Tony Rich returns on his fourth album, Pictures, with a style that seems to find a happy medium between his original presentation and the heavy rock sound that appeared on Resurrected. The album opens with a brief intro in which Rich states that he's coming back to a familiar place, but things are a little different now, because you're there.
The album starts with an uptempo track, "Gone Girl," which seems to be the way Rich always kicks off his albums. The song has his nice soothing vocals but seems pretty hip. The track is nice to relax to though it starts to get a little long as time continues.
"Somethin About U," the third song on the album is pretty with very high vocals. The track suffers from the same lengthiness that plagued the first track but is still an enjoyable listen.
With the fourth track on the album, we start to hear the benefit of Rich's experimentation with the guitar on Resurrected. The song is funky with a real strong beat that helps move you quickly. It's worth warning that the track does include the f word (at least in the lyric book) though it seems to be censored when sung. Either way, the song is a real nice rock jam that works well, even if the solo is a little excessive. The lyrics are solid and overall, this is a great song.
As I listen to "That One (That Girl)," the fifth track on the album, I can't help but think Rich could have scored a hit with this one if it ever got much radio play. The song seems laced with all the ingredients of modern R&B with a nice, accented flow and catchy music. The song is stylish and while it runs on a bit long, it's still a great listen.
The low point on the album, which actually says a lot because it's still awesome, is "Quiet." The song fits its name well as it is soft and soothing. However, this perk of the song also is its downfall as the song fails to make a real impression on a listen. Despite that, it is still a quality song with a nice soft feel.
Following the track, the song has another interlude in which Rich tries to define the meaning of the album's name. Pictures are frozen moments in time, and with this album, it seems Rich is trying to show the pictures of a relationship.
Picking right back up, the eight track on the album is "Would You Lie." The song reminds me of "The Way You Love Me" from Resurrected. The song is lighthearted and fun, carrying an uptempo beat. The track is catchy and pulls you in with its fun chorus and accented lyrics.
"Movin On" is one of the highlights of the album. It has a great flow to it, with beautiful lyrics, even though I'm not entirely sure what the song's about. It gives the impression of a man being upset with the place he is at in his life and seeking to move on from there, but I'm not sure what the elevating deal is about. Despite this, the song is still very beautiful.
"Sponge" is a soulful track with some deep, nice vocals. The song hearkens back to Tony Rich's older material with a guitar solo that actually serves to benefit the song. This is probably because the rock solo acts as a soothing support to the lyrics around it, and not as the chance to "jam" as it did so often on Resurrected.
Pausing for another interlude, Do U Feel Me? is a sensual piece in which Tony Rich describes how he will feel a woman.
From here out, it's more smooth sailing for Rich. "U My Girl" is a pretty cookie cutter piece about taking a girl out and treating her right. However, despite being fairly standard fair, the song is rock solid. It fires fast, keeping you on your toes and nodding your head to the beat. The song is catchy and while it lacks any real depth or meaning, the song is still real hip.
In a similar light feel, "She Loves Me" features Rich rocking out once more. The song is fun and light hearted with a guitar piece that complements the song well. In addition, Rich keeps it short and sweet, making sure not to outstay his welcome like what happened so much with Resurrected.
Winding down, "Don't Be Worried" is a beautiful heart wrenching song. The track's beat is minimalistic with just the occasional guitar note which helps to add emotion to the song. The song is also the perfect length and does well to evoke a tear with the sorrow in Rich's voice.
The album ends with "Beautiful." The track is a little long and doesn't have much punch but it is still a nice breezy song. It is a pleasant listen and a nice send off to an enjoyable album.
