Richard Marx Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
My Own Best Enemy arrives in the midst of Richard Marx's thriving career as a producer and songwriter, and in particular his Song of the Year Grammy with Luther Vandross for "Dance With My Father." You'd think these successes would sour him on another solo outing, especially since 1997's Flesh & Bone and the 2000 self-released LP Days in Avalon didn't exactly ignite soft rock radio. The opposite, however, seems to be true. Working comfortably within the adult pop realm (instead of grudgingly accepting the genre as his fate), Marx puts forth a solid effort tinged not only with engagingly modern production and arrangements, but subtle personal reflections and just a little bit of that "Don't Mean Nothin'" grit. "When You're Gone" is the single, reintroducing Marx's grainy smooth voice over a slick yet rousing backing track helped along by the guitar and supporting vocals of pal Keith Urban. The Nashville connection continues with "Love Goes On" -- Jessica Andrews contributes chorus harmonies, and the nicely appointed cut's a steel guitar overdub away from contemporary country hit status. Later, "Someone Special" acts on that Music City pacing and steel guitar urge; it's essentially a Lonestar song sung by Marx. My Own Best Enemy does stick a little too closely to its slick formula, and the lush production smooths its edges. But Marx keeps reaching deep into his vocal chords and pulling out that legitimizing scratchiness he's always relied on. The midtempo sameness of Enemy also highlights Marx's slower material and his talent for deftly altering the mood. The quiet, simply romantic "Again" features some really nice flourishes of watery, echoing guitar, while slight electronic percussion patters in the background of "The Other Side"'s bruised-heart urgency. The two songs are emotional opposites, yet they never stray from an easily digestible adult pop sound. It takes true talent to sound genuine over what could've been maudlin. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Flesh & Bone is an improvement from Paid Vacation, mainly because Richard Marx isn't trying as hard to be contemporary. Marx has accepted, more or less, that he isn't fighting for a position in the Top 40 and has resigned himself to the adult contemporary charts. While that means Flesh & Blood doesn't even rock as hard as, say, "Don't Mean Nothin'," it does mean that is pleasantly and inoffensively melodic, with more memorable moments than its predecessor. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With 1993's Paid Vacation, Richard Marx's career was steered from more rock-leaning territory to the softer and friendlier landscape of adult contemporary, and the resulting album was much warmer and organic than his previous releases, most notably 1991's dark and brooding Rush Street. Paid Vacation's lead single, the acoustic ballad "Now and Forever," became a massive pop and adult contemporary hit in a time when popular music had changed from the corporate rock of the '80s to the angst-ridden grunge and rap of the '90s. Paid Vacation also produced a Top 20 hit with the light-hearted soul nugget "The Way She Loves Me," which also proved to be Marx's last American Top 40 hit of the decade. Other highlights include the melodic, mid-tempo hit "Nothing Left Behind Us" (which was unfortunately left off his Greatest Hits album), as well as the soaring up-tempo track "Nothing to Hide" and two more of Marx's trademark cautionary tales about the pitfalls of Hollywood and fame, "Silent Scream" and "Goodbye Hollywood." Not all the album resides in softer territory, however. "What You Want" and "Heaven's Waiting" are two upbeat, neo-rockabilly offerings which stand out among the other cuts. All in all, Paid Vacation is an engaging set which signaled a big change in musical direction for Richard Marx, one of the late '80s and early '90s most consistent hitmakers. ~ Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Richard Marx's 1991 release, Rush Street, is a varied album that was billed as "the dark side of Richard Marx," and was also his last true rock & roll album (subsequent releases found him venturing almost exclusively into the adult contemporary domain). Rush Street explores different musical territories, with almost each song emerging as a cautionary tale in some form or another. The album kicks off to a rocking start with the bluesy "Playing With Fire" and the harmonica-enhanced "Love Unemotional." "Superstar" finds Marx in a funky mode, "Big Boy Now" is a catchy ballad that could have been a single, and "Streets of Pain" and "I Get No Sleep" (the latter featuring Billy Joel banging away at a piano) come straight out of '80s arena rock. The true gems on this set, however, are the three singles, which rank among Marx's most compelling recordings. "Keep Coming Back" is a sultry, sexy, and downright cool R&B jam, with Luther Vandross' background vocals adding a spellbinding quality. "Take This Heart" is an exuberant, up-tempo hit, and the real winner, "Hazard," a dark, brooding ballad about a small-town murder, remains Marx's most haunting, unique, and memorable recording. Rush Street may not be as strong as its two predecessors, and also doesn't contain anything in the vein of "Right Here Waiting" or "Hold on to the Nights," but fans of first-rate songwriting and straight-ahead rock will surely not be disappointed. ~ Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Richard Marx's self-titled debut album was a finely crafted record of mainstream pop/rock. Marx understood how the melodies of up-tempo rockers like "Don't Mean Nothin'" are driven by thick power chords, and how arrangements are as important as melody in ballads like "Hold On to the Nights." Filled with carefully constructed radio-ready tracks, it was no surprise that the album became a huge hit. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Richard Marx's second album is almost as strong as his first, even if it shows that his songwriting has a tendency to slip into sappy, saccharine clichés. Nevertheless, it contains some major hit singles -- "Satisfied," "Right Here Waiting," "Angelia," "Children of the Night," and "Too Late to Say Goodbye." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
