Nicole Renée is the only studio album by American singer and songwriter Nicole Renée. It was released on September 15, 1998, via Atlantic Records. The recording sessions took place at Right Track Recording in New York City, except for the song "How Many Times", which was recorded at Chartmaker Studios in Malibu and the Record Plant. The production was primarily handled by Renée herself, who also served as executive producer together with Craig Kallman, as well as Arif Mardin, Colin Wolfe, David Foster and Joe Mardin. The album spawned three singles: "Strawberry", "Telephone" and "Ain't Nothin' Changed".
| Nicole Renée | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | September 15, 1998 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | R&B, rock |
| Length | 59:45 |
| Label | Atlantic |
| Producer | |
| Singles from Nicole Renée | |
| |
The album failed to chart, however, its lead single "Strawberry" peaked at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 41 on the Hot R&B in the United States, No. 55 on the UK singles chart, No. 14 on the Official Dance Singles Chart and No. 7 on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart in the United Kingdom, and No. 13 in New Zealand.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [1] |
| Robert Christgau | [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[3] |
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that the album "combines spirituality with sexuality, and the music is as indescribable as anything Prince has done, crisscrossing every genre from R&B to rock."[4]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Telephone" | Nicole Renée Harris | Nicole Renée | 4:15 |
| 2. | "Rockin' Chair" | Harris | Nicole Renée | 3:42 |
| 3. | "Cocaine Lane" | Harris | Nicole Renée | 2:44 |
| 4. | "Sound of Love" |
| Nicole Renée | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Strawberry" | Nicole Renée | 3:52 | |
| 6. | "Sunshine" |
|
| 3:52 |
| 7. | "Ain't Nothin' Changed" | Harris |
| 4:29 |
| 8. | "Wickedness" |
| Nicole Renée | 3:48 |
| 9. | "Heaven" | Harris | Nicole Renée | 4:16 |
| 10. | "Seems Like Yesterday" | Harris | Nicole Renée | 4:20 |
| 11. | "How Many Times" |
| David Foster | 4:08 |
| 12. | "Ugh! (God)" |
| Nicole Renée | 4:17 |
| 13. | "Let Me Go" |
| 3:35 | |
| 14. | "The Boy Next Door" | Harris | Nicole Renée | 3:44 |
| 15. | "Memorabilia" | Harris | Nicole Renée | 4:55 |
| Total length: | 59:45 | |||
- Sample credits
- Track 5 features samples from "Paradise" by Grover Washington Jr.
- Track 6 contains elements "I'm In Love" written by Bobby Womack as performed by Wilson Pickett.
- Track 8 contains elements from "Magic in Your Eyes" performed by Rufus.
- Track 13 contains an interpolation of "Let's Fall in Love".
Personnel
edit- Nicole Renée Harris – vocals, guitar (track 3), arrangement (tracks: 1–7, 9, 10, 14, 15), producer (tracks: 1–10, 12–15), executive producer
- Musicians
- Bernie Worrell – piano (tracks: 1, 3), Hammond organ (tracks: 1, 4, 6), clavinet (track 2), Rhodes electric piano (tracks: 4, 5), Moog bass (track 4), Wurlitzer electric piano (track 6)
- Hiram Bullock – guitar (tracks: 1, 13)
- Will Lee – bass (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 14, 15)
- Will Calhoun – cymbals & live tom drums (track 1), live drums (track 3)
- Erik Thor Steinert – drum programming (track 1)
- Michael Bearden – Wurlitzer organ (tracks: 2, 4), piano (tracks: 2, 9), ARP synthesizer (track 4), Wurlitzer electric piano (tracks: 5, 10), synth pads (track 5), Rhodes electric piano (tracks: 8, 10, 12, 13, 15), strings arrangement (track 8), organ (track 15)
- Bashiri Johnson – percussion (tracks: 2–6, 8–10, 12, 13)
- Frank Pagano – orchestra bells (tracks: 2, 5, 15), vibraphone (tracks: 5, 15)
- Yusuf M. "Joe" Mardin – drum programming (track 2), Moog bass (tracks: 6, 7), synth strings & Hammond organ (track 7), pads (track 7), arrangement & producer (track 7)
- Ronald "Head" Drayton – guitar (tracks: 3, 5, 14)
- Randy Bowland – guitar (tracks: 3, 9, 10)
- Mike Tyler – guitar (tracks: 3, 10)
- Ira Siegel – guitar (tracks: 3, 14)
- Charley Drayton – bass (track 3)
- Richard "Young Lord" Frierson – drum programming (track 3)
- Melvin "Wah Wah Watson" Ragin – guitar (tracks: 4, 6, 13)
- Vincent Montana Jr. – vibraphone (track 4)
- Bernard Parker – drum programming (track 4)
- Kenneth Ascher – Rhodes electric piano (tracks: 5, 14)
- Mass Production – drum programming (track 5)
- Lamont Dozier – Rhodes electric piano (track 7)
- Leon Pendarvis – piano (track 7)
- Larry Gold – drum programming (track 7), strings conductor (track 15), co-producer (track 6)
- Doug Wimbish – bass (tracks: 8, 12)
- Gene Orloff – concertmaster (tracks: 8–10, 15)
- Nat Adderley – strings conductor (track 8)
- Steve Love – guitar (track 9)
- Steve Jordan – drums (track 9)
- Arif Mardin – strings arrangement (tracks: 9, 10), strings conductor (track 10), arrangement & producer (track 7)
- David Foster – keyboards & arrangement (track 11), producer (track 11)
- Al McKay – guitar (track 11)
- Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (track 11)
- Glen Woodward – synths programming (track 11)
- Leon Askew – Rhodes electric piano (track 12)
- Colin Wolfe – bass & drum programming (track 13), producer (track 13)
- Rob "Reef" Tewlow – drum programming (track 14)
- Uri Caine – piano (track 15)
- Chieli Minucci – guitar (track 15)
- Production
- Al Machera – recording
- Bruce Swedien – mixing
- Kenny Ortiz – mixing (tracks: 1, 4, 6–8, 13, 15), additional engineering
- Axel Niehaus – mixing (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 10, 12, 14)
- Felipe Elgueta – engineering (track 11)
- Humberto Gatica – engineering (track 11)
- John Wydrycs – additional engineering
- Jon Smeltz – additional engineering
- Michael O'Reilly – additional engineering
- Tony Prendatt – additional engineering
- Brian Garten – additional engineering
- Alex Olsson – engineering assistant
- Ann Mincieli – engineering assistant
- Brian Dozoretz – engineering assistant
- David Swope – engineering assistant
- Ethan Schofer – engineering assistant
- Greg Pinto – engineering assistant
- Jason Stasium – engineering assistant
- Pete Karam – engineering assistant
- Robert Burnette – engineering assistant
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
- Craig Kallman – executive producer
- Gloria Gabriel – production coordinator
- Richard Bates – creative director
- Elizabeth Barrett – art direction, design
- Darren Keith – photography
- Julie Friedman – A&R
- Susan Moses – stylist
- Oscar James – hair stylist
- Isabelle – make-up
References
edit- ^ Henderson, Alex. "Nicole Renee – Nicole Renee | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (May 18, 1999). "Nicole Renée". Robert Christgau. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ Weingarten, Marc (October 16, 1998). "Nicole Renee". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "Women to Watch". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Dec 13, 1998. p. D6.
External links
edit- Nicole Renée – Nicole Renée at Discogs (list of releases)