Sex Therapy: The Session

Sex Therapy: The Session is the fourth studio album by American R&B recording artist Robin Thicke, released December 15, 2009 on Star Trak Entertainment in the United States. Sex Therapy also features guest contributions by Jay-Z, Game, Kid Cudi, Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj and Estelle. The album debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 123,000 copies in its first week. Upon its release, Sex Therapy received generally positive reviews from music critics.

Sex Therapy: The Session
Studio album by Robin Thicke
Released	December 15, 2009
Recorded	2008–09
Genre	R&B soul hip hop
Length	45:33
Label	Star Trak Interscope
Producer	Jeff Bhasker Toby Gad Hot Sauce Polow da Don Pro Jay Rich Skillz Teddy Riley Robin Thicke Vidal Dre Productions
Robin Thicke chronology
Something Else (2008) Sex Therapy: The Session (2009) Love After War (2011)
Singles from Sex Therapy: The Session
"Sex Therapy" Released: October 20, 2009 "Rollacoasta" Released: March 8, 2010 "It's in the Mornin'" Released: March 2010 "Shakin' It 4 Daddy" Released: February 8, 2011

Background

Speaking in March 2010 to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis – Deputy Editor of the award-winning Blues & Soul – Thicke explained: "I'm always gonna have the influence of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Al Green in my music. But with this 'Sex Therapy' album, I also wanted to show my HIP HOP side. I grew up listening to Run DMC and NWA and Biggie and Pac and Jay-Z... So I really wanted to make a record that represented how much that music has influenced me. Plus, because I'd been writing deep and sad songs for a while, I think I was just tired of wallowing in my own self-depression! So, in terms of overall feel, I definitely wanted this album to be lighter on its FEET!"^[1]

Release and promotion

There are two different versions of the album. The regular version is called Sex Therapy: The Session. The deluxe version, released on the same day, is called Sex Therapy: The Experience and has five additional tracks. Unlike most other special editions, where the bonus tracks are all at the end, the extra tracks on The Experience are mixed in with the regular Session track listing.

Singles

The album's first single, "Sex Therapy", was released on October 20, 2009.^[2] It reached number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The official second single outside of the US is "Rollercoasta" featuring Estelle. The music video was filmed in February 2010. The video premiered on March 19, 2010.^[3] The single was released on March 8, 2010.^[4]

Other songs

"Meiplé", a collaboration with rapper Jay-Z,^[5] was released to iTunes on December 1, 2009 as a promo single prior to the release of the album. It impacted Italian radio in January 2010 and peaked at number No. 63 on the airplay chart. "Shakin' It 4 Daddy" featuring Nicki Minaj was set to be the third US single released from the album but the release was later cancelled.^[6] He performed the song numerous times, including on BET's 106 & Park in December 2009 and on the Late Show with David Letterman in February 2010 which led to extreme popularity among both artists.^[7] A remix of the song, Shakin' It 4 Daddy" (Manon Dave Remix), was made available for purchase as a digital download on February 8, 2011.^[8] "It's in the Mornin'" featuring Snoop Dogg instead of "Rollercoasta". A music video for the single was shot in March 2010 with The Price Is Right's Manuela Arbeláez playing his love interest.^[9] The video premiered on May 9, 2010.^[10]

Tour

Thicke was added as a supporting act on Alicia Keys' Freedom Tour, which kicked off on February 28, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with stops at Madison Square Garden and Staples Center, performing material from Sex Therapy.^[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	70/100^[12]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[13]
The A.V. Club	B-^[14]
Entertainment Weekly	B+^[15]
Los Angeles Times	^[16]
Newsday	A-^[17]
PopMatters	6/10^[18]
Q	^[12]
USA Today	^[19]

Upon its release, Sex Therapy received generally positive reviews from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 70/100 from Metacritic.^[12] AllMusic writer Andy Kellman gave it 3½ out of 5 stars and praised Thicke's singing, calling his falsetto "one of the best voices in R&B".^[13] Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson gave Sex Therapy a B+ rating and wrote "Thicke takes a few more risks on his fourth album... slinging falsetto boasts and come-ons over futuristic electro-funk backdrops".^[15] Associated Content writer Chris A. Sosa gave it an A rating and wrote that it "serves as Thicke's stepping out, finally embracing the simmering sexuality that's always lurked just barely below the surface of his soaring falsetto".^[20] Alex Thornton of HipHopDX gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and commended Thicke for his songwriting ability.^[21] Elysa Gardner of USA Today gave the album 3 out of 4 stars and wrote that its songs are "better vehicles for Thicke and his collaborators' naughty wit and seductive grooves than they are for his silky croon".^[19] Newsday's Glenn Gamboa gave Sex Therapy an A− rating and viewed that Thicke's attempt to incorporate other musical styles "sound as effortless as his Princely falsetto".^[17] The Huffington Post's Mike Ragogna wrote favorably of its sexual themes and called the album "a potent mix of r&b and rap with the soulful singer-songwriter channeling Marvin and Smokey on some of the more seductive songs".^[22] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times lauded Thicke for dispensing with the "characteristic politesse" of his previous work, while calling it "the best album of his career, and also the most ridiculous".^[23]

