Content area
Full Text
Richard Marx/"Flesh and Bone"
You know Richard Marx - the forgotten Marx brother, the shallow, musical one called Nauseo.
It was a surprise, then, to discover Marx's new r&b-drenched effort, "Flesh and Bone" (Capitol), is his most likable and modern-sounding to date. From the subtle trip-hop touches of the strong opener, "Fool's Game"; to the funky Earth, Wind & Fire tribute, "You Never Take Me Dancing"; and the modern soul of "Breathless"; Marx as producer and artist hits the bull's-eye.
Of course, Marx being Marx, there are also the obligatory drippy adult-contemporary radio ballads, including the first single, the hair-raising "Until I Find You Again" and the equally vapid "My Confession."
But fans of Luther Vandross, Celine Dion or James Ingram can make themselves nicely at home with "Flesh and Bone." Three Stars
?13- Fred Shuster
Maia Sharp/"Hardly Glamour"
Local singer-songwriter Maia Sharp has come up with a doozy of a debut, produced with her dad, country songwriter Randy Sharp.
This mellow collection of original material opens with the infectious road song, "I Need This to Be Love," which seemed instantly familiar because now-defunct KSCA-FM spun it something like 25 times a day. The rest of "Hardly Glamour" (Ark 21) is equally strong in an upbeat Joni Mitchell/Sheryl Crow vein.
Other standout cuts include "Good Thing," "Brownstone," "Only...