma". It is a track that still rings true today. A++++



So again if you are a new fan of Teena or an old fan like me and most people this is a gem of a cd. The reiussue cd contains the bonus tracks of the killer 12" mix for "Playboy" (5:48) and the instrumental 12" mixes for "Midnight Magnet" (5:56) and "Fix It" (8:16)-- if you want the full vocal 12" mix for "Fix It" then buy the Lovergirl-- the best of collection on Epic . It is 6:26 on that cd."

Teena STOLE My HEART With This ONE!

Andrea | East Coast, USA | 12/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Teena, Teena, Teena. What more can I say about Miss Lady T!? Words can't describe. My title of this review says it best. But I'll try to say a little more.



I first heard of Teena Marie way back in 1981 when I was only seven years old. Square Biz was the song of the day from her album "It Must Be Magic". I loved her even then. But the real "Magic" happened for me 2 years later in 1983 when I was nine years old. My mother and I were at a friends and family gathering and one friend had a new album by Teena called "Robbery". I had to have it! So my mother bought it for me. Talk about an album being played. I wore that album out. To this day "Robbery" is my most favorite Teena Marie album. Hands down. I love the songs "Playboy", "Shadow Boxing", "Dear Lover" and "Stop the World". But my most favorite songs on the album without a doubt are "Midnight Magnet" and "Cassanova Brown".



Teena's voice sings to the Heaven's and in return the Angels play her Orchestra. Her words are poetry that flow like blood through my veins.



Teena Marie is my favorite female artist of all time. She is the female version of Prince and he is my favorite male artist of all time. Unfortunately, for some strange unspoken reason, she has not had the same kind of success as Prince. They are both prolific. They both sing, write, produce and play many different instruments. In the 80's they both had albums out almost every year with quality music that still rings true to people to this day. What other artists around have all of those attributes? I would love to have them collaborate on something together. I know it would be all that and then some.

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