Search - Richard Marx :: Richard Marx

A product of its time, but an album for the Ages.

09/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you think you've never listened to Richard Marx before, you have, but probably didn't know it! Marx wrote many songs (#1's Crazy, What About Me, etc...) and sang background vocals for so many big artists (Madonna, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, etc...) before this album, that his musical resume would have been considered impressive even if he never began his solo career. But thank God that Manhattan Records gave him a shot! "Richard Marx" impresses in so many ways: do you like rock? How about "Don't Mean Nothing" with the Eagles' Joe Walsh on guitar, or try the blistering cry of "Have Mercy". You say you like pop? Try the bouncy "Lonely Heart" or "Rhythm of Life". Oh, you like ballads. Richard Marx is the Balladeer of All Time - try his first solo #1 hit "Hold On To The Nights". Like soul? Try "Flame of Love". Looking for some introspection? Illuminate yourself with "Heaven Only Knows". Of course, I haven't mentioned the catchy, medium-rocker "Should've Known Better", or the saxy-sound of "Endless Summer Nights" - both of which made the Bilboard Top Five. Although this album does have the sound of the late 1980's (released in 1987), it is an album for the Ages."

Richard Marx: Richard Marx (1987)

Chad DeFeo | Philadelphia, PA USA | 02/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Richard Marx is one of the most talented male solo acts around. As far as I'm concerned, he should've been another one of this world's Icons, but unfortunately a lot people decided not to give Richard Marx too much of the recognition he more than well deserved. But his loyal fans, including myself, look at him as an Icon and he forever will be an Icon in our eyes, especially when it comes down to this album, his first in the whole series. Released in 1987 and simply entitled, RICHARD MARX, this album offers nothing, but the best of first impressions to all of us: his loyal fans.



SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER

The second single from the album. This is one hell of a song. Definitely a song that cannot get enough of.



DON'T MEAN NOTHING

The first single from the album. Ahhh, there is nothing like the sound of the first single ever released by Richard. This is another Richard Marx song that no Richard Marx fan can mistake. Classic.



ENDLESS SUMMER NIGHTS

The fourth & final single from the album. This is an amazing up-tempo ballad. One hell of a great song. Richard had said that this was a #2 hit back in 1988. He had said that the song that beat him out at having it go to #1 was Michael Jackson, with his song, Man In The Mirror. Now, I do like Michael Jackson's song, Man In The Mirror, but Richard Marx was a new artist between 1987 and 1988, so this song deserved to put Man In The Mirror to the #2 spot.



LONELY HEART

What a frigging song! The beat to this one is incredible, the sound of the music is unbelievable, and Richard's voice is amazing.



HOLD ON TO THE NIGHTS

The third single from the album and Richard's first #1 hit single. I was always very fond of this song, but until I became a huge fan of Richard Marx's, I have enjoyed the song even more so. This song is another ultimate classic.



HAVE MERCY

A raw edge rock song, with Richard's awesome voice to back it up. Damn, I love this song.



REMEMBER MANHATTAN

Of course, we will always remember Manhattan, since it is located in New York, and no one can forget that morning of September 11th, 2001. Anyway, this song is another to be put in with the greats.



THE FLAME OF LOVE

Now tell me, have you ever heard a song sound as a great as this one? Maybe you have, maybe you haven't. Either way, this song is awesome.



RHYTHM OF LIFE

Really catchy. Good enough for people to dance to at parties. Just an amazing song.



HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS

I just cannot get enough of ballads. You gotta have at least two or three ballads on all of your albums and this ballad is amongst the many perfect ballads to include on your albums. This is one hell of a song.



Now, what made me a huge Richard Marx fan was his 1991 hit single, "Hazard (The River)", which can be found on his 1991 album, Rush Street. But this album had convinced me that Richard Marx had more songs that were sounding as good as "Hazard (The River)". I am proud to say that Richard Marx is one of my biggest idols in all of music history. He now stands next to Madonna, Cher, George Michael, David Bowie, and Heart in my book of idols, thanks to this album. So, if you are Richard Marx fan and you haven't already gotten this album, then buy it. I promise you all that you will enjoy it."

Richard Marx's Debut: A Blast from the Past

Robby Icellosconi | Chicago, IL United States | 05/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If this review seems biased, well, it is. It would be nearly impossible for me to write this without being taken back to a very impressionable time---junior high school. This was, I think, the first CD I ever bought, and what a purchase it was! I can just remember pressing "play" and being blown away by the sound, the production, the musicianship, and Marx's talent. It's too bad that today's impressionable youngsters don't have good stuff like this. You'll hear many semi-celebrities (or celebrity wanna-bes) on 80s tribute shows talk endlessly about Richard's mullet, sex appeal, romantic infectiousness, romantic annoyance, etc. with minimal mention of musical merit. They almost try to pigeon-hole him with Debbie Gibson and other teen sensations, as if to paint him as a has-been. These are all crass mistakes. This guy was not a teen sensation, he wrote his own stuff, played a couple instruments, and carried a tune very well. He was an excellent lyricist as well as musician, especially for his age at the time of his debut. Marx was an outstanding arranger as well. If he wasn't the sole arranger of his work, he was at least heavily involved. The guy knew what he was doing. And for the record, he's still around and doing all of it well. Richard Marx, David Cole, and Humberto Gatica receive production credits on this record, of which I can't complain at all. Gatica also serves as engineer. He is, in my opinion, one of the finest the 80s/90s ever had. His mixes shimmer as you might hear on various Chicago or Michael W. Smith records---slick and polished. Everything on a technical level---reverbs, echoes, instrument and vocal textures---doesn't get much better. You don't hear that sound on records today.All of the tracks on this record are excellent; no bad ones at all. There are the relationship musings: "Should've Known Better," "Endless Summer Nights," the upbeat "Lonely Heart," the ever-popular "Hold On to the Nights," and the not-so-production-heavy "The Flame of Love." Then there are the generally upbeat tunes, where Marx may tend to wax philosophical or political: "Don't Mean Nothing," "Have Mercy," "Remember Manhattan," and "Rhythm of Life." "Heaven Only Knows," the final song, is a gorgeous, pensive ballad---one of Marx's best ever. The lead-in to the second verse gave me chills the first time I heard it, and still does, to this very day (you have to hear it). That song could've been a hit, but I think that radio and the record company had prematurely exploited Richard as a romantic balladeer (the song was not romantic enough). The boy's got conviction as well as soul. Oh yeah... he has a hell of a tenor voice and he rocks, too. Pair this record with the follow-up, Repeat Offender, and you've got two of the best 80s records a solo artist could offer."