Smokey Robinson, whose crystalline falsetto has been synonymous with late-night party boogeying and backyard barbeque funkiness ever since way back when, shows with his solo, Smokey, just where all that energy comes from.

Smokey's album is just as personally crafted as [Stevie Wonder's Innervisions]…. Along with the expected (and solidly hit-bound) love-and/or-heartache ballads …, Smokey spills out some of his more recent personal experience….

[The] most interesting and exciting cut on this lp is … the soul-documentary number, "Just My Soul Responding." It deals with the same themes as Wonder's "Living for the City"—even contains some parallel images….

On the whole, Smokey … is a truly enjoyable album. Great to have you back, Smoke. (p. 68)

Noë Goldwasser, "Records: 'Smokey'," in Crawdaddy (copyright © 1973 by Crawdaddy Publishing Co., Inc.; all rights reserved; reprinted by permission), October, 1973, pp. 67-8.