I think Cher caused a revival for faded stars when she took the world by storm with “Believe” because the past superstar Lionel Richie punches out the dance track “Angel”. Renaissance isn’t entirely a new, reborn Richie. Most of the album still sticks safely in what he does best which is singing love songs.
Saying that Richie hasn’t completely changed is a little understated. Even though the songs aren’t new, they have adopted the hottest sounds of the last few years. Richie takes on Latin music with the likes of “Cinderella”, “Dance The Night Away”, and “Here Is My Heart”. Then there is “Don’t Stop The Music” with an injection of current dance hall sounds with a pot full of seventies disco. The one track that really should have been left behind is the hip-hop wannabe track “Tonight”.
There are of course the signature ballads. “Tender Heart” is a nice acoustic piece that tries to set Richie up as the king of adult contemporary that he once was. And though some tracks are good in their own right, his attempt at trying to be a bunch of what he is not just doesn’t quite feel right.
+ rae gun
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