October 19, 1983

From the Pop Life column in the New York Times by JON PARELES

Published: October 19, 1983

ESG, Bronx Family, Finally on an Album

ESG, the South Bronx family that plays together, has finally gotten around to releasing an album after years as a major New York club band and scattered releases on EPs and singles. The group still includes the four Scroggins sisters - Renee, Deborah, Valerie and Marie - plus Tito Lauran on congas. And ESG still plays stripped-down dance tunes without a single chord - just the insistent rhythm tracks built on Deborah Scroggins's bass lines and Valerie Scroggins's drumbeat, and topped by the sisters' innocently chirping vocals.

Half the songs on ''Come Away'' (99 Records) are dance chants like ''Moody'' or ''You Make No Sense''; the remainder of the album is instrumental. It adds up to music as rigorously minimal as anything in SoHo and as tough as anything uptown. ESG's first post-album appearance will take place tomorrow night at Danceteria.