The Washington Post's Allison Stewart described it as "a gooey, goofy, occasionally great, obsessively carnal mix of '70s soul and mid-'00s computerized retro/futurist hip-pop", but perceived an "overemphasis on guest stars and superstar production" and found Thicke's songwriting "awkward".^[24]> PopMatters writer Tyler Lewis gave Sex Therapy a 6/10 rating and called it "a well-made album", but found its sexually-themed songs "cheeky, not sensual", writing "It is definitely more cartoonish than anything 70s soul men would have released, no matter how great some of the melodies are".^[18] Okayplayer writer Kendred Spirit perceived Thicke's departure from his previous work's aesthetic as breaking his "artistic morality", stating "he simply does not sound right over the intrusive synths and fuzzy drum beats of today's pop".^[25] Q gave the album 3 out of 5 stars and noted its "Prince-ly fixation with carnal knowledge" as "a touch of the absurd", but stated "Still, it's delivered with panache, thanks to Thicke's versatile pop-soul vocals and some slick production work".^[12] Los Angeles Times writer August Brown gave the album 2½ out of 4 stars and wrote "his new randiness adds zip to an always-perfect falsetto".^[16] Despite having a mixed response towards its collaborational tracks, Mark Edward Nero of About.com gave it 3½ out of 5 stars and commended Thicke for "expanding his horizons."^[26] The A.V. Club's Joshua Alston gave it a B− rating and called it "admirable", stating "Sex Therapy is certainly not grown, nor particularly sexy, but it's often great, sometimes because of its lover-boy goofiness, other times in spite of it".^[14]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, selling 123,000 in the first week of sales,^[27] selling at least half more units than his third album, Something Else, which was his first album chart in the top five, peaking at number 3, on the Billboard 200. In its second week, it fell at number 31. In the third week, the album went ten places on the charts, landing at number 21 on the Billboard 200, and then the following week, the album went three places down to number 24, as well as the week after, it went to number 28. The following week, the album re-entered at number 35, due to strong sales and airplay. As of July 2010, the album has sold 440,000 copies in the United States.

Track listing

Sex Therapy: The Session – Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Mrs. Sexy"	Robin Thicke Al Green	Thicke Pro Jay	4:23
2.	"Sex Therapy"	Thicke Ester Dean Jamal Jones Paul Dawson Herb Wiener Seymour Gottlieb John Gluck Walter Gold	Polow da Don Thicke Hot Sauce^[a]	4:35
3.	"Meiplé" (with Jay-Z)	Thicke Shawn Carter Max Jean-Max Riviere Gerard Bourgeois	Thicke Pro Jay Jeff Bhasker^[a]	4:02
4.	"Make U Love Me"	Thicke Richard Velonskis Max Nikki Leonti	Thicke Rich Skillz	3:02
5.	"It's in the Mornin'" (with Snoop Dogg)	Thicke Teddy Riley Calvin Broadus Jay Mathis	Riley Thicke^[a]	3:01
6.	"Shakin' It 4 Daddy" (with Nicki Minaj)	Thicke Jamal Jones Dean Onika Maraj	Polow da Don	3:52
7.	"Elevatas" (with Kid Cudi)	Thicke Bhasker Scott Mescudi	Bhasker Thicke	4:39
8.	"Rollacoasta" (with Estelle)	Thicke Bhasker Estelle Swaray	Bhasker Thicke	4:14
9.	"Million Dolla Baby"	Thicke Marvin Gaye Andre Harrell	Thicke Pro Jay	3:11
10.	"2 Luv Birds"	Thicke Andre Harris Vidal Davis Jamar Jones	Dre & Vidal Thicke	3:36
11.	"Jus Right"	Thicke James Gass	Thicke Pro Jay	2:50
12.	"Diamonds" (with Game)	Thicke Jamal Jones Dawson Max Jayceon Taylor	Thicke Polow da Don	4:07

