CD REVIEW: RICHARD MARX – Beautiful Goodbye

Label: Zanzibar Productions / Kobalt Label Services

Release Date: July 8, 2014

Rating: 10/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Richard Marx has unleashed a new disc on the public and it isn’t what you might expect.  Guilty pleasure? Maybe.  Great album? Definitely.  The cover gives you an initial impression that things have changed and from the opening notes of “Whatever We Started,” you realize you aren’t in “Hazard” anymore.  This track features a sexy groove that runs from open to close, but the vocals and lyrics add to the sensual feel of the track.  It still sounds like Richard Marx, but a lot more mature and sexual… lustful.  “Suddenly” comes next and it keeps the sensual, cool vibe moving.  The guitar work is sedated yet phenomenal, while the keyboards and vocals joins the mix and create a great blend that carries the track.  Title track “Beautiful Goodbye” is one of the sexiest songs I have heard in a long time.  The keyboards and synth mix with Marx’s vocals, along with the rhythmic tempo of the track, to create a mood that allows the senses to take over.  “Turn Off The Night” is a cool ballad that demonstrates Marx’s ability to create meaningful songs that can strike a chord in each of us at different points in our lives.  “Like The World Is Ending” opens with a funky groove that keeps the song anchored, while the keyboards and guitar give the song life and identity.  This is a great song that captures the different moods and sounds of the disc in a four minute package.  “Getaway” is a simple song that allows the music to duet with the vocals in a way that gives the disc a different feel, while fitting in with everything else on the collection.  “Just Go” (Target Bonus Track) is a bit more rock than ballad, but keeps the essence of the disc intact and alive.  The songs lyrics are telling and the vocals give the song depth.

“Inside” follows the more adult theme of this disc, but the sound and feel of the track creates a vibe that mirrors that of one of Richard’s great releases from the 1990’s.  “Forgot To Remember” brings a rock feel to the disc and gives Marx a chance to show he still has the voice and attitude to create a great track that leaves the romance and ballad feel at the door – that a song can be sexy as hell without the mellow accompaniment.  “Have A Little Faith” brings a different texture to the disc with its rhythmic tempo and the earthy vocals in the verses, that become more emotional and intense during the chorus and bridge.  This track reflects where Marx has been, but also where he is headed musically.  “To My Senses” is more of a ballad type song in style and sound, but the vocals bring the emotion of the lyrics full force.  The use of the keyboards and guitar in the background add depth to the track and the disc in general.  This is Richard doing what he had done best for years.  “Eyes On Me” brings the disc to a close in an eerily sexy way.  The sentiment of the lyrics is enhanced by the piano and guitar.  The song harkens back to other Marx classics, without sounding dated or repetitive.  “Moscow Calling” (Target Bonus Track) is different than anything Richard has done previously, but as this disc is a deviation into new territory in general, this is a welcome addition.  This remix-dance type track gives us another glimpse at Marx’s talent as a song writer and performer, as well as his ability to grow and experiment.  Richard has given his fans another reason to love him with this collection of songs written from the head, the heart, and other places south of there…

http://richardmarx.com

http://beautifulgoodbye.net

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Category: CD Reviews