Search - Richard Marx :: My Own Best Enemy

Wonderful sound and insightful lyrics

A Gibson | 08/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think the media has largely undervalued Richard Marx's talent over the past few years, classing him with artists whose days are numbered. This album is evidence that Marx has many more years and a great deal of talent left in him yet. After a break from his solo career, which he spent writing songs for artists from N'Sync to Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban to Vertical Horizon, and which won him a well-deserved Grammy for his song (performed by Luther Vandross) "Dance With My Father," Marx is back in style.



This album has something for his old fans in Marx's signature sultry vocals, but incorporates a new sound with some extremely insightful lyrics. From the up-beat hits, "When You're Gone" and "Nothing Left To Say" to the soulful "Falling" and the powerful "Ready to Fly," this album obviously came deep from the heart, and will appeal to a wide range of listeners."

High Marx

Barry | 08/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One would probably never of expected non-stop 80's hit maker Richard Marx to still be around today, much less being very successful and getting lots of attention and critical acclaim from top music critics and magazines. But that would be normal for Marx. Never getting the attention or credit he so rightfully deserves. While his hits continued into the early 90's, hits and big albums became sporadic and most of his later output has been vastly ignored, making it frustrating when his best work and writing and growth as a masterful lyricist and composer are contained within those albums. This latest disc, his first studio album in nearly 4 years, is one of his most masterful and accomplished works. There are a handful of hits ready to go on this CD. The opener, "Nothing Left To Say", starts off with a rhythmic guitar hook that will fit superbly on any radio format. The first single, "When You're Gone", is catchy, melodic, and as fresh as morning dew. "Love Goes On" is one of the top stand out tracks here. This is a ready made hit just waiting to explode on pop radio and show that Marx, at 40, writes pop better than anybody on the radio today. It also features a background vocal by country singer Jessica Andrews. The big hit here, and most likely most liked song, is the big power ballad, "Ready To Fly", which is the ultimate Marx ballad song since his earlier hits. The only real guitar smacking rocker here is the seventh track called "Colder". It sounds like something any 18 to 20 year old popster would have on the radio today. "The Other Side" is a beautifully written love song that would have no problem popping up on radio either. The album is kinda slow with the 6th track, "Again", which goes on for over 6 minutes. The final track, "Falling", while having a hauntingly beautiful sound to it, is also a long song that seems to really go nowhere. A lot of people say this album is a return to his earlier albums with more guitar. There may be more guitar, but don't think this is going to be "Rush Street". Most of the songs have more hooks than a tackle box, and some not in the so obvious way either, but a lot are either mid tempo or upper toe tapper type ditties. I was expecting something else, but was still pleasantly suprised. Marx is a masterful lyricist, and he only gets better and better. His writing and sparkling musicianship are getting noticed more and more by critics again, and rightfully so. His voice is at times soft and haunting, and at others rough, ragged and downright fantastic. Better than most everyone else on pop radio/adult contemporary today. It's also a testament to his talent that not only cane he still write powerful and wonderful pop, but he can do so that goes with the times, fads, and goes above and beyond anyone in the business over or under 20. Marx is definitley no balladeer. He is a songwriter that does it all, and it's about time more people noticed that and checked out his later work. This is a stylish, catchy, intelligent, wonderfull written piece of adult pop."

One of the best

Dennis W. Revill | Medical Lake, WA | 11/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have always thought that Richard Marx was one of the best and this album just adds one more notch to prove that. With this album, Richard gets back in to the style of music that made him first popular a decade ago and also further establishes him in the category of what I believe is one of the greatest love song writers ever.



If you've never heard a Richard Marx album, this is a fabulous one to start with. If your shelf is full of his albums, then this is the perfect compliment to that collection.



I would recommend it to everyone."