Sex Therapy: The Experience – Deluxe edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"911"	Thicke Gass	Thicke Pro Jay	0:22
2.	"Mrs. Sexy"	Thicke Green McDonalds	Thicke Pro Jay	4:23
3.	"Sex Therapy"	Thicke Dean Jamal Jones Dawson Wiener Gottlieb Gluck Gold	Polow da Don Thicke Hot Sauce^[a]	4:35
4.	"Meiplé" (with Jay-Z)	Thicke Carter Max Riviere Bourgeois	Thicke Pro Jay Bhasker^[a]	4:02
5.	"Make U Love Me"	Thicke Velonskis Max Leonti	Thicke Rich Skillz	3:02
6.	"It's in the Mornin'" (with Snoop Dogg)	Thicke Riley Broadus Jay Mathis	Riley	3:01
7.	"Shakin' It 4 Daddy" (with Nicki Minaj)	Thicke Jamal Jones Dean Minaj	Polow da Don	3:52
8.	"Elevatas" (with Kid Cudi)	Thicke Bhasker Mescudi	Bhasker Thicke	4:39
9.	"Start with a Kiss"	Thicke Gass Max	Thicke Pro Jay	1:18
10.	"Rollacoasta" (with Estelle)	Thicke Bhasker Swaray	Bhasker Thicke	4:14
11.	"Million Dolla Baby"	Thicke Gaye Harrell	Thicke Pro Jay	3:11
12.	"2 Luv Birds"	Thicke Harris Davis Jamar Jones	Dre & Vidal Thicke	3:36
13.	"I Got U"	Thicke Gass	Thicke Pro Jay	3:02
14.	"Jus Right"	Thicke Gass	Thicke Pro Jay	2:50
15.	"Mona Lisa"	Thicke Toby Gad	Gad	3:34
16.	"Brand New Luv"	Thicke Gass Max	Thicke Pro Jay	3:01
17.	"Diamonds" (with Game)	Thicke Jamal Jones Dawson Max Taylor	Thicke Polow da Don	4:07

Sex Therapy: The Experience – Deluxe edition (iTunes Store bonus track)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
18.	"Sex Therapy" (Luda Remix) (featuring Ludacris)	Thicke Dean Jamal Jones Dawson Wiener Gottlieb Gluck Gold Christopher Bridges	Polow da Don Thicke Hot Sauce^[a]	4:01

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies co-producer(s)

Sample credits

• "Mrs. Sexy" contains interpolations from the composition "I'm Glad You're Mine", written by Al Green.
• "Sex Therapy" contains elements of "It's My Party", written by Herb Wiener, Seymour Gottlieb, John Gluck, and Walter Gold.
• "Meiplé" contains a sample from "Moi Je Joue", written by Jean-Max Riviere and Gerard Bourgeois, and performed by Brigitte Bardot.
• "Million Dolla Baby" contains interpolations from the composition "Trouble Man", written by Marvin Gaye.

Personnel

The track numbers correspond to the deluxe edition.

Robin Thicke – lead vocals, background vocals (tracks 2, 4, 9, 10, 13-15, 17), instruments (4), keyboards (5), piano (17), flute (1, 13), mixing (1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11-16) Russell Ali – guitar (track 5) Brian "Fluff" Allison – assistant engineer (track 3) Angel Aponte – Estelle vocal engineer (track 10) Joe Augello – guitar (tracks 2, 8, 11) Jeff Bhasker – instruments (track 10), mixing (4) Larry Cox – organ (track 2), keyboards (11), instruments (4) Idris Davis – bass guitar (track 12) Vidal Davis – additional instruments (track 12) Estelle – background vocals (track 10) Toby Gad – instruments (track 15) Lemar Guillary – trombone (track 2) Andre Harrell – executive producer Andre Harris – additional instruments (track 12) Jimmy Hawes – acoustic bass (track 9) Hot Sauce – guitar and strings {{small|(track 17)} Jimmy Iovine – executive producer} Jamar Jones – keyboards (track 12) Brandon Kilgour – engineer (track 12)

