Eric Gable | Process of Elimination
On Eric Gable's 3rd and final album for brothers Beau & Charles Huggins' Epic distributed imprint, Orpheus Records, 1994's "Process Of Elimination", he delivers a strong mix of smooth R&B, funk, New Jack Swing, and power ballads, that should've taken him to the top of the charts. It peaked at #55 on Billboard's Top Rhythm & Blues Album chart. This album contained the hit single, album's title track, "Process Of Elimination".
Opening track, "Process Of Elimination", is built around a 1972 Marvin Gaye song, "'T' Plays It Cool" taken from the Marvin Gaye scored movie soundtrack, the classic blaxploitation film, "Trouble Man".Eric vocal style is very reminiscent of gruffy throated singers such as Teddy Pendergrass, Christopher Williams, and the late Robert Brookins. It's a Roland 808 rhythm & drum programmed track, with Fender Rhodes, and synthesizer overdubs. You'll hear the New Jack Swing patterns throughout the entire song. X'Mosque provided the rap for the Hip Hoppers.
"Don't Wanna Hurt Nobody", is a brilliantly produced Tony Dofat song that featured '90's New Jack Swing male group, Intro's,late lead singer Kenny Greene (R.I.P.), on background vocals. Eric sings all over this track with the heart & conviction of dying man on his last breath ! He pleads, almost near the point of begging for a woman's affection. (Eric, may I give you some friendly advice ? ... STOP HANGING AROUND KEITH SWEAT !!.. LOL). For me, it's Tony Dofat's synthesizer keyboard riffs, fills, chords that made this mellow tempo'd track a late evening addition to the jukebox.
"Call Me", plain & simple is ? .... FUNK CENTRAL !!! .... The producer on this foot stomper, toe tapper goes by the name of Christian. He provided Eric a MONSTER of a sound and groove. Funky bass synth performed runs and parts, a deep and heavy kick drum/snare, a sporadic ringing bell in the background,and Eric's "pushing his vocal chords to the limit" performance, made this song a head bopping extravaganza for me personally...... and once again, rapper X'Mosque blessed this track with his lightnin' speed delivered performance.
On "I'm Not The One", Eric declares he's NOT THE ONE to be taken advantaged by a woman who "thought" in their narrow mind, he was born yesterday. The track itself is an electric rhythm guitar plucked, kicked drum that stood out, hand clapped, harpsichord played, "brothers standing on the street corner harmonizing under the street light" background vocals, mellow song. Eric vocal sung from the gut, as opposed to the throat, shoned very clearly and directly.
The Force MD'd produced track, "Try Again", is a romantic, GAP BAND'S "Yearning For Your Love-esqe" lyrically themed song. Of course you'll hear those trademarked Force MD's background vocals come shining through, that'll take you back to the first time you heard those brothers back in 1984. This time around,Eric is pleading to the woman they give their relationship another try.... probably after he screwed it up .... But in any regard, the light bass synth, the chimes, synth strings, acoustic piano major chords, had "QUIET STORM" stamped all over it !
"Let Me Rock", has a slightly veiled reggae undertone to it if you listen carefully,though not a full blown reggae song in any sense of the word. The song incorporates a nice shuffle beat, harmoniously sung background vocals with vocoder performed fills. A triangle bell is added to give the song depth, along with wah wah guitar strummed lines, and Eric's "not as aggressive" vocal performance, rounds an exceptionally good song.
"Don't Stop", another Force MD's produced track, is a slow & sensual song. Bass synth's are more pronounced and felt than the previous Force MD's produced song, and if you listen more closely, the bass synth pattern is very similar to a Keith Sweat song off his 1987 debut album "Make It Last Forever", and that song is "How Deep Is Your Love" ( .... and that too, is NOT to be confused with The Bee Gees standard of the same name). The hard hitted snare drum and tom tom rolls laid down the foundation for the rhythm track to shine. Once again, the background vocals courtesy of The MD's are as sweet sounding as ever. Eric's vocals, and lyrics, are sung with the passion and fervor of a man wanting "quality time, alone" with his lady. This song is without a doubt, one of the highlights of this album.
Closing song, yet another Force MD's produced track, "This Time", is a song they themselves could have recorded. Lead vocals, shared by Eric and the lead singer of The MD's, work hand in hand very nicely,without one outdoing the other. The track has the "feel" of The MD's 1985 classic ballad "Tender Love". A nice chill out, mellow song, and one that calls for the cell phone to be turned off and wine poured with your significant other.
Happy Listening !
Randy Holmes
The Urban Music Scene
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