Josef Leimberg – trumpet (track 2) Bill Malina – engineer (tracks 1, 2, 4-6, 8-11, 13-15), mixing (5, 6, 11), vocal engineer (12) Greg Malone – bass guitar (track 2) Dwight Mikkelson – string programming (track 2), horns and strings (11) Ann Mincieli – engineer (track 11) Polow da Don – drums (track 17) Keschia Potter – saxophone (track 2) Pro Jay – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16) percussion (1, 2, 9, 13, 14, 16), bass guitar (1, 11, 13, 14, 16), guitar (1, 9, 13, 14, 16), piano (1, 9, 13), organ (1, 13, 16), keyboards (14), accordion (1, 13), flute (9), keyboard bass (9), engineer (15, 16) Ari Raskin – Kid Cudi vocal engineer (track 8), additional engineering (10), engineer (11) Rich Skillz – drums (track 5) Teddy Riley – instruments, engineer, and mixing (track 6) Wendell Sewell – guitar (track 12) Adam Smirnoff – guitar (tracks 8, 10) Jeremy Stevenson – engineer (tracks 3, 7, 17) Jazmine Sullivan – background vocals (track 11) Rich Travali – mixing (tracks 1-4, 8, 9, 11-16) Rob Walker – executive producer Pharrell Williams – executive producer

Charts

Weekly charts Year-end performance for Sex Therapy: The Session Chart (2009) Peak position US Billboard 200^[28] 9 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[29] 2

Year-end charts Year-end performance for Sex Therapy: The Session Chart (2010) Position US Billboard 200^[30] 68 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[31] 22

Release history

Sex Therapy: The Session release history

Region	Date	Format	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	December 15, 2009	Digital download CD	Interscope	^[32]
United Kingdom	April 26, 2010			^[33]

References

1. Robin Thicke interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' April 2010. Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
2. The single Sex Therapy available on the Amazon. Amazon.com. Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
3. Video: On Board Robin Thicke & Estelle’s ‘Rollacoasta’. Rap-Up.com (February 16, 2010). Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
4. "Rollacoasta (International Versio... (2010) | Robin Thicke / Estelle | Téléchargements MP3 7digital France". fr.7digital.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
5. Jay-Z and Robin Thicke working together February 9, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Robinthicke.com. Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
6. Robin Thicke on Nicki Minaj: ‘She’s Gonna Have a Very Long Career’. Rap-Up.com (April 13, 2010). Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
7. Video: Robin Thicke & Nicki Minaj Shake Up ‘Letterman’. Rap-Up.com. Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
8. "Shakin' It 4 Daddy (Manon Dave Re... (2011) | Robin Thicke | MP3 Downloads 7digital United States". Us.7digital.com. February 8, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
9. Behind the Scenes of Robin Thicke’s ‘It’s in the Mornin” Video. Rap-Up.com (March 19, 2010). Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
10. Video – Myspace Video. Vids.myspace.com. Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
11. Robin Thicke to Tour with Alicia Keys. Rap-Up.com (January 27, 2010). Retrieved on October 20, 2011.
12. "Sex Therapy: The Session by Robin Thicke". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
13. Kellman, Andy. Review: Sex Therapy. AllMusic. Retrieved on December 13, 2009.
14. Alston, Joshua. Review: Sex Therapy. The A.V. Club. Retrieved on January 14, 2010.
15. Vozick-Levinson, Simon (December 9, 2009). . USA Today. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
16. Brown, August (December 14, 2009). . Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 7, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
17. Gamboa, Glenn (December 11, 2009). . Newsday. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
18. Lewis, Tyler (February 18, 2010). . PopMatters. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
19. Gardner, Elysa (December 14, 2009). . USA Today. Archived from the original on December 19, 2009. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
20. Sosa, Chris. Review: Sex Therapy^{[permanent dead link]}. Associated Content. Retrieved on December 15, 2009.
21. Thornton, Alex (December 18, 2009). . HipHopDX. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
22. Ragogna, Mike. HuffPost Reviews: Alicia Keys, Robin Thicke, Avatar, and Pixies, Plus Conversations with Julian Lennon and 'Precious' Composer Mario Grigorov, and more. The Huffington Post. Retrieved on February 17, 2010.
23. Caramanica, Jon. Ain’t Too Proud to Crave (Baby, Baby): Some Blue-Eyed Sex Therapy. The New York Times. Retrieved on December 16, 2009.
24. Stewart, Allison. Quick Spin record reviews: Oh No, Cesaria Evora and Robin Thicke. The Washington Post. Retrieved on December 23, 2009.
25. Spirit, Kendred. . Okayplayer. Archived from the original on February 16, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
26. Nero, Mark Edward. . About.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2009. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
27. Caulfield, Keith. Susan Boyle Blocks Alicia Keys From No. 1 On Billboard 200. Billboard. Retrieved on January 14, 2010.
28. "Robin Thicke Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
29. "Robin Thicke Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
30. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
31. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
32. US Sex Therapy release date December 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
33. "Sex Therapy: The Experience: Robin Thicke: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved March 9, 2012.

External links

• Sex Therapy at Discogs
• Sex Therapy at Metacritic
• Album Review at About.com